Rider receives grant to support inclusive excellence in STEM teaching and learning

Image

Rider University's Department of Teacher Education has received a $15,000 grant from Beyond100K to increase the number and diversity of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher candidates. 

Dr. Bhesh Mainali, an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Rider, and Dr. Sharon Sherman, dean emerita in the College of Education and Human Services, were the recipients of the award. They will be using the funding from the grant to launch The Belonging Project, a new initiative focused on enhancing students’ feelings of being accepted, included and supported within the STEM K-12 learning environment.

"Students with a sense of belonging in school feel socially connected, supported and respected,” says Sherman. “They trust their teachers and peers, and they feel a sense of fitting in at school. They are not concerned about being treated as a stereotype and are confident they are seen as a person of value.” 

The grant will facilitate the establishment of a steering committee comprised of local school leaders who will collaborate closely with Rider faculty to shape the vision for the project. One key focus of the initiative will be providing elementary, middle and high school teachers with an opportunity to engage with experts with knowledge of “belonging” in STEM classrooms. 

“By participating, teachers and leaders will have access to resources, professional learning and collaborative opportunities that will enable them to create more inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students in their classrooms,” says Sherman. 

The project will culminate with a daylong STEM seminar and demonstration for local high school students interested in STEM. The goal is to introduce them to careers in STEM and STEM education, motivating them to enroll in higher level STEM courses in high school and college. 

“I am really excited for the success of this project and to promote STEM teacher preparation at Rider and beyond,” says Mainali. “Building a pipeline of qualified teachers in the STEM fields is critical as the U.S. faces a nationwide teacher shortage.” 

Over the years, Rider has participated in a number of efforts to strengthen the field of STEM education. The University was a partner in the100Kin10 initiative that aimed to prepare 100,000 new STEM teachers over a 10-year period. While 100Kin10 reached that goal, the effort continues on as Beyond100K, which hopes to end the STEM teacher shortage by 2043.

In support of that effort, the University announced a new elementary education-STEM studies major to combat the ongoing need for STEM educators in the state and across the country, particularly in high-need districts. The major prepares students for certification as elementary and middle school teachers of math and science. In addition to field work at the elementary school level, students in the program spend one semester in a middle school math or science classroom. The program enrolled its first students in September.

Rider also offers a $2,000 annual scholarship for eligible incoming first year and transfer undergraduate education majors to further support the next generation of teachers.