Are You A New Science Teacher?

Are you a middle or high school science teacher in San Mateo, Marin, Alameda or San Francisco Counties who has been teaching for two years or less?

Would you like help from the Exploratorium and get a stipend to cover your time?

The Exploratorium Teacher Institute invites you to join teachers throughout the Bay Area who are part of an innovative, exciting, inquiry-based, content-rich professional development program. For over twenty-four years, the Teacher Institute has offered summer institutes, Saturday and after school workshops, and other opportunities to veteran teachers. In Fall 2008, our New Science Teacher Program will be starting its eleventh year.

The Exploratorium is a world famous museum of science, art, and human perception. Exhibits are interactive and hands-on. The Teacher Institute uses these exhibits as the foundation for its programs for teachers. Teachers participating in all our programs receive generous stipends.

Key benefits of the 2 year New Science Teacher Program are:

• Saturday workshops and summer institutes led by Exploratorium staff scientists, Teachers-In-Residence, Internet experts, and library staff
• Use of museum resources, including the teacher resource library
• Regular meetings with a small support group consisting of other beginning teachers and an experienced science teacher
• Having experienced teachers assist you in your classroom
• Lots of hand-outs, museum publications, and other classroom materials
• Stipends totaling approximately $2000 over the course of 2 years.

Program requirements:

• 2 Saturday Orientation Meetings (Sept. 2008 and Jan. 2009)
• Four Saturday workshops in each semester
• The 4-week Summer Institute held at the Exploratorium, Summer 2009
• Two mentor support group meetings per semester
• In class assistance from experienced Exploratorium Teachers-in-Residence
• teaching a coached lesson series on a selected topic each year

Program options:

• The Teacher Institute regularly collects data from participants for program evaluation - including surveys, lesson observations/videotapes, and student work (with school/parent permission). You will have the option of releasing collected data to a National Science Foundation-funded study of science teacher induction.
• Additional after school and Saturday workshops (when available)
• A 2-week summer workshop at the end of your 2-year program

For an application for this Fall's 2008 New Teacher Program, click here.

Questions? Please contact Lori Lambertson at loril@exploratorium.edu. Lori can also be reached by phone at (415) 353 0499.