The teachers pulled on blue latex gloves, a few looking apprehensively at the pig heart in front of them, ready for dissection.
For some, it felt like unfamiliar territory. In the group of elementary and middle school teachers from seven local districts, many hadn’t done that kind of science lab since college. Even so, some went right into teacher mode.
“Cut first, then scalpel,” said Lisa Nelson, a middle school teacher in East St. Louis, as she stood next to a first grade teacher from Pattonville in her group. “We’re with you … Good!”
It’s not just students who may need confidence when it comes to lessons in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. Even teachers can struggle, especially at a time when many say schools don’t have enough money specifically to support STEM instruction, particularly in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Nelson is among more than 100 teachers from the region participating in the STEM Teacher Quality Initiative, which uses corporate donations from the St. Louis region to provide teacher training free to school districts that qualify.
The program, now in its third year, began Monday with a two-week summer institute at Washington University and will continue through the school year with additional training.
Test scores show that students whose teachers participated in the teacher quality initiative scored higher on state tests in math and science, according to the organization. On average, students scored 10 points better on the Missouri Assessment Program test in math and eight points better in science than their peers.
The hands-on lessons seek to put the teachers back in their students’ shoes and are part of an undertaking aimed at beefing up the St. Louis region’s stock of students ready for STEM careers.
St. Louis area business leaders say there simply aren’t enough qualified workers to fill jobs. Together, companies including Boeing, Emerson and Monsanto have created STEM-pact, a collaborative network with universities, school districts, community organizations and others.
The STEM-pact group picks up the cost for teachers to attend the institute and the continued support, which totals about $3,000 each.
“Instead of looking for skilled employees elsewhere — to the detriment of Illinois and Missouri workers and their economies — our industry partners decided to invest locally in STEM education,” said Deborah Holmes, project manager for the teacher quality initiative. “If you invest in teachers, you reach more children.”
Across the country, improving STEM education has become more important. Proponents say that without a strong workforce in science, technology, engineering and math, the nation’s economic future is at risk.
President Barack Obama has challenged colleges and universities to graduate an additional million students with STEM majors.
Research has shown that women are less likely than men to pursue degrees in STEM, and black and Hispanic students are less likely than white students.
Although women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, they hold less than 25 percent of STEM jobs, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks also are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math jobs, because of a lack of equality in educational opportunity.
“I think the children need to see all of their career choices so they can have a focus and a vision,” Nelson said.
Developing stronger content to draw an interest in all students for deeper learning was part of what drew Barbara Pener to the program.
In Kirkwood, Pener’s goal for her robotics classes at Nipher Middle School is diversity. She wants girls and students who are African-American to consider jobs like engineering.
“With hard work, you can get anywhere you want,” she said.
Along with Kirkwood and East St. Louis, participating school districts include Affton, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Pattonville and University City.
The training seeks to help teachers extend their lesson plans and integrate the disciplines. And most importantly, it seeks to make real world connections for students who might not otherwise consider those kind of careers.
Teachers say the sessions stand out because of the continued support throughout the school year, but also the classroom-style presentations, investigations and field trips to area companies.
“We don’t focus initially on what are you going to do with your kids,” Holmes said. Rather, they spend time where teachers are the students. “They may remember what’s it’s like for kids who don’t see themselves as STEM-capable.”
And not to forget the arts, one session has the teachers compose a rap about what they’ve learned about the heart.
