UTeach Curriculum Overview

A significant barrier to attracting science, mathematics, and computer science majors into teaching traditionally has been the requirement of an additional year of coursework taken outside the college of science.

The philosophy underlying the design of the UTeach instructional program is that, by combining individualized coaching, intensive teaching experiences in K-12 classrooms, and relevant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content, students’ knowledge and skills will develop at an accelerated rate. This approach translates into a curriculum, unique in content and sequence, that allows students to obtain a STEM field degree and secondary teaching certification in 120 to 126 hours.

Recruitment Courses

UTeach students begin by taking two recruitment courses, which require very little commitment (the courses are one credit hour, and tuition costs are reimbursed). The courses, Step 1 and Step 2, are taught by master teachers, non-tenured clinical faculty with exemplary secondary classroom teaching experience who work closely with students as they develop inquiry-based lessons using research-based, recognized curricula and materials.

• Step 1: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching provides students with elementary teaching experiences using lessons they have prepared around well-tested activities.
• Step 2: Inquiry-based Lesson Design provides students with middle school teaching experiences using lessons they have written from scratch based on district curricula.

STEM Education Courses

Each of the courses in this sequence takes an integrated approach to content and pedagogy, emphasizing a strong connection between theory and practice, as well as the explicit relationships between mathematics and science. These courses are taught by research faculty in mathematics or science education, with assistance from master teachers.

• Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science explores the implications of learning theories on individual learning, social (classroom) learning, and within the context of larger social justice issues. Students conduct clinical interviews to analyze individuals’ reasoning about math and science problems.
• Classroom Interactions provides theoretical and practical frameworks for analyzing different instructional activities, focusing on content development through various classroom interactions. Issues of equity are explored throughout various activities and assignments, including the design, implementation, and analysis of a multi-day high school lesson sequence.
• Project-Based Instruction focuses on problem- and project-based curricula and processes. Students develop project-based instructional units and plan, implement, and analyze three-day problem-based teaching experiences in high school classrooms. The course culminates in a day-long high school field experience specific to mathematics or science.

Specialized STEM Content Courses

These courses, taken concurrently with the education sequence, provide content knowledge of particular importance for STEM teachers, and often fulfill multiple degree requirements. Each makes explicit the relationships between mathematics and science and among the sciences.

• Perspectives on Science and Mathematics is taught by faculty in the history or philosophy of science or mathematics. This course promotes an understanding that science is dynamic and has been shaped by practical needs, social conflicts, and individual personalities. Students prepare lesson plans incorporating historical science and mathematics content.
• Research Methods is a lab course taught by a team of science research faculty. This course focuses on students’ understanding of how scientists develop new knowledge. Students design, implement, and document four independent research inquiries. Topics include lab safety, experimental design, statistical analysis, mathematical modeling, peer reviewed literature, and scientific controversies.
• Functions and Modeling, required only for mathematics majors, is taught by a mathematics faculty member with working knowledge of secondary mathematics curricula and grade level expectations. This course emphasizes mathematical content knowledge and connections, as well as lab applications of mathematics topics. Student collaboration, problem solving, and presentation of findings is emphasized.

Apprentice Teaching

In a final apprentice teaching experience, students engage in 40 hours of classroom observation and on-site planning before spending assuming full teaching responsibilities approximately 4 hours per day for 12 weeks in a secondary classroom. The experience, closely supervised by master teachers and university facilitators, promotes collaboration, reflection, and sharing. Students are observed a minimum of 10 times, each time receiving intensive feedback from a trained observer, master teacher, or the cooperating classroom teacher using a standardized UTeach teacher development rubric. Students also attend a weekly seminar. Part of their time in the seminar is spent preparing and submitting a final teaching portfolio aligned with state standards and additional UTeach program requirements.