SEPAL TA
What is the SEPAL Teaching Assistantships Program?
The SEPAL Teaching Assistantships Program is a program of the SFSU Science Education Partnership and Assessment Laboratory (SEPAL) in which Bay Area middle and high school teachers and SFSU science graduate students collaborate over the course of the school year to engage students in hands-on, minds-on science activities.
SEPAL scientist-teacher partnership teams collaborate in the classroom for ten hours every other week to co-plan and co-teach innovative, inquiry-based science lessons over the course of each semester. SEPAL scientist TAs are also expected to register for and participate in SCI 750 (Fall semester) and SCI 850 (Spring Semester), courses designed to provide an introduction to issues in science teaching and learning and SCI 750 and SCI 850 are GAP-eligible courses.
SEPAL scientist-teacher partnership teams are expected to:
- Attend a three-day Partnership Orientation in late August, just prior to the beginning of the school year.
- Co-plan and co-teach innovative, hands-on, inquiry-based science lessons in the classroom with their partner.
- Attend, prepare for, and contribute to monthly SEPAL Community Gatherings (after school meetings that are ˜2-hours each) to share student assessments, teaching dilemmas, lesson plans, and collegial advice.
- Co-present a poster with their partner at the COSE Poster Showcase in early May highlighting their partnership efforts.
SEPAL scientist partners will receive a TA stipend of $10,000 for the academic year.
SEPAL teacher partners will receive a $1,000 stipend and 2 units of continuing education credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning for the academic year.
What are the goals of the SEPAL Teaching Assistantships Program?
The goals of the SEPAL Teaching Assistantships Program are:
- To support Bay Area middle and high school science teachers in developing innovative, inquiry-based approaches to science teaching and novel assessment tools to gain insight into student learning
- To provide scientist role models and additional hands-on science learning experiences for middle and high school students
- To develop a cadre of SFSU Scientist Educators with the skills to bridge the worlds of universities and K-12 schools and the fields and research and teaching.
- To provide opportunities for SFSU science graduate students to learn science-specific teaching strategies and gain skills around becoming a more effective scientist and communicator.
How do I get involved?
Bay Area Middle and High School science teachers: Recruitment information available Spring 2010
SFSU Science Graduate Students: Recruitment information available Spring 2010
