College of Education addresses urgent needs
University to Business, 1/9
The TRUE Project: Wayne State's push for STEM teachers in 2020
Wayne State University has recently announced a new initiative to generate more STEM educators through the Metro Detroit Teaching Residency for Urban Excellence (TRUE) Project. The U.S. $2.5 million government-funded initiative is an innovative multi-sector partnership that aims to positively impact student learning, address the shortage of STEM teachers and support the region's workforce development. The project will target recent graduates and mid-career professionals with STEM expertise within the metro Detroit region. It will serve to generate jobs for current professionals especially in the automotive and technology industries who may be impacted by recent plant closures. "Having highly qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators in the classroom is vital to the development of our nation's and region's workforce," said Wayne State University Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Keith Whitfield. "Through our investment in the Metro Detroit TRUE Project, coupled with other efforts at the university, it is our aim to provide students in Detroit Public Schools Community District and Dearborn Public Schools with the STEM educators and experiences that spark learners' curiosity to explore STEM-related concepts that they can apply in the classroom, community and the world of work so they can thrive in the new knowledge economy." "The Metro Detroit TRUE Project's curriculum will integrate two research-based innovations - culturally responsive STEM education and trauma-informed, socio-emotional learning - that are crucial in students' academic and personal development in urban schools and communities," said Wayne State University Assistant Dean and Professor in the Division of Teacher Education Roland Sintos Coloma, who is also the principal investigator for the TRUE project. "The project will also allow us to develop a new curriculum that will ascertain teaching competency of the state's new K-12 computer science standards." The TRUE Project partners include Wayne State University's College of Education Teacher Education division, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of the Provost, Office of Vice President for Research, and College of Engineering.
Detroit News, Chalkbeat, WWJ-AM, 1/7
Program to address urgent need for STEM educators in Detroit, Dearborn
By Jennifer Chambers (Detroit News)
Wayne State University has launched a teaching residency project for the Detroit and Dearborn public school districts that aims to address the state's shortage of STEM teachers and support workforce development. The $2.5 million program, Metro Detroit Teaching Residency for Urban Excellence (TRUE) Project, will seek recent college graduates and mid-career professionals with STEM expertise in the metro Detroit region, especially those in the automotive and technology industries who may be impacted by plant closures. Program officials said the project will prepare 36 professionals as K-12 STEM teachers over an 18-month period, during which they will complete a master's degree and receive their teaching certification, followed by a two-year induction period of mentoring and professional development. Keith Whitfield, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs and professor at Wayne State University, said he applauds the project's innovative approach toward building pillars of sustainability in the region. "Having highly qualified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators in the classroom is vital to the development of our nation's and region's workforce," Whitfield said. "Through our investment in the Metro Detroit TRUE Project, coupled with other efforts at the university, it is our aim to provide students in Detroit Public Schools Community District and Dearborn Public Schools with the STEM educators and experiences that spark learners' curiosity to explore STEM related concepts that they can apply in the classroom, community and the world of work so they can thrive in the new knowledge economy."
WJBK Fox 2, Eureka Alert, 1/13
Wayne State offers master's program for professionals wanting to teach
By Amy Lange
At the Berry Career Center in Dearborn Heights, students are learning about sports medicine, and computers and so much more - here the focus is on a STEM education - Science Technology Engineering and Math. Which is where a new program from Wayne State University comes in - a Teaching Residency for Urban Education - or the TRUE Project. It recruits people with careers and bachelor's degrees in STEM - to get a master's degree in education and teach middle school or high school in Dearborn or Detroit.
"Looking for people who have a passion for what they've done in a profession but also want to give something back to young people," said Truman Hudson, Jr. Hudson says in May of 2020 the first cohort of 16 people from science or math backgrounds will begin an 18-month master's program and will be in middle school and high school classrooms by fall and earn a $40,000 stipend. Once they've earned their teaching certificate and their masters in the art of teaching in math or science, they will spend three years teaching in either Dearborn or Detroit. Hudson says there are hundreds of open teaching positions in STEM in the state of Michigan - especially in our urban centers.