University to Retrain Local Teachers

The Graduate School of Education may soon institute two new curriculum programs to alleviate the increasing nationwide shortage and poor quality of secondary school math and science educators.

The new programs--which are geared towards training new high school teachers and retraining present ones--reflect the new emphasis on the practical training of educators which began when Patricia A. Graham became the Ed School's dean last July, officials at the school said yesterday.

A special committee at the Ed School has been working on the plans for the new programs since Graham arrived and will formally present them for approval at the February 28 meeting of the Ed School faculty.

Members of the committee said yesterday that they foresee no problems in getting the faculty's support. They added that if the programs are approved right away, one could begin as soon as this summer and the other next fall.

Katherine K. Merceth, Special Assistant to the Dean for Institutional Planning, said yesterday that the plans would help high school education in two ways. The first program, a four-week intensive summer curriculum would help already-certified secondary school math and science teachers learn specific teaching methods and update their mathematical or scientific knowledge.

The second planned program to become part of the Ed School's current Master's program, would "tap new markets for finding teachers," said Jerome T. Murphy, associate dean at the Ed School. The program would train people already established in careers in the technological industries. These people-- mostly 45-50 years old--would then retire early from their former jobs and attend a 15-month training program at the Ed School to become secondary school teachers.

Merceth said representatives of many high tech firms, including Polaroid, Raytheon, Digital, and the First National Bank of Boston have expressed enthusiasm for the idea. Many of these companies would be willing to let such workers go because middle-aged employees often do not have the necessary education to keep up with scientific advances, she added.

Officials agreed that a crisis is approaching in the number of actual math and science teachers nationwide, especially in Massachusetts. Fewer people want to become teachers because of the better paying opportunities in private industries--many of which are located in this state. Many teachers are leaving their positions to take more attractive offers. Merceth said that a survey of 218 counties in New England showed that 60 percent of all math teachers planned to leave their jobs within the next two years.

The Ed School's new programs would try to reverse this trend by making high school education a more attractive possibility, Merceth said. She added that she has received tremendous support from officials in various Massachusetts school systems, who said they would be willing to hire all the newly trained teachers.

The summer program will cost $50,000 to launch and the 15-month program between $200,000 and $300,000, Merceth said.

The committee will look into state and federal funds, and corporate and private foundation grants to help pay for the new programs, since most teachers cannot afford to pay tuition, she added.

Two professors from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences--Gerald Holton, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics, and Andrew M. Gleason, Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy--served on the planning committee.

To provide students with state teaching certification, however, the Ed School would have to offer two or three new courses and hire several new faculty members. Students could also take graduate or undergraduate courses in the College, Holton added.

Since the Ed School has not offered a secondary school education program since 1972, many of its faculty are not trained in practice oriented education, professors at the school said yesterday.

Lawrence added that those Ed School faculty members who have the necessary training would have to drop other responsibilities to participate in the new program.

Both programs will be very selective taking only 25 students each, Merceth said. She added that the Ed School's impact will not be "numerical.. but rather it will demonstrate to other graduate schools a model.