Rhode Island

For Old County Road Elementary revising the science curriculum is part of a larger school improvement effort. The school is working to align all its education programs with the state’s new standards, and it is finding that its initiatives have met with success. Last year Old County made the state’s honor roll by attaining scores above state averages on standardized tests in all content areas. Old County’s achievements are especially inspiring when one considers that the school has the highest poverty rate in the district, with 23 percent of its students living below the poverty line. These successes and the state recognition have generated a lot of enthusiasm for redesigning science education for the school’s 320 students.

During the 1997-98 school year a district-wide committee developed a template for a K—12 science curriculum which included eight academic standards. Old County principal Robert O’Brien praised the committee’s work because the template offered consistency throughout the grade levels and among schools. The faculty at Old County undertook the task of developing science activities and assessments to match the learner outcomes for each grade. O’Brien is determined to produce classroom activities that will work for all teachers and "not just sit on the shelf of the faculty room collecting dust."

The Regional Alliance worked with the district science committee to select appropriate science kits for the new curriculum. Old County used their professional development days to introduce the kits to a team of teachers, who then provided training and encouragement to the staff as they used the kits in their classrooms. O’Brien says all teachers are using the kits and are learning to bring more inquiry-based activities into their teaching.

New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, two elementary schools are also using professional development resources to improve science instruction. Paul Williams, a middle school science teacher in Bethlehem and staff developer for SAU #35 (School Administrative Unit), is working with two elementary schools that graduate students to the same middle/high school. Historically, the schools have had little curriculum coordination. Working together, these schools designed a staff development program focusing on the state’s new science frameworks.

The seeds for the professional development program were planted at the Regional Alliance summer institute when teachers expressed concern that the existing curriculum was not aligned with the new state science frameworks. Faculty also believed that students could achieve better results on standardized tests if there were "more and better science" in the curriculum. After consulting with the principals of the two elementary schools, Bethlehem Elementary and Lafayette Regional School (both are Regional Alliance schools), Paul met with the teachers to determine the kind of program they wanted.

Recognizing that the New Hampshire science frameworks are delineated by strands, the group agreed that a deep understanding of the scientific concepts behind each strand was necessary. Teachers immersed in the science content would develop the self-assurance needed to work more effectively with their students in science. Having a sound grasp of the framework strands would also help teachers select better curriculum and design classroom activities that are rich with inquiry.

In August 1998, the leadership at Bethlehem and Lafayette convinced their school boards to authorize monthly half-day early releases for professional development in science. Faculty from both schools decided to meet for eight workshops during the school year. Each seminar focused on one of the strands in the framework. At one of the workshops, teachers built motors and simple circuits. Alliance funds have been used to purchase workshop materials, which are then brought back to the classrooms.

The workshops have helped teachers develop more confidence, and they take that confidence back to their schools. Paul says that as a result of this program, teachers are talking to their colleagues about implementing new and better science curriculum. Recognizing that changes such as these take time, the faculty plans to continue their intensive workshops next year.

- prepared by Georgia Tucker.