A very compelling story about Denise. What are the plans to conduct case-based research on students like Denise to better understand the ways in which programs like the one at Pacific University can support such students? Also, are their plans to follow students like Denise into the classroom to better understand that long-term impacts of supporting programs like the one at PU?

I'm not very familiar with the Noyce program, beyond the basic mission of encouraging strong undergrad STEM majors to go into teaching. I couldn't tell in the video if Denise was working with other Noyce scholars, in-service teachers, high school students or others. I'd love to know more about how the Noyce experience might help teachers stay in teaching once they begin. 

Hi Robin!  Denise is about to finish up the teacher preparation program, which means for the past year she has been working to become a science teacher.  We have a cohort of 10 Noyce Scholars.  What is exciting about Denise's story is that her background equips her with what we refer to as "Funds of Knowledge" with which to connect with the students in her own community where she will be teaching starting next year.  Not only will she connect uniquely with the students who share some of her journey, culture, and language, she is more likely tp be successful and continue teaching long-term in her rural, small-town setting than the average science teacher that would get hired from outside of the community.   She represents the science teacher high-needs communities need.

Thanks so much for sharing your project and particularly highlighting Denise's story. Denise mentioned that she worked with a mentor. I'd love to hear more about the mentoring model. How do you work through the process of matching students with mentors? Do you collect any data from mentors about the impact of the program?

Thanks for the note!  Denise works with mentors in a couple of different senses:  First, Denise worked in clinical teaching practice (also known as student teaching) with two different mentor teachers (MT's) during the school year. Her MT during the first half of the year was a middle school math teacher who I encouraged to work with Denise because she, like Denise, is a bilingual Latina.  The second half the year Denise's MT was a veteran science teacher at the district alternative school, someone who truly understands culturally responsive practice and was able to support Denise's journey to explore how story telling and student "funds of knowledge" might be leveraged in the science classroom.

Secondly, Denise will be assigned a school district mentor.  As a small district they will struggle, however, to provide an ideal amount of support.  To augment what her district will provide, our Noyce program will maintain close contact since the district is in a small town just a few miles away. 

Thanks! 

Thank you for sharing this work- what a great story. I would love to hear more about the opportunities that Noyce provides!

I enjoyed your video as the perspective on one of your students.

Thanks! We hope that this story captures the essence of what we are working toward--providing students with the STEM teachers they need!