Professional Development - Teacher Training


Teaching teachers is the most effective way to influence science education for thousands of students. A well structured professional development program will have the broadest impact for improving science education.

Following the 2004 Earthscapes Institute, we partnered with one of the participating teachers to develop the Cannon Falls pilot project. The project evolved into a team teaching approach with the teacher and our education director. Evaluations of this project clearly demonstrate the tremendous benefits of team teaching. Student to teacher ratios are cut in half. Place based, project based and inquiry based teaching methods are effectively employed and students are challenged to achieve a higher level of performance. We believe this team teaching method is an example of the innovative edge we need to motivate teachers to participate in science based professional development.

There will be numerous opportunities for teachers through our professional development program as it progresses. Established national curricula such as the Leopold Education Project, Projects Wet, Wild and Learning Tree may be incorporated. Future partnerships with higher education will present new opportunities for post-graduate credit. Partnerships with school districts can provide teachers with continuing education credits through their home district. Workshops will be available to foster team teaching between The Science Center staff and classroom teachers.


Leopold Education Project