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Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
DES MOINES – Two Iowa educators were named recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.
Sharon K. Jaeschke, a math teacher at Southeast Valley High School in Gowrie, and Bradley Jacobson, a science teacher at Central Academy, Des Moines Public Schools, were named the recipients.
The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the nation’s highest honors for kindergarten through 12th grade educators of math and science.
“These educators are to be commended for this great achievement,” said Ann Lebo, director of the Iowa Department of Education. “These award-winning teachers lead the way toward excellence and are an inspiration to all.”
Awardees are selected from schools in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity schools, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States territories.
More than 5,000 teachers have been recognized since Congress created the program in 1983. The awards are administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Recognized for their contributions in the classroom and their profession, award recipients are leaders in the improvement of math and science education and role models for their colleagues and in their communities.
"IMpACT"ing Science Standards Implementation
The Implementation Map for Administrators, Coaches and Teachers (IMpACT) is a tool designed as a self-reflection to assist in determination of the level of implementation of the Iowa Science Standards and the five innovations of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
These innovations include: the use of relevant phenomena, three-dimensional learning, coherence of instruction, integration of math and ELA, and a focus on addressing inequalities.
The IMpACT draws heavily from Achieve's EQuIP Rubric for Science and PEEC alignment tools, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as well as the NGSS Appendices.
IMpACT areas of focus include:
A huge "thank you" goes out to the team who helped update the IMpACT through committee work this past spring: Tracy Jarrett, Kathy Schmidt, Mandie Sanderman, and Sara Nelson.
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IMpACT Resources and Links
There are now a variety of resources to support use of the IMpACT, including:
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IMpACT website: includes basic information about the IMpACT tool, as well as links to supporting resources and aligned resources
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Supporting resources: IMpACT users can find a Quick Start Guide as well as a Reflection Guide, both of which will help navigate the process of using and benefiting from the IMpACT
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Aligned resources: Users will find a collection of resources for each criteria/aspect of the IMpACT. Once the user has selected a goal or focus area, linked resources will support additional professional learning.
Who can benefit from using the IMpACT?
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Administrators - It should be noted that the IMpACT is not designed as a teacher evaluation tool. School leaders may choose to use the IMpACT as means to inform conversations with science teachers, assist in making decisions about instructional materials and curriculum, and/or generally support teachers’ implementation of the Iowa Science Standards and three-dimensional teaching and learning outlined in the NGSS.
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Instructional Coaches - The IMpACT can serve as a meaningful resource during coaching cycles and professional learning. Instructional coaches might use the IMpACT to help teachers initially characterize their implementation of the Iowa science standards and help to inform the focus of subsequent coaching conversations. Resources on IowaCore.gov provide support during coaching cycles.
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In- and Pre-service Teachers - The IMpACT gives teachers intentional language around the implementation of the Iowa science standards. Teachers may choose to focus on one criteria, one aspect of one criterion, or use the entire IMpACT to characterize their implementation. The descriptors for each aspect of implementation should provide insight into what actions teachers can take to deepen implementation of the standards and help focus ongoing professional learning. Additionally, the linked resources provide targeted opportunities to learn more about each aspect.
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Informal Educators and Professional Development Providers - The IMpACT can also serve as a guide for those entities that support teachers and support science education in informal environments. The criteria presented are good reminders of the expectation of the Iowa Science Standards with regard to how science instruction and learning should look. Informal educators and professional development providers are encouraged to weave the IMpACT into their work, making both implied and explicit connections when able.
New Resources to Support Engaging with the Science and Engineering Practices
Iowa's science standards are three-dimensional. That is, each standard is written to include a Science and Engineering Practice, Core Idea, and a Crosscutting Concept. Experts believe that the Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) should be taught as a "cascade of practices" (Bell, et al., 2011) rather than thinking about them like the traditional scientific method which which many teachers are familiar.
Supporting students' engagement in the SEPs in meaningful ways is a great way to ensure they have the skills and habits of mind required to deeply understand scientific investigations and phenomena.
This new collection of resources can be found on the Iowa Core website and will help teachers discover the answers to these questions:
- What are the Science and Engineering Practices?
- What do educators need to know about each Science and Engineering Practice?
- How might students engage with the Science and Engineering Practices?
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Planning for Effective Science from the Council of State Science Supervisors
The Council of State Science Supervisor's Leadership and Policy Committee has developed a collection of five "one-pagers" outlining some back-to-school considerations for science teachers and those who support them. Each PDF consists of an overview, reflection questions, a vignette for discussion, as well as other resources. You can find each document using the links below, or download all five HERE.
Overview - PDF
Instruction - PDF
Assessment - PDF
Curriculum - PDF
Social-emotional well-being and Safety - PDF
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Stay Current on National Science Education Trends & Research
Next Gen Navigator is a monthly e-newsletter delivering information, insights, resources, and professional learning opportunities for science educators by science educators on the Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional instruction.
The August 2020 issue provides a discussion around using "everyday" phenomenon, ideas for families and teachers working together, and promoting student-centered learning through the use of phenomenon.
Visit https://www.nsta.org/publications/archive-nextgennavigator.aspx to sign up and access archived past issues.
Supporting Students' Science Learning During COVID-19 School Closures
During the COVID-19 crisis, many people are looking for helpful resources to support learning away from brick-and-mortar school buildings. Engaging in safe, meaningful science learning can be done in homes, neighborhoods, and in online/virtual learning environments.
The resources below were developed by members of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CoSSS). Each resource is guided by a focus on equity and is framed through a lens of socio-emotional health. They might be useful to educators and educational leaders to help chart the course in these very uncertain times.
NEW! Long-Term Supports for Extended School Closures
Immediate Supports
Additional versions of the family and student resources are available in a variety of languages (Arabic, Chuukese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalong, and Tongan) through the STEM Teaching Tools website: http://stemteachingtools.org/news/2020/guidance-for-supporting-science-learning-during-covid-19
These resources will continue to be updated over time, and others are in active development. Once complete, they'll be hosted on the STEM Teaching Tools website above.
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Eric Hall
Science Consultant
Bureau of Leading, Teaching, Learning Services
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
400 E 14th St
Des Moines, IA 50319
515-689-3717
eric.hall@iowa.gov
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