"The students
here all really want to learn. Our job as teachers is to really show them
that you need to engage your brain and turn on your thinking cap." -Eric,
2003 Fellow
New York City schools have an
especially high need for qualified science teachers. To address this need, the
Fellowship launched the Science Immersion program in June 2006 and immediately
provided more highly qualified science teachers for the classrooms that needed
them most. Today, 18% percent of all science teachers in New York
City are Teaching Fellows.
Eligibility The NYC Teaching
Fellows Science Immersion program helps selected candidates who are interested
in teaching science but who did not major in science gain the credits they need
to teach science in New York City public schools. This program targets
individuals who have significant academic background and/or professional
experience in science. Eligibility for the Science Immersion program is
determined on a case-by-case basis; however, you must have at least
eighteen credits in science.
The following courses count
towards eligibility for the Science Immersion Program: Chemistry,
Biology, Physics, Earth Science, Astronomy, Geology, Meteorology, Ecology,
Botany, Zoology, Anatomy, Evolutionary Biology, Animal Science, Natural Science,
Agricultural Science, Forestry, Marine Sciences, etc.
The
following science-related majors are automatically considered for the Science
Immersion Program: Animal Science, Natural Science, Agriculture and Life
Science, Conservation, Forestry, Wild Life and Fishery,
Biotechnology
The following courses DO NOT count towards
eligibility for the Science Immersion Program: Anthropology, Psychology,
Sociology, Human Behavior, Nutrition, Environmental Science (social and policy
oriented courses), Human Ecology
Science Immersion Fellows will
participate in an additional two weeks of training immediately preceding regular
pre-service training. During this time, Science Immersion Fellows will be
engaged in an intensive review of scientific concepts and theories that will
help them succeed on the Content Specialty Test (CST) and in the classroom.
Fellows will also begin earning credits towards their Master’s degree through
university coursework during Science Immersion training. The additional two
weeks of pre-service training provide Science Immersion Fellows an opportunity
to build relationships and network with a broad and diverse group of talented
new science teachers.
Science Immersion Fellows receive
an additional nontaxable stipend to offset living costs during the extra two
weeks of pre-service training. While this amount has not yet been finalized for
June 2010, the additional stipend for Science Immersion Fellows in previous
years was $1,000.
Teaching Science in NYC
Public Schools Most Science Immersion Fellows
will train to teach 5th-9th grade science in a specific content area - biology,
chemistry, earth science, or physics – and will seek positions within their
content area or general science positions at the middle school level.
All Science Immersion Fellows are
eligible to accept general science positions. However, science content areas are
not interchangeable, and Fellows certified to teach one particular hard science
cannot accept a position in a different hard science.
Taking the Science CST Each Science Immersion Fellow will
be required to take and pass the Content Specialty Test (CST) in the specific
science s/he is assigned to teach. (Please note: Fellows do NOT need to take any
tests until AFTER they have been accepted to the program.) There are many
resources available to Science Immersion Fellows to help prepare for the CST,
including study guides and online practice tests.
Science Immersion
Fellows have a good track record with the Science CST. Nearly all Fellows pass
before the school year starts. It is not unusual, however, for Science Immersion
Fellows to need more than one opportunity to pass the CST, so we encourage you
to apply early.