11:42 a.m., Feb. 2, 2009----To help meet a national need for increasing the number of teachers in science and mathematics for grades K-12, the University of Delaware has joined the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative.

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The University recently joined 73 member institutions of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) to participate in the teacher imperative.

A voluntary, non-profit association of public research universities, land-grant institutions and many state university systems, NASULGC has member campuses in all 50 states and the U.S. territories.

According to its Web site, NASULGC is “dedicated to excellence in learning, discovery and engagements with an overriding mission to support high-quality public education and its member institutions as they perform their teaching, research and public service roles.”

Involving state and federal governments, as well as the business and K-12 communities, the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (http://www.teacher-imprative.org) (SMTI) seeks to address the challenge of preparing qualified teachers in the fields of science and mathematics by employing the technical resources and key tools of NASULGC member institutions.

“The University of Delaware can make a strong commitment to this effort with our nationally recognized and National Science Foundation-supported undergraduate programs in mathematics and science teacher education,” Nancy Brickhouse, interim deputy dean of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy and professor of education, said. “What is exciting about the charge of this committee is the possibility of creating a national strategy for recruiting and preparing science and math teachers.”

The teacher imperative is supported by grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Science Foundation, NASULGC and in-kind contributions for faculty from several universities.

The Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative commitment seeks to:

• Substantially increase the number and diversity of high quality mathematics and science teachers prepared by their institutions;
• Identify the need, both immediate and longer-term, for science and math teachers and particular regions, working with appropriate state agencies and other universities; and
• Build partnerships with other universities and communities, school systems, state governments and others to collectively address their state needs on a sustained basis.

In welcoming UD and other new participants, the Sciences and Mathematics Teaching Imperative hopes to significantly bolster sharing and learning among members institutions and national experts while garnering additional national resources and forging crucial collaborations with other key sectors.

Brickhouse said a national teacher education effort such as SMTI makes sense in light of the current economic downturn.

“With a national strategy, we don't have to do everything. We can focus on what we, as an institution, do well, and in other areas we can let other institutions take the lead,” Brickhouse said. “In tight financial times, this is exactly the kind of collaboration that has to happen to solve the teacher shortages we face.”

Article by Jerry Rhodes