The road less traveled Personal reflections of a

The road less traveled: Personal reflections of a physics teacher educator Carl J. Wenning PTE Coordinator Illinois State University 4/8/06 ISAAPT

Where are we at? » 50% of all current teachers will retire in next 10 years. » 40% of current science teachers will retire within next 5 years. » Illinois has 45 -50 “unfilled” physics teaching positions annually. » Illinois PTE not up the task. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 2

How did we get here? (+) » Historically small percentage of students take physics in high school with growing demand. » Technology and jobs requiring more science understanding. » More science being required to meet testing or college admission requirement. » Physics First and Conceptual Physics are having an impact. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 3

How did we get here? (-) » » Baby boomer generation retiring. Competition from other professions. Physics at end of lock-step sequence. Failure of science teachers to promote their own profession. » Insufficient attention paid to growing need for physics teachers by professional organizations and postsecondary schools. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 4

What can we do about it? » » ISAAPT Ad Hoc Committee (2004). Pipeline Project Report (2004/05). Brochure & web page (2005/06). Cracker Barrel discussion re: TG. David Sykes Ken Mellendorf Mel Sabella 4/8/06 Ann Brandon Rob Mason Ivan Trimble ISAAPT Roger Malcolm David Cornell Carl Wenning 5

Critical Steps >> Inspiration >> >> 4/8/06 Mentoring >> >> Induction Retention Identification Recruitment Preparation ISAAPT 6

Inspiration » Make physics fun for all students. » Allow best students to practice teach and tutor and set up labs. » Conduct programs for elementary. » Ask for comments and suggestions. » Speak positively about teaching. » Take students to a conference. » Be a joyful teacher. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 7

Identification » Good character traits: enthusiasm, curiosity, honesty, patience, clarity, trustfulness. » “People personalities” with empathy. » Natural teacher/natural scientist. » Active participant/capable student. » Strives for conceptual understanding. » Good at time management/multitasking. » Learns well from experience. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 8

Recruitment » Must include direct/indirect approaches. » A direct invitation followed up with resource information. » Take students to summer teaching internship or workshop at university or ISAAPT meeting for prospective physics teacher seminar. » Invitation by school district, including providing supporting funds. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 9

Preparation » » Inquiry and the nature of science. Constructivism/concept change. Organizational patterns. Metacognition and student selfregulation. » Cooperative learning 4/8/06 ISAAPT 10

Induction » Appropriate supervisory practices. » Avoid overworking novice teachers: » Multiple preparations. » Least desirable courses. » Most difficult teaching situations. » More preparation time. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 11

Mentoring » Pair up novice teacher with an experienced teacher from the same discipline. » Formalize the relationship, and provide remuneration to mentor. » Consider employing retired teachers. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 12

Professional Growth » End the classroom isolation. » Establish and nurture long-term school-university partnerships. » Provide professional development opportunities. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 13

“A Hopeful Sign” (AAAS) 4/8/06 ISAAPT 14

What it took » A departmentalized program. » A full-time program coordinator. » Program accreditation along with implementation of NSTA Teacher Preparation Standards » A willingness by the faculty to say “enough is enough. ” » Plenty of hard work! 4/8/06 ISAAPT 15

Challenges to PTE » » Many more PTE majors More females and minorities More rural candidates A convergence of what constitutes “quality” physics teacher candidate preparation. » A synthesis of PER findings. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 16

Challenges to ISAAPT » The ISBE “science” certificate. » Promotion of teaching careers by our own and similar associations. » Providing outreach to prospective teachers through its meetings. » To become more high school physics teacher and physics teacher candidate friendly. 4/8/06 ISAAPT 17