Sharing Strengths: Educational Partnerships That Make A Difference

A university-school district project designed to develop communication and teaching skills of graduate and undergraduate students, improve middle school math and science instruction and provide educational role models for students. Descriptive and statistical data were used to compare the performance of students before and after participation in the program. Participants included 17 graduate and 20 undergraduate students from area universities, 38 teachers from a large urban school district and the middle school students in their mathematics or science classes. In addition to survey data, observation, interview, reflections and rating scales were used. Fellows received positive ratings for instruction and for tutoring. Students rated their classroom behavior as better when the fellow was in the class. Teachers valued the fellow’s participation in their classrooms and rated highly the technology learned as a result. Principals commented on the positive role models the fellows offered and over half of the students perceived the fellow as a positive role model. Academically, students in the classroom with a fellow showed a significant difference in performance on the mathematics and/or science subtests of the Stanford Achievement Test. Sharing strengths provides positive outcomes for learners across the educational spectrum. Purpose of the Study This paper presents findings based on an evaluation study of a project between two universities and an urban school district to form effective relationships with students and educators. The program funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant was designed to develop instructional communication skills of graduate and undergraduate students, improve middle school math and science instruction and provide educational role models for students. Over the past three years 37 students from area universities were selected to participate in the Graduate Fellows Teaching in Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve Project (GK-12). These students worked with 38 teachers in eleven middle school classrooms in the district. With each Fellow affecting at least 100 middle school students over the past three years, the program impacted between 3,800 and 4,000 middle school students. The data presented in this paper reflect the three years of program implementation under the three-year grant combined with additional data analysis of the middle school students’ standardized test performance. Background and Program Description Over the past decade, student interest in science and, consequently, in scientifically related careers has significantly declined in the United States (NCES, 2003). In order to meet the future demand for qualified personnel in space and health sciences, there is currently a demand to foster interest in pursuing scientific careers in young people. Moreover, the U.S can no longer ignore women and underrepresented minorities as potential workers in these fields (Claudio, 2001). It is in the country’s scientific and economic interest to educate and mentor all to ensure a competitive domestic workforce and scientifically astute public. Middle school students are particularly well suited for recruitment in these fields. At the middle school level, students are