Challenges

Theme: Preparation

How might we ensure teachers enter the classroom well-prepared to teach STEM?

Many teachers enter the classroom underprepared to effectively engage all students - particularly students of diverse backgrounds, students with disabilities, and English language learners - in STEM learning experiences. Teacher preparation programs have a critical role to play in reversing this trend by providing more opportunities for teacher candidates to observe and practice high-quality STEM teaching, requiring STEM content and pedagogy courses of all candidates (including elementary teacher candidates), and setting higher expectations for program completions. These improvement measures can be bolstered by deliberate coordination between preparation programs and local education agencies, and by  state teacher certification requirements and teacher preparation program policies that enable and encourage innovative instructional practices.