Want To Be a Scientist?

An innovative program ushers minorities into the profession.

Photo by Charles Votaw

The dearth of scientists and engineers from minority groups has long been on the radar of academics, but solutions have been elusive. Today African-Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians still account for just 7 percent of science and engineering professionals in the United States, even though they make up 25 percent of the population at large.

What to do? Thomas Windham says the key is long-term mentoring, and his Boulder, Colorado-based program is proving he may be on to something. Housed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, it is called Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science, or SOARS, and its centerpiece mission is to mix hands-on professional guidance for young college students with a bit of love, caring, and boosterism. This starts from the time the "protégés" join SOARS' 10-week summer program and continues through their years in undergraduate school, through subsequent summers, through graduate school, and, finally, until they snag a job.

Now in its seventh year, SOARS already has a track record to crow about: Of the 72 students it has taken under its wing, 16 have completed master's degrees, 10 are working in the profession, 28 are enrolled in graduate science programs and four are science fellows at prestigious institutions. The program, meanwhile, has racked up a number of kudos, including the 2001 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

Windham says success has come because students have forged a lasting connection with a "learning community" that guides them through everything from their summer research to skill-building in scientific writing and oral communication. Along the way, says Windham, these volunteer mentors regularly celebrate the achievements of their charges. The result: the students begin to believe they can break the mold of the stereotypical "white, male, middle-aged scientist with glasses."

Visualizing themselves in the role can be a hurdle, notes Windham, given minorities' "almost nonexistent access to people in their communities" who make their living as scientists and engineers. To these students, he says, "those kinds of careers aren't 'real,' and the rewards that come with pursuing that educational track aren't obvious."

Elementary and secondary school educators can help, he notes, by creatively encouraging an early understanding of the sciences, and a consideration of professions that would ultimately spur interest in essential classes like chemistry, physics, and calculus--classes many minorities have historically avoided or been counseled to avoid.

"For many students, a choice doesn't become real until they see themselves as being eligible to act on it successfully," says Windham. "Mentoring can have tremendous impact, because students gain experiences and insights that help them see themselves as achievers--and in careers outside the NBA."

--Marilyn Milloy

For More: Contact Thomas Windham at twindham@ucar.edu or visit www.ucar.edu/soars.

Minding the Store

For students deemed "trainable mentally handicapped," classroom work often requires a strong emphasis on occupational and independent living skills. At Lumberton High School in Lumberton, North Carolina, special education teacher Rose Scott is fostering those skills in a unique way.

She has transformed her classroom into a bustling store called "Buried Treasure," where Lumberton students and their families stop in to buy snacks, greeting cards, and other items, many donated by the community. The store is staffed and managed entirely by Scott's students.

"Skills that come naturally to most people--comparison shopping, cooking, cleaning, locating a doctor, using a phone book--are very critical for these students if they are to be independent," says Scott. She says her teacher assistant thought a store would be an effective and fun way to teach those skills and decided to "make it happen."

Scott sought, and received, funding from the county Exceptional Children's Department and donations from parents and local businesses. The store became so successful it began earning a profit, which Scott now uses to fund an annual trip for her students--and to restock the store. Scott also teaches her students skills such as cooking and banking. She operates an in-class bank, and each of her students has an interest-bearing account.

According to Scott, about 75 percent of the students who enroll in her class end up better prepared to step into the world after graduation. "The skills they learn enable them to function as normally as possible and to work in a variety of positions," says Scott. "One of my former students currently works part-time at Dairy Queen! The hands-on learning these students experience forever changes their lives."

--Linda Powell

For More: Contact Rose Scott at Lumberton Senior High School, 910/671-6050.

Professional Development in the Virtual Age

Computer and Internet technology advances bring amazing new interactive tools each year. But imagine this: A teacher goes online to run professional development software tailored to local, state, and federal curriculum requirements. The teacher views videos of teachers demonstrating best practices for any subject, studies content for required curricula, takes informal quizzes, and enters chat rooms to talk to other local teachers who are studying the same materials.

This scenario is not a vision for the future. It's happening today in school districts around the country, spurred on by a partnership between NEA and Teachscape, a professional development company.

NEA staffer June VanderVeen says the Association got involved after hearing from members that "meaningful" professional development was a priority. "With Teachscape," she says, "we felt we had found a group that was deeply committed to creating quality learning experiences for teachers."

"It's a true breakthrough," says Audrey Soglin, a fifth-grade math teacher in Evanston, Illinois, who is one of the teachers featured in Teachscape's Web-based program. "They've harnessed computer and communications technology to make it serve the specific needs of teachers in any community."

Soglin was approached by Teachscape because her elementary school math curriculum emphasized algebra, which is important for meeting content standards in Evanston.

"They came in, filmed my classes, and then had college math professors interview me about my teaching techniques and the curriculum," says Soglin. "When you see the final edited product, it's very impressive because it stays focused on the subject matter that teachers really need for professional development." Soglin says she wishes she'd had access to such tools when she started teaching, "because I learned math in a very traditional way, and when I began to teach, I needed a great deal of help with content."

Paul Hansen, a 33-year veteran teacher who now trains other teachers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by using Teachscape, says the program is helping Milwaukee public schools maintain an 85 to 90 percent teacher retention rate. "Not only does it cover content, he says, "but it helps new teachers learn the critical skill of establishing classroom routines." And as a "priceless bonus," he notes teachers learn computer skills, a professional necessity.

--Matt Simon

For More: E-mail June VanderVeen at jvanderveen@nea.org.

A Jazzy Exchange--Across Cultures

Jazz compositions by students in the United States and Vietnam are commingling on the Web and in classrooms on both sides of the Atlantic, thanks to an innovative cultural exchange program developed by NEA member Leland Hauslein.

Hauslein, an instrumental music teacher at Richboro Middle School in Richboro, Pennsylvania, created the Vietnam Jazz Project after the music supervisor of the Council Rock School District, Carol Barrows, visited the Hanoi Conservatory of Music and discovered a great interest in jazz there. Hauslein's own students study jazz in-depth and Barrows' idea of a joint project really appealed to him.

Initially, Hauslein contacted the Hanoi Conservatory, and students exchanged videos of jazz performances. But he wanted the cultural exchange to be more educational for everyone involved, so he applied for and received a grant from The NEA Foundation to expand the project. Hauslein used the grant money to purchase advanced music composition software and to conduct trainings on its use in three different schools.

"Our students know a lot about jazz, but many of them were intimidated by the challenge of music composition," says Hauslein. "Modern software can help immensely if you know the fundamentals of music." To encourage his students to try, he created a contest between his school and the Hanoi Conservatory. "We took traditional Vietnamese folk melodies, and students in both countries set out to turn them into jazz."

The results far exceeded Hauslein's expectations. "I knew our students could compose, but I was stunned by the polished, finished nature of their compositions," says Hauslein. Ten students, some working together, completed jazz compositions, and many others have works in progress.

Hauslein was also amazed at the unique sound of Vietnamese jazz. "It had all the musical progressions you associate with jazz, but the instruments and style were unmistakably Asian," he says. "I love listening to the compositions over and over again."

Jazz pieces by both American and Vietnamese students are posted at the project's website, www.crsd.org, and students in both countries have studied each other's compositions at length. Hauslein says his students are thrilled by the exposure. "But most important, they've grown in confidence because they know they can compose good music."

--M.S.

For More: E-mail Leland Hauslein at lhauslein@crsd.org. To apply for a grant today, contact The NEA Foundation at www.nfie.org.