A Modest Proposal: Addressing the Physics Teacher

Shortage by Master's Level Cross and Alternative Certification into

Physics TeachingDan MacIsaac

Department of Physics, SUNY- Buffalo State College

<macisadl@buffalostate.edu>

Dave Henry and Kathleen Falconer,Department of Elementary Education and Reading, SUNY- Buffalo State College

Joe Zawicki, Department of Earth Science and Science Education, SUNY- Buffalo State College

Abstract

Since 2002, SUNY-Buffalo State Physics has established and grown two M.S.Ed. (Physics) programs leading to NYSED 7-12 Physics Certification from two to over forty-five candidates, with another twenty five graduates. An attendant Summer Physics Academy serves 60-90 physics teachers annually, awarding graduate credit to both program and non-program graduate students. These programs will be described in some detail, together with their impact on the candidates and our department. Funding opportunities for candidates of these programs leading to physics teacher certification will also be described.References:<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.Edu/programs/>MacIsaac, D.L., Henry, D., Zawicki, J.L. Beery, D. & Falconer, K. (2004). A new model alternative certification program for high school physics teachers: New pathways to physics teacher certification at SUNY-Buffalo State College. Journal of Physics Teacher Education Online, 2(2), 10-16.

History of Modest ProposalsThe original Modest Proposal:A Modest Proposal For Preventing The Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being A Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For Making Them Beneficial to The Public

political pamphlet by Jonathan Swift (1729)

A hugely influential political satire discussing the plight of the poor in Ireland vis-à-vis the wealthy (usually English) landowning class. Swift pretended to mock his own preferred reforms (taxing absentee landowners etc) and "advocated" outrageous interventions, chiefly the raising of poor Irish children as meat for English landowners.

In an interesting humorous aside (perhaps to the hugely popular letters from Dr. Franklin then in London), Swift notes:

“I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled ...”

History of Modest Proposals

Traditional Physics Teacher Certification:Actually a mélange of programs, usually including

•a physics specific major plus- science teaching methods courses in Y3 & 4 - some classes for all teachers e.g. Educ Psych, Exceptional Ed, Ed Technology, Evaluation, Lesson Planning, much legalistic ( child abuse reporting etc) -student teaching- several state tests in general knowledge, teaching, and subject area (Physics) at first/second year level.

NYSED initial cert good for five yearsNYSED professional cert requires master's degree within five years

History of Modest Proposals

My modest proposal is: ...perhaps we need new models for physics teacher preparation other than the one we academic physicists "know" to be the best:

The best traditional preparation for HS physics teachers via a bachelor's degree in physics.

Group exercises: How would you do it?

Group ExercisesYour mission: Design (a) Master's program(s) for Ms. Stone and Mr. Builder, preparing them to become qualified and certified physics teachers:

Ms. Stone is a newly graduated (B.S.Ed. Earth Science) teacher just hired at Hooterville HS who has been assigned to teach 2 classes of physics per year. Stone has an initial certificate with two semesters of algebra based physics (B/C grades) and one semester of calculus (C) taken 2-3 years ago. She's teaching physics right now, available for classes during evenings and summers.

Mr. Builder has B.S.Eng. and M.S.Eng. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and worked in industry for 3 years through a series of corporate consolidations. Builder took a year of calculus based physics for engineers, four semesters of calculus and a complete sequence of engineering courses. He has no teaching certificate or education courses of any kind, and was hired to teach physics last year at St. Obscure HS (teachers in private and parochial HS don't have to have NYSED cert). Mr. Builder is also teaching physics right now, and also available for classes evenings and summers.

Needs

Huge needs for:•highly qualified STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths)•in particular, physics teachers

Nationwide in US and in NYS growing ever more desperate

MacIsaac et al (2004) JPTEO articleNAS “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” (2006) report.

FTE # of ClassesAve FTE/ Teacher% of total (FTE)Total number of physics teachers 1691 783 3132 0.46 100.0Physics teachers with no physics certification, temporary 351 132 528 0.38 16.95 yr provisional & CQ 242 126 504 0.52 16.1permanent certification 1098 525 2100 0.48 67.0

Over age 55 454 221 884 0.49 28.2Over age 50 728 337 1348 0.46 43.0

Regents Physics 584 74.6Second Year Physics 2.6 0.3AP Physics 106 13.5Other 90 11.5

NYS Physics Teacher Data for the 2001-02 school year

Needs: How bad is it really?Since 2002, we have had 26 Ms. Stone analogues and 16 Mr. Builder analogues admitted to the Buffalo State M.S.Ed. (Physics) programs. Three are currently not teaching by personal choice (one left profession, one in grad school and one adding math cert / new dad).

Forty five graduate candidates are currently active in the program, with another twenty-one alumni and three dropouts.

All of these above candidates who sought physics teaching jobs are employed as physics teachers, whether certified, qualified, (or even recommended by myself).

It's pretty bad; check your local HS physics teacher qualifications and background.

We draw about 50-60 HS teachers each summer to the Summer Physics Teachers' Academy at Buffalo State. Out of state tuition in $3000 for three weeks. Last summer we turned away applicants. Next summer we'll open a third course.

Needs: How bad is it really?

It's bad enough that there's considerable financing:See "Funding for Students" seeking initial physics certification at <http://www.buffalostate.edu/physics/>

Free SUNY tuition ($4,500 for 4 yrs UG or 1 yr grad) for NY HS Math and Science Teachers

Noyce fellowships ($8,500 / yr for 2 yr UG or $10,000 / 1 yr grad) to new High Needs Math and Science Teachers

Federal Student Loan forgiveness (up to $17,500) for student loans incurred certifying by High Needs Math and Science Teachers

NCLB Title II funds for teacher preparation administered by local school districts

What are Physics Departments doing?

Other Physics Departments Around the Country University of Virginia

• MAPE Masters of Arts in Physical Science Education• On-line courses• Summer academy

Arizona State University• MNS- Masters of Natural Science• Summer academy

Montana State University at Bozeman plus NSTA National Teacher Enhancement Network (NTEN)

• MAT Masters of Arts in Teaching• On-line courses• Summer academy at MSU and U of A

North Carolina State University•Two Semesters of on-line calculus based physics (Chabay & Sherwood)

Buffalo State Programs:History, Overview & CurrentStarted in 2002 with 2 candidatesCurrently in both programs:

45 MSEd (Physics) candidates (25 cross-cert – no BS Physics)•16 MSED (Physics +AC) candidates; 9 engineers; 1PhD Physicist• 21 graduates (2 AC- 1 not teaching by choice)• 3 drop outs

Roughly 3-6 candidates in admissions pipeline at any one time

Current Demographics in both programs*:•12 women•1 Hispanic-American•2 African-American candidates

(*less in-actives)

Buffalo State Programs:History, Overview & Current

Started with:• One tenure-track physics education faculty• Physics faculty inc. certified HS teachers including collaborated with past HS Physics Teachers now faculty in Elementary Education and Reading and Earth Science and Science Education• Several local master physics teachers (WNYPTA community)

Currently:• Tenure track professional hired 2006• 2nd physics education faculty hired 2007• A dozen local master physics teachers (WNYPTA community)

Opportunities:• to work outside the traditional box of physics teacher licensure • receive state and national recognition by establishing new model NYSED AC program• seek NSF funding• institutional recognition

Buffalo State Programs:History, Overview & Current

Buffalo State Summer Physics Teachers’ Academy • Intensive

o 2-3 week longo 8-13 hours per dayo maximum 30 participant teachers in courseo co-taught by master teachers and university facultyo physics content and pedagogy integratedo teacher and student modes

•grown to five graduate courses o Possible 4 courses each summero 1 elementary physics and education courseso 3 secondary physics education courses

Now offering PHY 620 and 622 concurrently• serving 75-90 teachers this summer• drawing participants regionally

Buffalo State Programs:History, Overview & Current

Physics 622- Summer 2005 Participants and Instructors

Important Lessons Learned that we feel contributed to our success

- we built physics teacher preparation programs specifically dedicated to and focused upon teaching one subject only, housed within physics and team taught with appropriate physics faculty and master HS physics teachers for professional credibility to multiple audiences (candidates; teachers, SED; faculty)

- redefined the physics teacher candidate shortage problem for success by targeting nontraditional yet highly motivated physics teacher preparation audiences (cross certification; alternative certification) SOME OF WHOM ARE ALREADY TEACHING PHYSICS and who are unlikely to be readily replaced by qualified candidates even if these were available

Important Lessons Learned that we feel contributed to our success

- physics teacher preparation courses were scheduled to meet Full Time employed adult target candidate needs – evening courses, online courses and intensive summer academies; knowledge of support mechanism for candidates (Noyce scholars; Perkins and Stafford Loan forgiveness etc)

- we recognize physics teacher candidates pretty universally don't know their physics content, don’t how to teach it, and they don't know that they don't this. Yes, even our physics majors too -- see the extensive PER and SER literature.

- need for transparent, operational-ized and well-articulated definitions of high quality intro physics learning and teaching

(RTOP == Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol)

Important Lessons Learned that we feel contributed to our success

- programmatic role of PCK is central: graduate level showcase courses contain undergraduate physics content (absolutely requred), lower division mathematical representations and graduate level PCK (E.g. )

- in-depth use of PER-based activities and curricula; extended reflection; use of "Student hat" and "Teacher hat" activities and analyses throughout

Pedagogical Knowledge (teaching)

Pedagogical Content

Knowledge (physics teaching)

Content Knowledge (physics)

Important Lessons Learned that we feel contributed to our success

A "perfect storm" at Buffalo State College?• institutional and physics department politics• teacher preparation mission at college (NCATE)• search for distinctive programs and identity• important cross-disciplinary collaborations• flexible faculty willing to go "outside the box"• experienced players in teacher preparation• growing the pie in physics department resources• lack of physics graduate program competition?

See <physicsed.buffalostate.edu/pubs/aapt>