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Funding is available for NCSE Teacher Ambassador-Led Professional Development Workshops

by , posted on 7:13 AM, May 23, 2019
NCSE is offering funding for a limited number of professional development workshops specifically focused on teaching evolution and climate change effectively and confidently. Proposals can be submitted by single schools, school districts, collaboration of districts, or other area cooperatives.
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From NCSE:

Funding is available for NCSE Teacher Ambassador-Led Professional Development Workshops

  • Teaching Climate Change with Confidence and Without Conflict
  • Teaching Evolution with Confidence and Without Conflict

Teaching topics that are scientifically settled but societally controversial–specifically climate change and evolution–can be difficult. The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) can help.

NCSE is offering funding for a limited number of professional development workshops specifically focused on teaching evolution and climate change effectively and confidently. Proposals can be submitted by single schools, school districts, collaboration of districts, or other area cooperatives. Funding can cover participant stipends, substitutes, materials, meals and refreshments, and limited travel.

We will work with successful applicants to develop a budget that meets your needs.

We will arrange for a local NCSE Teacher Ambassador to work with teacher colleagues on teaching climate change and evolution accurately, effectively, and without conflict. NCSE Teacher Ambassadors are master teachers with specific training in climate change/evolution, misconception-based pedagogy, and NCSE’s unique no-conflict approach.

NCSE Teacher Ambassador-led professional development is organized around sets classroom-tested lessons, five lessons each for evolution and climate change. The lessons are specifically designed to address common misconceptions using an evidence-based inquiry approach. The lessons are aligned with NGSS and engage students with data directly. The lessons are also adaptable to students at various grade levels and to incorporate locally relevant examples.

NCSE is looking for innovative ways to help you meet your professional development goals. Our workshops can be tailored for specific grade ranges, for varying numbers of participants, and can be configured to fit into your districts’ professional development schedule, with formats ranging from a ninety-minute webinar to a full two-day in-person workshop for up to 20 teachers.

We are especially interested in recruiting teachers who might not normally reach out for additional training in these specific content areas due to lack of confidence or awareness that they are teaching these topics ineffectively. Our workshops provide training in effective pedagogical approaches that science teachers will find useful well beyond the specific content areas covered in the workshop.

We can help with documenting how the workshop lessons align with NGSS or your state’s science standards.

Here are some questions you should consider while developing your proposal. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions: hoge@ncse.com. And go here for more background about NCSE and the Teacher Ambassador Program.

  • What are your professional development goals with respect to evolution or climate change?
  • What are the main challenges teaching these topics in your district or school?
  • Tell us a little bit about how professional development works in your district or school. Is it voluntary or mandated? Are there specific dates, times or formats that must be adhered to?
  • What kind of workshop would be ideal for you?
  • How will you recruit teacher participants?
  • Please describe how your district or school compensates teachers for professional development.
  • What do you hope to achieve if you receive funding for an NCSE Teacher Ambassador Workshop?
  • NCSE continuously evaluates the effectiveness of our lessons through pre- and post-assessment of student learning outcomes. Would it be possible for some or all of your teacher participants to participate in this assessment process?

When you are ready to submit your proposal, click here to go to the application.