LOOKING AHEAD TO NGSS: PREPARING EARTH SCIENCE TEACHERS FOR URBAN SCHOOLS USING THE FRAMEWORK FOR K-12 SCIENCE EDUCATION (NRC, 2012)

To address the shortage of Earth science teachers in New York State (NYS), the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) launched a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in 2012 with the aim of increasing the number of certified Earth science teachers. To date, 65 new teachers have graduated from the program and most are engaged as full time teachers in high need public schools in NYS. With encouraging results from the pilot phase, the program has been institutionalized through authorization from the NY State Board of Regents to offer the MAT degree as part of the Museum's Richard Gilder Graduate School. The fifth cohort of 13 candidates has just begun their school-based residency placements, and recruitment is underway for academically strong Earth and space science majors with dispositions to be successful in high need schools for the next cohort, which starts in June of 2017.

The intensive 15-month curriculum comprises one summer of museum teaching residency, two 5-month residencies in high need public schools, a science research residency, and concurrent graduate-level courses in Earth and space sciences, pedagogy, and adolescent psychology. An emphasis is placed on field- and lab-based geological studies, experiential learning, differentiation of instruction to meet the needs of all students, and using technology effectively in the classroom. In an effort to ensure that AMNH MAT graduates have a robust knowledge base in Earth and related sciences, we recruit applicants nationally who combine coursework in subjects that include geology, meteorology, space science, and paleontology, science research experience, and demonstrated commitment to become Earth science teachers in high need public schools. The AMNH MAT Program then provides additional coursework in Earth and space science, pedagogy and adolescent psychology.

This presentation will explore evolving ways the AMNH MAT Program has used the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) and the Next Generation Science Standards in the context of preparing new teachers to teach Earth science in a state that has not yet adopted NGSS.