For Immediate Release
July 1, 2008

$334,000 grant renewed for UCR Extension's efforts to retain science teachers in schools

RIVERSIDE, CALIF. – The California Science Project has renewed a $334,000 grant to UCR Extension's Department of Education to help fund the creation of professional learning communities among science teachers in San Bernardino and Riverside middle schools.

The Inland Area Science Project – Teacher Retention Initiative (TRI) is an active effort by Extension's Department of Education to create an environment that motivates science teachers to remain in the teaching profession.

No easy task since 22 percent of California teachers leave the profession after the first four years, according to a report released in 2007 titled, "A Possible Dream: Retaining California Teachers So All Students Learn." The report revealed that teachers who do stay in the profession cited "a high level of collegial support, a sense of teamwork in the schools, and support from families and communities."

Extension's Department of Education started TRI one year ago, identifying four middle schools to participate in the 4-year study. Approximately 40 teachers from Rialto Middle School and Jehue Middle School in Rialto and Badger Springs Middle School and Mountain View Middle School in Moreno Valley are taking classes at Extension for professional development and forming teams at their workplace.

"We're building professional learning communities within each science department so that teachers are better prepared to help their students," said Sue Teele, Ph.D., director of the Department of Education at Extension. "Instead of teachers teaching in isolation, we help to create a professional support system where they can draw from each other's expertise. Despite California's current budget problems, within one year I see many of our goals being reached."

Working with Teele, TRI's Co-director, David Maynard, chemistry chair at California State University, San Bernardino and other instructors, the science teachers participate in special professional development summer institutes and follow-up activities during the school year. Last year, they learned about academic literacy in science, the lesson study process, methods of teaching science to English language learners, and how to teach reading in the science classroom. As a department, the science teachers have collaborated by designing lesson plans together and videotaping the lessons. Each summer, the teachers explore different academic content areas in chemistry, earth science, astronomy, physics and biology.

In January, some of the teachers traveled to the Conservation and Research for Endangered Species Center (CRES), located behind the Wild Animal Park in Escondido. They were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the center and a discussion of the research being done in work with endangered species.

As Teele and Maynard visited the four science departments during the academic year, they observed teachers actively working together, seeking each other out for help and advice. Initially, some teachers were concerned about teaching in classrooms all week, then being asked to spend their free time in classes themselves. Now, they are eager to participate. This year's three summer institutes for teachers, held at UCR Extension, are full, said Annette Webb, program representative.

For more information about TRI or the Inland Area Science Project's summer learning institutes, contact Annette Webb at (951) 827-1653 or e-mail education@ucx.ucr.edu.

To browse other UCR Extension classes or register online, visit www.extension.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4105 or toll-free at (800) 442-4990. To receive a free UCR Extension catalog, which includes a complete listing of all our current courses and certificate programs, call (951) 827-3806.

UCR Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Riverside. Extension offers more than 3,800 courses and 90 certificate programs in a variety of academic programs, including agriculture and landscape, arts and humanities, business and management, education, forensic investigations and public safety, teacher's credentialing, English, environmental management, geospatial analysis and technology, health services and behavioral sciences, information technology, languages, law and public policy, Native American studies, natural sciences, and yoga.