NU-Teach offers teachers discounts, convenience on summer training

A program launching this summer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will offer Nebraska math and science teachers selected graduate courses at reduced tuition rates, and in some cases, the convenience of taking these courses in their hometowns.

The NU-Teach Institute for Math and Science Teachers allows teachers recommended by their home districts and their local Educational Service Units to take an intensive NU-Teach course at a 20 percent tuition discount. Some courses would be offered on the UNL campus, others will be offered outside Lincoln if demand is there. Courses currently are planned for Hastings and Norfolk.

UNL's Graduate Studies office is providing scholarships for some student fees associated with the program. A teacher taking a 3-graduate-credit NU-Teach course would pay $537, a savings of more than $250 from a typical 3-graduate-credit course.

Six courses will be offered this summer: four in math, one in education and one in computer science. More courses, particularly in science, are contemplated for the next two summers.

NU-Teach is an extension of UNL's successful Math in the Middle project, which started in 2004 with funding from the National Science Foundation. Under that project, middle-level math teachers took intensive math-immersion courses where 40 hours of instruction were compressed into a one- to two-week timeframe followed by a rigorous end-of-course assignment. Since its inception, 136 teachers have entered the program and 60 have earned master's degrees. Although six have left the program, the remainder continue to pursue degrees.

Jim Lewis, professor of math at UNL and one of the Math in the Middle leaders, said the program works because it recognizes teachers have family or other obligations that make it hard to spend five to 10 weeks on campus in the summer.

"A teacher out in Rushville wants to be good at her craft, and wants to improve her teaching, but at what personal price?" Lewis said.

By compressing the program, offering a lot of academic support during the weeklong immersion and follow-up activities, Math in the Middle participants are able to improve their education with less disruption, Lewis said.

By beefing up existing partnerships with Educational Service Units, Lewis said UNL has become a partner investing in math and science teacher education statewide. Teachers would receive the discounted tuition only if recommended by their school district or ESU. On a space-available basis, graduate students whose participation is not supported by an ESU/school district could take the courses but must pay full tuition and fees.

The goal is for up to 200 teachers to come to campus each summer for the one- to two-week immersion courses, he said. Alternatively, ESUs may choose to host immersion courses in their communities if a minimum of 15 teachers sign up for the program.

The three-year pilot NU-Teach Institute is a collaboration among several entities at UNL, including the Center for Science, Mathematics and Education; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Education and Human Sciences; the Office of Graduate Studies; and UNL Summer Sessions.

For more information about the NU-Teach program, go to www.scimath.unl.edu and click on the NU-Teach button or contact either Shannon Parry in the Center for Science, Mathematics and Education at sparry3@unl.edu or (402) 472-9312, or Jason Cruise at Teach Nebraska at jasoncruise.graduate@unl.edu or (402) 472-2845.