Press Release
July 6, 2009
Real World "Externships" Put Teachers in the Work World
IMSEP program places math and science teachers into local businesses for 21st century updates
Science and mathematics teachers from across the state are spending the summer at work in public and private businesses where their fields of expertise are being applied to authentic problems and products as part of the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership’s (IMSEP) Real World Externships for Teachers Program.
Designed to provide Iowa’s math and science teachers an opportunity to experience the latest real world application of their disciplines, the program allows externs to work on projects that apply basic math and science principles to everything from addressing water quality issues affecting Iowa’s waterways to monitoring the performance of wind turbines functioning across the United States. Teachers will then design hands-on problem solving activities for students in the classroom this fall, hoping to spark their interest in pursuing careers in STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics) related fields right here in Iowa.
Local businesses benefit as well — they create partnerships with local school systems while gaining high quality temporary help over the summer.
"Iowa has taken a big step forward in improving math and science education by pulling together schools, businesses and universities," said Jeffery Weld, IMSEP director. "Feedback from both businesses and teachers says this experience is a win-win for all involved."
Teachers were paired with willing businesses based on areas of interest. For example, Waterloo West High School math teacher Dan Payne is working with Allen Hospital’s lean operations expert to decrease inventory costs and turnaround times for doctors prepping for surgeries. Robin Hammann, a chemistry and physics teacher at Pella High School, will be determining if Pella Windows and Doors current testing methods match changes made recently to the American Architectural Manufactures Association’s (AAMA) standards. And Lincoln High School science teacher Scott Voogd, hoping to carry the message of environmental awareness back to his classroom, will spend the summer taking water samples and surveying the residents around Easter Lake as part of Polk County Conservations’ Easter Lake Master Plan project.
Jason Dayton, a science teacher at Dowling High School in West Des Moines, is externing at Kemin Industries, based in Des Moines. "This is the first time we’ve had a teacher extern here," said associate scientist Tatania Emmick, who is working with Jason on isolating compounds found in fruit peels to be used in nutraceuticals.
"I think we should teach kids skills they can use in a work environment and increase their employability," said Dayton when asked what he hoped to take out of his time at Kemin. "This further solidifies the Iowa Core Curriculum to me and my students. By modeling a real world work environment, students will see that not only can they do science as a job but that there are other opportunities — media studies, accounting, patent law and marketing — they can go into that are all connected to science."
Teachers and organizations participating in the program this summer are:
| Teacher | School | Business |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Dayton | Dowling High School — West Des Moines | Kemin Industries — Des Moines |
| Tom Boheman | Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School | Blackhawk County Conservation — Cedar Falls |
| Robin Hammann | Pella High School | Pella Corporation — Pella |
| Dan Payne | Waterloo West High School | Allen Memorial Hospital — Waterloo |
| Lisa Roose | Peet Junior High — Cedar Falls | Struxture Architects — Waterloo |
| Rebecca Thayer | Prairie High School — Cedar Rapids | Clipper Windpower — Cedar Rapids |
| Ryan Lensing | Dowling High School — West Des Moines | Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) — Water Quality — Des Moines |
| Mike Todd | Ames High School | Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) — Wildlife Management, Fishery and Land use management — Boone |
| Scott Voogd | Lincoln High School — Des Moines | Polk County Conservation — Des Moines |
| Scott Whittler | Clarion-Goldfield High School | Hagie Manufacturing — Clarion |
Teachers who successfully complete the pilot program earn college credit for their work in the business world. They will also work with university mentors to translate the experience into meaningful lessons for their students. More information about IMSEP’s Real World Externships for Teachers, including the blogs of some participants, is available at www.iowamathscience.org/externships/.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state funded initiative led by the University of Northern Iowa in partnership with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. IMSEP’s goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa’s schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation.