Washington University - Young Scientist Program
Teacher and Researcher Partnership
Research Partner Application 2009
Washington University’s Young Scientist Program invites you to apply for a limited number of stipends to partner with a local science teacher to translate your research experience into active learning for high/middle school students. Your professional development is a key factor in this process and this experience will be eligible for Washington University’s teaching citation. You will also earn $1,000 over 3 months.
In the Spring of 2009, you will start this partnership with a workshop on “Skills necessary for the education of K-12 students” as well as an observation of your teacher partner’s classroom. You will be responsible for designing a research project as an outgrowth of your research that will be shared with your teacher partner for 8 weeks in the summer. Also during the summer, teachers and their research partners will meet weekly to discuss science education reform, program evaluation, and common interest. Each teacher-researcher pair will collaborate on a lesson activity; which will be carried out in the Fall of 2008 by the pair with follow-up evaluations and revisions of the activity. By fostering teacher-researcher partnerships, YSP aims to establish public school-university partnerships to help improve science education for all students.
Eligibility:
All graduate students in the basic/clinical sciences (including all DBBS students, physics, chemistry, EPS, computer science, & biomedical engineering) who will have completed their thesis proposal by May 2009 and have a signed permission form from their PI
OR postdoctoral fellows in basic/clinical sciences with a signed permission form from their PI.
By January 19, 2009, please send the following as a packet, to the address given below:
• The completed application and essay. A CV may be included.
• Teaching Statement and Career Goals
• Signed PI permission form
Young Scientist Program – Teacher and Researcher Partnership Checklist
Research Partners (RPs):
Spring 2009:
__ Attend 1 introductory seminar session
__ Attend panel discussion
__ Complete 2 visits to your Teaching Partner’s (TP) classroom, and write a 1 page summary of your
experience
Summer 2009:
__ Attend introductory session/orientation on team building, communication, and inquiry-based teaching and write a 1 page discussion following each session
__ Mentor TP in laboratory research project
__ Aid TP in preparation of end of summer, 5-minute PowerPoint presentation of their laboratory research project
__ Collaborate with TP to design lesson activity for implementation in TP’s classroom; write description with sufficient detail to allow other teachers to use the lesson activity in their classrooms
__ Attend weekly activity planning meetings and Journal club with TP
__ In collaboration with TP, prepare and submit to TRP a schedule for implementation of the lesson activity in the TP’s classroom during the Fall 2008 semester
Fall 2009
__ Visit TP’s classroom to prepare and implement lesson activity
(includes discussion of lesson plans, classroom set-up, active participation in teaching the lesson activity, observation of TP teaching the lesson activity, and evaluation of the lesson activity following implementation)
__ In collaboration with TP, write 1-2 page discussion of lesson activity following implementation
(discuss what worked/didn’t work, how to improve lesson activity, other components to add)
__ Revise lesson activity to incorporate experience in classroom, and submit final copy
__ Submit brief (2 pages) report and evaluation of the TRP teaching development experience
Teaching Partners (TPs):
Spring 2009
__ Attend 1 introductory session
__ Attend panel discussion
__ Host Research Partner (RP) for 2 classroom visits
Summer 2009
__ Attend introductory session/orientation on team building, communication, and inquiry-based teaching and write a 1 page discussion following each session
__ Conduct laboratory research project
__ Present 5-minute PowerPoint talk on the laboratory research project
__ Collaborate with RP to design lesson activity for implementation in TP’s classroom; write description with sufficient detail to allow other teachers to use the lesson activity in their classrooms
__ Attend weekly activity planning meetings with RP
__ Attend weekly journal club and research seminars
__ In collaboration with RP, prepare and submit to TRP a schedule for implementation of the lesson activity in the classroom during the Fall 2008 semester
Fall 2009:
__ Host RP in classroom to prepare and implement lesson activity
(includes discussion of lesson plans, classroom set-up, collaboration with RP to teaching the lesson activity, allowing observation by RP of TP teaching the lesson activity, and evaluation of the lesson activity following implementation)
__ In collaboration with RP, write 1-2 page discussion of lesson activity following implementation
(discuss what worked/didn’t work, how to improve lesson activity, other components to add)
__ Revise lesson activity to incorporate experience in classroom, and submit final copy
__ Submit brief (2 pages) report and evaluation of the TRP program
The Young Scientist Program
Teacher and Researcher Partnership
Application Deadline: January 19, 2009
Applicant Information
Name:______________________________________________________
Social Security Number:_________________________________________________
Home address:_________________________________________________________
City: State: Zip:____________
Home phone: _____¬¬_________________Work Phone:________________________
Email address: _________________________________________________________
Department/Division/Program:___________________________________________
School Address: ________________________________________________________
City: State: Zip:____________
# of years as either graduate student or in current postdoc position: _____________
Date of thesis proposal: __________________________________________________
Principal Investigator: ___________________________________________________
Please write a two sentence description of your research (in layman’s terms): ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Essay Question:
What is inquiry–based learning? Do you imagine that scientific inquiry as it occurs in laboratory research differs from inquiry as practiced in a classroom setting? How do you imagine they differ? Do you have any opportunities to teach content by the process of scientific inquiry? How do you think schools might support inquiry-based learning? How might you measure that any change is occurring in student learning from one year to the next?
If you use any terms such as, constructivist learning, hands-on, portfolio, assessment, etc. please give an example of what you mean. If possible, try to include how you would use quantitative as well as qualitative measures of student outcomes.
(Please type or print your response on 8.5 by 11 inch paper with your name at the top of each page.)
________________________________________________________________________
My signature below indicates that all information included above is correct and honest to the best of my knowledge.
If offered a summer research position, I agree to attend the entire program for eight weeks beginning June 15, and ending August 7. Arrangements can be made to accommodate minor scheduling conflicts during the eight weeks.
Applicant’s signature _________________________ Date _________
Please mail, fax, or email completed applications to Jen Mosher. Please feel free to call with any questions.
Jennifer Mosher
Young Scientist Program
Washington University School of Medicine
Box 8213
4566 Scott Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: 314-362-4841
Fax: 314-362-8359
Email: mosherj@wusm.wustl.edu
Funding for the Young Scientist Program is provided by the Pfizer Inc, HHMI, The Washington University Medical School Office of Diversity Programs, The Washington University Medical Scientist Training Program, and by the Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association.
The Young Scientist Program does not discriminate in access to its programs on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability.
Washington University – Young Scientist Program
Teacher and Researcher Partnership
Principal Investigator Permission Form
Student/ Postdoctoral Fellow: __________________________________________
Student’s Program: _______________________________ PhD MSTP Post-Doc
Department: ________________________________________________________
I understand that if abovementioned student/postdoc is accepted to participate in the 2009 TRP program as a research partner that he/she will be expected to fulfill the obligations listed on attached sheet and will be provided with a $1,000 compensation for this teaching opportunity. By signing this form I agree to allow a middle/high school science teacher to work under the guidance of said student/postdoc in my laboratory for eight weeks this summer and approve of this additional income for said student/postdoc.
