Obama Announces Funding for Science and Math Teachers

View the Original Article Here.

The White House announced Tuesday a series of new grants for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teachers and programs.

According to a White House release, Obama will request $80 million in his budget proposal to be released on Feb. 13 for a competitive grant program for STEM teacher preparation programs. Obama also plans to devote a portion of the $300 million Teacher Incentive Fund specifically toward state and local efforts to improve pay, evaluations and professional development for STEM teachers.

“When students excel in math and science, they help America compete for the jobs and industries of the future,” Obama said in a statement. He called for the United States to produce 100,000 effective STEM teachers in the next decade. The White House also announced that private organizations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will donate $22 million to supplement those efforts.

The president's budget will include a $100 million investment by the Nation Science Foundation to improve undergraduate postsecondary programs focused on STEM fields. In his budget, Obama will also outline a partnership between the foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, with $30 million in funding from each, to scale up "evidence-based approaches to improve student learning at K-12 and undergraduate levels," according to the White House.

The Education Department will also continue to emphasize STEM efforts in future applications for Race To The Top funding, according to the administration

Teachers for Global Classrooms (TGC) Courses

IREX is excited to announce the new application cycle for Teachers for Global Classrooms (TGC)!  TGC is a professional development opportunity for middle and high school teachers from the United States, with the goal of providing teachers with the skills and experience to promote global education in their classrooms and schools.  The Teachers for Global Classrooms Program (TGC) features an online course aimed at globalizing U.S. classrooms, two Global Education Symposia, and international travel.  Participants are selected through a national, open competition. TGC is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) administered by IREX (the International Research & Exchanges Board).  Please see the program page on the IREX website for further information: www.irex.org/tgc

If you or your colleagues have any questions about this new application cycle, please contact tgc@irex.org.  

Announcement: 2012 CDC Science Ambassador Workshop
CDC’s Scientific Education and Professional Development Program Office is pleased to announce the 2012 CDC Science Ambassador Workshop — an opportunity for middle and high school science educators to share in a dynamic learning experience. The workshop will be held at CDC headquarters in Atlanta from July 16 through July 20, 2012. We are now accepting portfolios for consideration.
 

Overview
CDC Science Ambassador Workshop links public health science to classroom instruction. This is an excellent opportunity for science educators to work closely with CDC scientists during an intensive 5-day workshop to bring new and innovative science and public health materials to the classroom.

This workshop features a variety of sessions on public health topics, and educators will work in teams with CDC scientists to create engaging lesson plans. These lesson plans not only meet National Science Education standards, but also challenge students to think about science in new ways, and to apply science to current health and safety issues. Once the lesson plans have been published on CDC’s Science Ambassador Workshop website, educators across the United States and internationally may implement them in their classrooms.

Eligibility
To be considered for participation, educators are encouraged to submit the following information to the Science Ambassador Workshop contact at the email address listed below:

• Curriculum vitae or resume
• Two letters of support (principal and science department chair)
• A personal statement explaining why you are interested in the program, your expectations, and how you plan to use the workshop lesson plans (500 word limit)
• Sample of a lesson plan you have developed
• Copy of current teaching certificate

Educators will be responsible for travel and lodging expenses for the workshop. Those who complete and meet the expectations of the workshop will earn three (3) Professional Learning Units. This is a competitive program and space is limited — 16 educators will be selected for participation.

Please share this information, early, with any of your colleagues who may be interested. Deadline for submission is Friday, March 30, 2012. Those selected for participation will be notified by April 27, 2012.  
Website and Contact Information
CDC Science Ambassador Workshop website
Esther Shisoka, MPH
iwv4@cdc.gov
(404) 498-6359

First Annual Scientists of the Future Jamboree

A fund raising event for The America’s Future Scientist Fund

Join 1000 friends and family for the most exciting science education event of the year. You’ll experience hands on science of the movies and witness amazing stunt demonstrations by renowned movie stunt expert Steve Wolf and his team of professional stuntmen, zip line rides, The Austin Planetarium, Dr. Cold, rope obstacle course, food and the first human android keynote in the history of man – “Zeno” developed by Hanson Robotics, this kid-friendly event will ignite the love of science in adults and children and raise money to provide supplemental curriculum to elementary and middle school teachers!

Members of STAT receive a 25% discount on tickets, using the code: 2pct5

Buy tickets here!

President Honors Outstanding Math and Science Teachers

WASHINGTON, DC -- President Obama today named 85 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.  The educators will receive their awards in Washington, D.C. later this year.
 
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is awarded annually to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. The winners are selected by a panel of distinguished scientists, mathematicians, and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level.  Each year the award alternates between teachers teaching kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades.  The 2010 awardees named today teach kindergarten through 6th grade.

NSTA’s New Science Teacher Academy, a year-long program that offers professional development and mentoring for 2nd and 3rd year science teachers, is looking for applications specifically from educators located in Texas. For those “Fellows” who apply and are chosen to participate, the Academy is designed intended to boost teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge. Among many benefits, Fellows will enjoy:

·    Membership in NSTA and all its advantages;

·    Use of web-based PD learning activities including web seminars;

·    Mentoring-discipline and grade-specific by experts  

·    Complimentary registration to NSTA’s Annual National Conference including lodging, meals, and air travel;

·    Participation in a PD Institute or Research Conference and more.

Sharing these experiences with others across the nation who come together to meet and bond at the NSTA National Conference has served to strengthen the personal benefits of the program and create lasting friendships for the Fellows.
Visit www.nsta.org/academy to get the details and complete an application. The deadline is July 1.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – April 11, 2011 Jean-Yves Chever, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Americas, OHAUS Corporation, announces that Marcy Whited, a teacher at Farmersville Intermediate School, in Farmersville, TX, has won the 2011 Gustav Ohaus Award. Whited played an integral role in the development, fundraising and implementation of the Farmersville Intermediate School Outdoor Lab, which provides a hands-on approach to earth science and measurement skills education.

For nine years, Whited has provided energetic, practical education, designing a science curriculum that requires active participation instead of simply reading and testing. The Outdoor Lab, outfitted with rain gauges, anemometers and thermometers, allows students to read and record changes of specific units of measure including temperature, rainfall volume and wind speed. It also allows for valuable earth science lessons, as students create landforms to witness erosion, while also burying and unearthing objects to observe decomposition. The students utilize OHAUS balances to compare soil mass, density and porosity, as each measurement is a valuable component of the earth science curriculum.