Noyce East Tennessee STEM Teacher Recruitment
Abstract: East Tennessee State University (ETSU) received an NSF Noyce Track 1 Teacher Recruiting program beginning April 2019 targeting majors in Physics, Chemistry, Engineering Technology, Computer Science, and Mathematics. The program has three parts: 1) a summer teaching internship program for undergraduate STEM majors designed to recruit students into the teaching profession, 2) scholarships and mentoring for a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, and 3) a mentoring program and continuing professional development for newly minted teachers to retain them as teachers. We would like to share our experiences and see if colleagues within the CTE teacher preparation programs can enrich this discussion using the round table format. Undergraduate STEM majors serve as interns at local non-profit science educational organizations, science museums, and summer science camps. We have begun developing a STEM teacher-shadowing program as an additional recruiting method. The MAT program provides students with a broad and comprehensive background in education, including STEM teaching strategies and pedagogy. Our goal is to address the critical shortage of STEM educators in high-need fields, especially in Computer Science and Engineering Technology, in the southern Appalachian region. We wish to create a cadre of teachers who will inspire future generations of teachers and scientists.