STEM Teachers
Summer Externship Program 2010
There are approximately 11,000 vacant jobs in STEM fields in Massachusetts with too few applicants with the required skills to fill the jobs, and too few students choosing to enter STEM occupations. Teachers of mathematics and science, who understand the real-world applications of the content and skills they are teaching, are in a good position to make STEM learning more meaningful to students, and to interest those students in STEM careers. Providing STEM teachers’ with actual work experience in new STEM fields is a strategic investment in addressing the pipeline challenge.
The North Shore Workforce Investment Board and Salem State College School of Education are offering a Summer STEM Externship Program for middle and high school STEM teachers which will include both a 5-8 week summer externship and a graduate course that will help teachers apply their externship experience to their teaching. The expectation is that teachers will develop curriculum projects or structured opportunities for enhanced student learning of STEM content and its relevance to problems and possibilities in the working world. In order to participate in the externship, applicants must be enrolled in the accompanying graduate course.
The Externship
The externship is a 5-8 week full-time work assignment in a local company where teachers will work on projects that apply their subject matter in real-world work situations. The companies will pay teacher externs a flat rate of $800 per week for a 40 hour work week. The application process will include an interview both with the company and with Salem State College course instructors. Examples of possible work within the externship setting include participating: in,
1. research and development activities;
2. the manufacture of products;
3. the delivery of services for clients or customers;
4. lab and related research activities;
5. the preparation of written documentation for clients or customers (in English or other languages);
The Graduate Class “Connecting Science, Math and Technology to Workforce and Community” (3 cr)
(Required)
The course is designed to help teachers strengthen students’ understanding of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by applying a direct experience in the STEM workforce to curriculum and instruction. Teachers will produce a lesson plan, curriculum and/or PowerPoint presentation that will be taught to their students and presented to their host company. Teachers should also be willing to share their project with other teachers in their buildings or other venues. The NSWIB will showcase exemplary teacher extern projects each year to help promote the STEM initiative. Tuition for the graduate course is $825. With sufficient enrollment, the tuition may be reduced. Teachers will be expected to pay for the course with some financial support provided by the NSWIB or other partners.
Eligible Teachers
• Teachers eligible to apply are middle and high school teachers of mathematics, sciences or technology from districts in the North Shore region.
• Candidates must complete an application no later than February 26, 2010, submit a resume, interview both with the externship company and with Salem State staff, and commit to participating in both the graduate course and the externship for the duration required by the individual company. The final offer for the externship will be made once the candidate has registered for the course. Click here for the 2010 Application and here for the Externship Survey.
• Teachers who are not proficient in PowerPoint and Excel must be willing to participate in a professional development workshop provided by Salem State College at no additional cost. All teachers must be interested in taking both the class and the externship.
Companies
The participating STEM companies will provide a real-world work experience for the teacher during 5-8 weeks of the summer. Companies will also act as advisors to the graduate course, reviewing teachers’ plans for classroom products and helping make them real for students. The finished product may include field trips by students to companies or classroom presentations by company representatives.
For more information and for help in making externships work for interested companies and teachers, contact Shari Cornett at the North Shore Workforce Investment Board, 978-741-3805.
