Information for Potential Teacher Participants
The STEM Mentors program partners University of Utah STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) students with 4-6th grade teachers to enhance awareness and enthusiasm about science in elementary classrooms while improving the teaching and communication skills of the undergraduate students. Undergraduate students are NOT pre-service teachers, and most will have had no training in teaching other than what is provided to them in the STEM Mentors program.
Each student will spend at least 2 hours per week in a grade 4-6 classroom assisting with various science teaching activities. Partner teachers will provide feedback on how these students can become better communicators and will let students independently teach a science lesson at least 3 times during the term. This lesson will be developed by a group of students working with faculty at the University of Utah and will meet current USOE standards for the grade level.
Benefits to Participating Teachers
- $250 stipend per student mentored (up to two students), to be used at your discretion
- Inquiry-based lessons created by undergraduate students and faculty members that are aligned to the USOE science core
- 1-2 undergraduate STEM students to help out in your classroom for 2 hours per week
- Opportunity to engage with a like-minded community of elementary teachers
Expectations
- Attendance at an introductory meeting.
- Mentoring of 1 or 2 undergraduate students on communication and teaching skills.
- Flexibility to allow undergraduate students to teach 3 lessons in your classroom at various intervals throughout the semester.
- Completion of “Partnership Reflection Forms” in collaboration with the undergraduate students.
- Participation in project assessment and feedback activities.
Contact holly.godsey@utah.edu for more information.