9354809 Stearns Faculty in the sciences and engineering in cooperation with the Teacher Preparation program at Princeton University are developing teaching field experiences for undergraduates. Students, working with University faculty, prepare a teaching unit related to science, technology, or mathematics, then teach the unit to students in public schools. Students in three courses in technology, physics, and engineering and environmental geology work with their professors to develop mini-units for presentation in pre-college classrooms in lieu of writing a research paper. The staff of Princeton's Teacher Preparation Program supervise the field experience and instruct the undergraduates in appropriate pedagogy. This project brings undergraduates' skills acquired at the University into classrooms with young students and also provides a bridge between the university and the pre-college classroom by offering school children access to lessons on science and technology that enrich their academic experience. It offers undergraduates direct experience with teaching, a career path many do not now consider but might with early encouragement and satisfying encounters with young students. The teaching experience enhances the undergraduates' learning by having to present the material to others. This field experience is a new component in the Princeton curriculum, affording undergraduates the opportunity to hone their communication skills and apply their studies to a significant area of social concern, upgrading the science and technology content of the pre-college curriculum. ***y
