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4 Exemplary Programs
Pages 35-52

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From page 35...
... •  he Merck Institute for Science Education has improved the teaching and T learning of science through an emphasis on student performance and par ticipation, instructional practice, school culture, and district policies. •  he Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform Program in T Washington state has brought together the stakeholders involved in science education to pursue a multifaceted agenda of improvements.
From page 36...
... He remembered vividly childhood experiments in his makeshift laboratory and felt that, by providing teachers with the tools they needed, students could have similar experiences. In cooperation with the community, California State University at Fullerton, the National Science Resources Center in Washington, DC,  the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California, the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California, the Beckman Foundation created the Beckman@Science Program.
From page 37...
... Professional development has been a critical component of the program, reflecting the direct correlation between success in the classroom and the quality and quantity of professional development that teachers receive (Yoon et al., 2007)
From page 38...
... . During the first five years of the program, the Beckman Materials Science Center offered professional development and material support to every public and private school.
From page 39...
... The Beckman Foundation offered each participating district up to 12 years of funding to be used exclusively for professional development, materials, and administrative and community support. The program also holds monthly meetings of coordinators for the districts, and these meet ings have led to "lasting friendships, admiration, respect, and trust," said Dorrance.
From page 40...
... They are encouraged to continue to provide the leadership support necessary by providing teachers with adequate time and opportunities for professional development. The districts "have learned their lesson well," Dorrance said.
From page 41...
... Class sizes will increase and some teachers will change grade levels, which will require that they be given additional professional development in the kits for their new grades. New and less experienced teachers and administrators will be hired and will require extensive training.
From page 42...
... In addition, the breakout group suggested that programs like Beckman@Science need to maintain a focus on innovations that were not in the original plan. These innovations might include responding to needs that have emerged since the original plan was developed, incorporating tools or knowledge that have become available since the original plan was prepared, or responding in new ways to knowledge gained as the original plan was implemented.
From page 43...
... "The institute's mission," said its executive director, Carlo Parravano, "has been to improve the teaching and learning of science, with the ultimate goal being to improve student performance and engagement in science." The institute began its work by creating partnerships with school districts in the states of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where Merck has a major presence. It originally focused on grades K-8; more recently it also has begun to work with high school teachers.
From page 44...
... This model has produced high levels of teacher participation, high rates of change in instructional practice, widespread use of standards-based instructional materials, dramatic changes in student experiences, and, as Parravano put it, "unfortunately, modest changes on standardized tests." Despite the test results, science remains a priority in the school districts, higher expectations have been established for all students, teacher expertise is highly valued, and district policies and strategies in areas like incentives and hiring have changed. In addition to evaluation, sustainability has been a key component of the institute's efforts.
From page 45...
... The institute has worked with districts to ensure the sustainability of science education programs by building leadership and capacity among teachers and principals. For example, as part of the Leader Teacher Institute, teams of teachers from school buildings committed to three years of professional development -- three weeks each summer and sessions during the academic year as well.
From page 46...
... "There are definitely going to be significant changes," ­Parravano said. "One of the challenges that we have is to make sure that Merck continues to value this kind of work." Reporting from the breakout group that discussed the Merck Institute for Science Education, Greg Pearson detailed some of the many objectives that need to guide the development of better assessments.
From page 47...
... It is committed to a blueprint for improvement based on standards, shared goals, classroom-tested curricula, professional learning experiences for teachers, data-driven decisions, material support, administrative and community support, and a "living" improvement plan. Results produced in part by the LASER Program, as measured by scores on standardized tests, vary greatly from district to district and from school to school, Estes observed.
From page 48...
... As one way to assess the effectiveness of these efforts, the LASER Program has sought to understand how the amount and quality of professional development has improved student learning. Using both end-of-unit assessments and statewide comprehensive assessments, the program has sought to relate results at the fifth and eighth grade levels to teacher professional development.
From page 49...
... It also is important to find people in the state who are highly qualified to offer professional development and to train new people to offer professional development over time. For the program to be maintained, its mission needs to fit with missions of the lead organizations, so their support is a natural component of the program's work.
From page 50...
... In I ­ ndiana, the coalition consists of the governor, key members of the legislature, the chief state school officer, the state higher education executive officer, the university community, college and university presidents, faculty, school superintendents, school boards, unions, the business community, professional associations, and philanthropies. "That ­ coalition was critical to us," said Levine.
From page 51...
... Salary bonuses may be needed to recruit quality teachers to all schools. Professional development for practicing teachers needs to increase in quantity and quality.
From page 52...
... For example, Ball State University, the largest producer of teachers in Indiana, broke its teacher education program into modules that it embedded in field experiences for future teachers. It created residencies for teachers to work on program design and residencies for professors in schools so they could spend time teaching in the schools in which they were preparing teachers to work.


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