Is Maine ready to answer the call and can it support the Framework?
The most recent Science magazine edition features an editorial by Science editor-in-chief and distinguished scientist and educator, Dr. Bruce Alberts, about creating a new 15-month national program to prepare and certify PhD-trained scientists to assist K12 science curriculum development.
Alberts states:"I would like to challenge a group of the relevant experts—teachers, principals, superintendents, education researchers, scientists, policy-makers, and experienced science curriculum specialists from school systems—to create a 15-month program aimed at preparing and certifying outstanding Ph.D. scientists as “science curriculum specialists” whom U.S. school districts would want to hire. These individuals would need to be competitively selected, provided with prestigious fellowships to cover their living expenses, and networked to each other and to the scientific and engineering communities. The goal is to produce large numbers of school system administrators with “science in their souls,” passionate people skilled at working inside the system to connect it to the very best resources available for helping science teachers to inspire their students." Does his rallying cry resonate with you and how might such a goal be achieved effectively to support our nations teachers?What core components would need to be incorporated into the scientists' training (classroom teaching time, state standards and assessment, etc.)? Is Maine positioned to help pioneer a scientist training program in support of the recently released Framework?Please contribute thoughts and concerns by commenting here and get in touch (mnthomps@fas.harvard.edu) if you are inspired by the idea.
