Current Situation | Source of the Problem | Teacher Preparation Programs

Current Situation:
Nationwide, large numbers of middle school mathematics and science teachers are teaching out-of-their-field. For example, in "The Problem of Underqualified Teachers in American Secondary Schools," [1] Ingersol reported that 49% of seventh grade mathematics teachers do not have the equivalent of a minor in mathematics, and that 32% of middle school science teachers do not have the equivalent of a minor in any of the sciences. This situation is recognized nationally as having extremely negative consequences for student learning. The 2001 Report of the National Research Council [2] cites numerous studies indicating the importance of discipline preparation: for example, Hashweh [3] concluded that " knowledge of subject matter contributed greatly to these teachers' abilities to translate a written curriculum into an active curriculum in biology and physics." Hawkins et al [4] concluded "At the eighth grade level, students who were taught by teachers with teaching certificates in mathematics out performed, on the mathematics National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test, students whose teachers had certificates in other fields." A meta-analysis by Druva and Anderson [5] determined that "students' ability to understand the essentials of the scientific method was positively correlated with the number of science courses their teachers had taken, [as was] the degree to which students reported that they "liked science". We should note that the NRC report also states that "increasing the teaching of content alone, without regard to how and in what context that content is taught, is insufficient." We agree entirely: our goal is to change the quantity and the nature of the scientific and mathematical preparation of teachers.

The problem of out-of-field teaching definitely exists in Virginia. Indeed, according to a survey commissioned by the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition (VMSC) [6], two thirds of middle school math teachers do not have the equivalent of a major or minor in mathematics. While some teachers received additional in-service education, 52% of current middle school math teachers have completed less than 21 hours of math (preservice and inservice combined). Similarly, 49% of middle school science teachers have completed less than 21 hours of science. The VMSC has determined that this situation is the most serious issue affecting student achievement in mathematics and science in Virginia. If the teachers have not specifically prepared to teach in a field, it is unlikely that they have the content knowledge and the pedagogical knowledge necessary to provide quality instruction. The teachers are much more likely to teach procedures for the students to follow rather than conceptual understanding. When students become accustomed to approaching mathematics and science as facts and procedures to follow rather than activities to be understood, it is very difficult for them to get out of this mindset.

REFERENCES

1. R.M. Ingersoll, "The Problem of Underqualified Teachers in American Secondary Schools." Educational Researcher 28(2): 26-37. 1999
2. National Research Council, Educating Teachers of Science, Mathematics and Technology, National Academy Press, 2001
3. M. Hashweh, "Effects of subject matter knowledge in the teaching of biology and physics" Teaching and Teacher Education 3(2): 109-120. 1987.
4. E. F. Hawkins, F. B. Stancavage, and J.A. Dossey, "School Policies and Practices Affecting Instruction in Mathematics: Findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress." National Center for Education Statistics. Washington D.C., 1998.
5. C.A. Druva and R.D. Anderson, "Science Teacher Characteristics by Teacher Behavior and by Student Outcome: A Meta-Analysis of Research." Journal of Research in Science Training, 20(5): 467-479, 1983.
6. "Preparing Middle School Mathematics and Science Teachers: A Challenge for Virginia." Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition White Paper. September 1999.

back to top

Source of the Problem:
One cause of the situation is the teacher licensure requirements that are in place in many states nationwide. In Virginia, for example, under requirements that were in force until the summer of 2001, a middle school teacher is required to have the equivalent of a minor in two of the core areas (language arts, social studies, mathematics, science). Based upon minors in two areas, the teacher is then fully certified to teach all four areas!!!!

In order to staff classrooms, school systems respond to the lack of teachers prepared in the disciplines by reassigning elementary school teachers with minors in Language Arts and Social Sciences to teach middle school math and science. This is unfair to the teachers and to their students.

After a rigorous campaign by the VMSC and others, the licensure requirements in Virginia have now been changed. Future middle school teachers must now complete at least the equivalent of a minor in the subject matter that they will teach.

back to top

Teacher Preparation Programs:
According to a study [1] conducted on behalf of the VMSC, the information obtained leads to a conservative (on the high side) estimate that the current annual statewide production of math-science middle school teachers is, in total, between ten and twenty. Frankly, we (the mathematics, science and education faculty in Virginia) have been negligent in fulfilling our responsibility to prepare teachers. Because the schools could assign individuals who were (technically) fully licensed to teach middle school mathematics, the schools did not clamor for teachers who were well prepared in the fields they would teach. Our teacher preparation programs focused on preparing secondary teachers and elementary teachers, and middle school (as seems to be often the case) was left out.

It should be noted that Virginia's teacher preparation programs offer 6-12 Certification programs, and all of the science and mathematics majors who complete these programs are eligible to teach in middle schools. However, currently, all but a tiny number do not. Those that choose to student teach in middle schools are included in the 10 - 20 per year estimate of middle school teachers given in the Coalition study. To address the situation with a two-prong approach, we must greatly increase the number of 6-12 qualified teachers, and encourage some of them to teach at middle school level through enhancing our 6-12 programs. We must also greatly increase the number of teachers specifically prepared to teach middle school science and mathematics.

Fortunately large numbers of education, math and science faculty across Virginia are deeply concerned and are committed to address this situation. Indeed 150-college faculty representing virtually every teacher preparation program in the state came together in March of 1999 for a two-day conference, sponsored by the VMSC, to better understand this problem. The proceedings of the conference were published as a Special Issue of the Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations [2].

REFERENCES

1. J. Sigler @A Preliminary Analysis of the Supply and Demand for Middle School Mathematics and Science Teachers in Virginia@, The Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations, Volume 2 Number 2 Fall 1999.
2. Special Issue Charlottesville Conference, March 1999 Preparing Virginia's K-8 Teachers in Math and Science, The Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations, Volume 2 Number 2 Fall 1999.

back to top