What's New

Math and Science Academy provides Teacher Development

By empowering teachers and facilitating their development of professional relationships that transcend the boundaries of their rural communities, a sense of ownership, commitment and accountability is emerging for project members. In other words, it means something to teachers to be a Math and Science Academy (MSA) member, both personally and professionally.

The following passage is excerpted from a teacher interview after a program evaluation site visit. It highlights the many and interconnected ways that MSA has endeavored to provide high quality, research based professional development opportunities to teachers.

"This is one of the most positive professional development experiences I've ever had. I'm a veteran teacher, and I've participated in many, many, many staff development projects. But none of them have done for me what MSA has accomplished: rejuvenated my sense of wonder in teaching and learning. I'm trying new ideas, I'm thinking about things in dramatically different ways. There are so many reasons why this project works . . . One of the primary reasons is that we're treated like professionals, people who are doing important work. Another reason I think MSA is what it is rests on the fact that we've really developed as colleagues. I think of my MSA colleagues as family: sometimes they make me mad, sometimes I feel irritated, but I treasure and value all the knowledge, ideas, and people in MSA."