I USE Science

Overview

Urban schools that serve poor populations are understaffed, have few certified science teachers, and offer limited science resources. Over half of New York chemistry and physics teachers are not certified, and that number increases in the poorest schools. Teachers with the strongest preparation in the sciences who choose to teach in the poorest city schools have the highest burnout rate, usually leaving before they have completed their third year of teaching. Despite their commitment, these teachers lack the skills and knowledge to work effectively in a high poverty urban setting.

The Urban Science Education Center at Teachers College supports several major initiatives developed in response to these challenges. I USE Science-Improving Urban Schools through Empowering Science Education-addresses the urgent need to improve science education in New York City public schools. The project is directed by Angela Calabrese Barton, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, and co-directed by Ann Rivet, Ph.D. I USE Science has three goals:

To increase student achievement in science in high poverty urban schools
To improve preparation of science teachers for urban schools
To provide professional development for new and experienced science teachers in New York City, with the goal of increasing teacher quality and retention.

When I USE Science began in 2001, the project established partnerships with elementary and middle schools in low-income neighborhoods in Regions 1 and 10 (formerly District 3 in Manhattan (Central Harlem and Morningside Heights) and District 10 in the Bronx (Jerome Avenue)). As a result of a reorganization of the school system by the New York City Department of Education in September 2003, which combined school districts into new, larger regional units, Districts 3 and 10 are now in Regions 10 and 1 respectively. Now in its third year, I USE Science continues to work with schools in Districts 3 and 10, within the new regional structure.

Regions 1 and 10 are characterized by an ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged population and by student achievement rates that are among the lowest in New York City. Most teachers in Regions 1 and 10 lack experience, and many are teaching without certification in their field. To combat these obstacles, each of the partner schools has made a commitment to improving student achievement and increasing teacher quality and retention through professional development.

I USE Science currently works with six partner schools: PS 306 and MS 306 in the Bronx, and Crossroads Middle School, Harlem Middle School for Math and Science, West Side Collaborative Middle School, and IS 195 in Manhattan. Students in these schools are 90-100% minority. In Crossroads and West Side Collaborative middle schools, three-quarters of the students qualify for free lunch, an indicator of inadequate family income. The economic situation of students in the other four schools is even worse; 90% of students in PS 306, MS 306 and IS 95 qualify for free lunch, as do 95% of students at Harlem Middle School for Math and Science.

Project Activities

The Urban Science Education Center envisions I USE Science as a five-year project, and we hope to increase the number of partner schools in years four and five. We are continuing to evaluate and refine project activities in each participating school and are making efforts to institutionalize the project's work at the regional level. To promote such regional institutionalization, we have formed partnerships with Region 1 Science Staff Development and Region 1 Science and Technology Center in the Bronx, and Region 10 Science Staff Development in Manhattan. To accomplish the goals of I USE Science, the Urban Science Education Center has developed the following core project activities:

1. STAR Teams (Science Teaching Action Research Teams): STAR Teams composed of classroom teachers, Teachers College faculty, and selected Teachers College graduate students known as Urban Science Education Fellows meet weekly to develop, implement and evaluate innovative, inquiry-based science curricula and enrichment activities in partner school classrooms. Each partner school has a teacher-leader or administrator-leader who coordinates the efforts of the school's Star Team. At least three teachers in each school are on their school's Team; in all, 25 teachers participate in I Use Science and are on Teams. In addition to their work on science curricula, the Teams provide classroom support (including pedagogical strategies in urban science education), evaluate classroom practices, and design and run after-school programs.

2. Partnerships with museums, other science organizations and community organizations: Collaborations with key museums and other science organizations in the city provide support for teachers and exciting learning opportunities for students that stretch beyond the classroom walls. Similar collaborations with community organizations give students a chance to study science in the context of their own local environment. I USE Science's partner organizations in 2003-2004 include Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the American Museum of Natural History, the South Street Seaport Museum, the Inwood Park Nature Center, Playing 2 Win, and WEACT.

3. Network of mentor scientists: Professional scientists from these partner organizations provide content expertise for STAR Teams and individual classrooms, contribute to curriculum development, and serve as role models for teachers and students.

4. Urban Science Education Fellows: Fellows are chosen from graduate students at Teachers College who are preparing to teach science or to engage in science education research. The Fellows enroll in a TC graduate course that focuses on urban science education issues and methods, and they work on STAR Teams while taking the course. In 2003-2004 there are seven Urban Science Education Fellows.

5. Professional Development: In addition to classroom-based activities, participating teachers meet for bi-weekly seminars with Teachers College faculty, attend workshops presented by community partners and science organizations, and attend annual retreats and summer workshops. Retreats in 2002-2003 focused on using the city as a laboratory, and meeting science standards through interdisciplinary teaching.

6. Special Projects: In collaboration with individual teachers and schools, in-classroom enrichment projects and special science activities are offered at partner schools. Special activities include after school science programs; grade-wide literacy projects that link literacy skills with science learning through the keeping of science journals; the integration of technology into science education; and the design and construction of urban gardens used for teaching and learning purposes.

Accomplishments and Outcomes

The results of I USE Science will have both local and national impact. At the local level, we expect that the project will: (1) transform the science teacher education programs at Teachers College at both the teacher certification and doctoral levels, (2) improve science instruction in low-income New York City public schools, and (3) develop science teaching practices that make the importance of science immediately relevant in the context of participating schools, community, and home.

At the national level, we expect that: (1) new teachers will graduate from Teachers College with strengths in urban science education that enable them to serve as teacher leaders in New York City and other urban districts throughout the country; (2) project findings will be disseminated to the national media through the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College; and (3) policy documents will be developed to inform state and federal officials about the special needs of inner-city urban science educators.

Acknowledgements

Powerpoint presentation click here