Teacher Enrichment Initiatives: Supporting Teachers who are at the Frontline of our Nation’s Future

Abstract

Teachers are charged with connecting classroom science to real-world applications; however, opportunities for teachers to experience real-world applications in the life and biosciences are limited. When provided the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning experiences, teachers' capacity to connect classroom activities to real-world applications increases. Through partnerships within the local STEM Ecosystem, the Teacher Enrichment Initiatives (TEI) provides teachers with experiences that enable them to strengthen the connections between classroom science and careers. Over the course of TEI's 25+ years, these collaborations between our teachers and partners have resulted in the production of over 350 individual hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum activities. In addition, the TEI has played a pivotal role in the growth of the STEM workforce by disseminating best practices and providing teacher professional development (TPD) experiences designed to improve teacher knowledge of STEM career options and the associated educational pathways for their students while enhancing teacher professionalism. Since 2011, the TEI has hosted 15 TPD conferences and 300 workshops with over 1,800 K-12 teachers participating annually. The number of students impacted through teacher participation exceeds 300,000, covering all grade levels. To date, over 83 scientists, engineers, and STEM-career professionals have participated in TEI sponsored events.