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Arizona Educational Foundation's teachSTEM initiative is a groundbreaking program designed to address Arizona's critical STEM teacher shortage by motivating junior high and high school students to pursue teaching degrees in STEM.
The first time most students hear the term "STEM" or learn about STEM careers is usually from a teacher.
teachSTEM for High Schools
teachSTEM works with Career and Technical Education programs like Education Professions, Early Childhood, and Career Pathways, as well as Educators Rising CTSO's. Schools are paired with an Arizona Teacher of the Year who serves as a STEM Coach. In Education Professions, Early Childhood, and Educators Rising, budding young teachers are introduced to the importance of STEM as part of pedagogy and inspired to consider becoming STEM teachers. In Career Pathways, students are provided experience learning STEM job skills and meeting with STEM Experts.
teachSTEM for Higher Education
teachSTEM pairs Arizona Teachers of the Year with emerging pre-service educators to train them how to utilize STEM skills and concepts as part of their own pedagogy.
STEM Explorers for Middle Schools
Eight online lessons have been designed for teachers of 5th-8th grade students to learn about STEM careers, including teaching. Lessons are online, are self-paced, and free to access!
According to Educators Rising research, 60% of all high school teachers work less than 20 miles from where they attended high school. teachSTEM has the potential to not only inspire students to become STEM teachers, but to return home to their own communities as educators.
How does teachSTEM work?
Did you know that with widespread vacancies in full-time STEM teacher positions throughout Arizona, thousands of students go through high school each year without full-time math, science, and technology teachers?
teachSTEM is an early intervention, that not only provides access to STEM learning for students, but also builds awareness about the need for STEM teachers and job opportunities within mainstream STEM fields.
Have STEM Explorers Questions?
STEM Explorers for Middle Schools teachSTEM Explorers is a self guided series of lessons designed to facilitate STEM career exploration for students in 5th-8th grade. These eight lessons, designed by 2022 Arizona Teacher of the Year, Nancy Parra-Quinlan, will guide you and your class through a career adventure, helping your students understand a broader understanding of STEM career possibilities! Each lesson has a guide and a slide deck. Teachers are able to use several or ideally, all of the lessons to help their students understand the wide variety of STEM careers.
teachSTEM for High Schools is designed and led by current and former AEF® Arizona Teachers of the Year® and finalists who are STEM educators. teachSTEM pairs one of these master educators with high school CTE programs like Education Professions, Early Childhood, Career Pathways, as well as Educators Rising CTSO programs.
STEM Coaches work with students throughout the year, engaging students in hands-on STEM learning, discussing STEM workforce skills, as well as college and career options. Students also interact with STEM Subject Matter Experts to discuss real-world STEM opportunities.
teachSTEM for Higher Education pairs an Arizona Teacher of the Year with emerging educators to train teachers in the fundamentals of STEM pedagogy and prepares them to integrate STEM skills and concepts as part of promising practice.
Want to bring teachSTEM to your campus?
For more information, contact Dr. Teresa Hill at teresa@azedfoundation.org.
