This project is creating a support network for alternatively certified science teachers in middle and secondary schools. Science and education faculty at George Mason University are collaborating with teachers and administrators in the Fairfax County Public Schools and Prince William County Public Schools to enhance the quality of teaching of beginning middle and high school science teachers who are provisionally licensed, to increase the retention rate of these career changers, and to conduct longitudinal research to determine what makes the most significant difference in retention. The Teacher Support Network includes teaching mentors, coaches, academic mentors, basic and advanced science or mathematics methods courses for new teachers, and a website to provide resources for meeting the needs of diverse learners and for using technology in teaching.
