Science Teachers shortage in MCPS MS 2022 Fall

[Anonymous]

As of Aug 26 2022

(1) Roberto Clemente MS, which housed the up-county science magnet, has opening for
1 FTE - 8 Grade science teacher
1 FTE - science teacher
0.6 FTE - science teacher

That is 2.6 FTE science teacher shortage and I hope it does not affect the magnet program cohort.

Maybe it has typically 14-15 science teachers in this MS?

(2) Parkland Magnet School for Aerospace Technology (lottery program)
1 FTE - Aerospace 8 science teacher
1 FTE - Computer Science/Robotics Teacher

It is sad...

[Anonymous]

OK?

[Anonymous]

I have a daughter who is attending UMD. One issue is that the colleges/ certifications are not keeping up with current trends. Many science college students are not getting Biology degrees anymore and going the Public Health route instead (including pre-meds) as there are many requirements for general biology that aren’t super practical. In four years a combined Biology degree/Teaching degree is doable at 125 credits. A Public Health/ middle school teaching degree is not and would require about 180 credits or so. It’s silly that my daughter who had to take harder science labs couldn’t count some of those instead. For a middle school STEM degree, they require much easier lab classes but my daughter will have taken Gen Chem, Organic Chem, 2 Semesters of Anatomy, etc. She absolutely would have gone for a teaching certificate if there was more flexibility but since there is not she will get a minor in another area most likely.

[Anonymous]

I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter who is attending UMD. One issue is that the colleges/ certifications are not keeping up with current trends. Many science college students are not getting Biology degrees anymore and going the Public Health route instead (including pre-meds) as there are many requirements for general biology that aren’t super practical. In four years a combined Biology degree/Teaching degree is doable at 125 credits. A Public Health/ middle school teaching degree is not and would require about 180 credits or so. It’s silly that my daughter who had to take harder science labs couldn’t count some of those instead. For a middle school STEM degree, they require much easier lab classes but my daughter will have taken Gen Chem, Organic Chem, 2 Semesters of Anatomy, etc. She absolutely would have gone for a teaching certificate if there was more flexibility but since there is not she will get a minor in another area most likely.

Surely any university is going to require Gen Chem and Organic Chem for a biology degree. Maybe I didn't your post, but you seemed to be suggesting that they required those for Public Health, but not for Bio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter who is attending UMD. One issue is that the colleges/ certifications are not keeping up with current trends. Many science college students are not getting Biology degrees anymore and going the Public Health route instead (including pre-meds) as there are many requirements for general biology that aren’t super practical. In four years a combined Biology degree/Teaching degree is doable at 125 credits. A Public Health/ middle school teaching degree is not and would require about 180 credits or so. It’s silly that my daughter who had to take harder science labs couldn’t count some of those instead. For a middle school STEM degree, they require much easier lab classes but my daughter will have taken Gen Chem, Organic Chem, 2 Semesters of Anatomy, etc. She absolutely would have gone for a teaching certificate if there was more flexibility but since there is not she will get a minor in another area most likely.

Surely any university is going to require Gen Chem and Organic Chem for a biology degree. Maybe I didn't your post, but you seemed to be suggesting that they required those for Public Health, but not for Bio.

Yes Bio requires this. 2 Semesters of Gen Chem and 2 Semesters of Organic. Public Health requires 1 semester of each.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Right that's the point. You didn't have to take those classes yet you can be a STEM teacher but my daughter has to take a lot of hard science classes for public health but can't be a teacher without taking an additional 80 education credits as a public health major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Right that's the point. You didn't have to take those classes yet you can be a STEM teacher but my daughter has to take a lot of hard science classes for public health but can't be a teacher without taking an additional 80 education credits as a public health major.

But most of the classes you mentioned would be required for a Bio or Chem degree, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Interesting insights. But there must be some pre-made lessons so they are not starting new. Clemente magnet has been up and running like 8 to 10 years. Continuity of the teachers is one of those important factors to determine the success of the program.

With respect to Parkland, both travel and classroom management issues are both forseen-able before implementation of the program. What can the Principal(s) and Cluster Coordinator do to help mitigate these?

[Anonymous]

HS science positions are also very difficult to fill especially physics and chemistry

[Anonymous]

None of this has to do with science. There is a teacher shortage everywhere in all areas.

[Anonymous]

Science positions are always hard to fill because people with science degrees can make higher incomes in other professions.

[Anonymous]

Also, teachers at these schools often have three preps rather than two. So, a bit more burnout and staff turnover.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of this has to do with science. There is a teacher shortage everywhere in all areas.

The shortage is more severe in some areas than others, so yes, it certainly has to do with their degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Right that's the point. You didn't have to take those classes yet you can be a STEM teacher but my daughter has to take a lot of hard science classes for public health but can't be a teacher without taking an additional 80 education credits as a public health major.

But most of the classes you mentioned would be required for a Bio or Chem degree, too.

The difference is with a Bio degree you don’t have to take many teaching classes. They don’t waive it for Public Health. Bio requires an extra year of Chem, plus Physics and BioChem, plus upper level Biology classes hat don’t count for public health too.