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Science and Mathematics Education Center

Professional Development

The Science and Mathematics Education Center has a long history of providing outstanding academic year and summer professional development programs for our science and mathematics teachers in the Central Valley. Our programs have included workshops and institutes in the Hesthenes “Modeling Science” approach and we look forward to continuing to offer more modeling programs this coming summer through our new partnership with the University High School. SMEC has also had a long history of collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with special partnerships at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Pasadena. Our NASA enriched summer programs have provided teachers with a wealth of NASA data, resources, and materials for the classroom. SMEC plans to continue this rich partnership into the future. SMEC has been associated with several California Math and Science Partnership programs based in our local school districts. Our future mathematics teachers, for example, recently were fortunate to be part of an exciting “Lesson Study” program in mathematics teaching as part of Sanger Unified’s CaMSP project. SMEC has been a partner with the Central Valley Science Project summer science programs for years and has co-sponsored outstanding speakers series provided by the San Joaquin Valley Math Project. Fresno State science and mathematics faculty as well as our colleagues in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development in addition to faculty from our community college partners have been instrumental in providing some of the many excellent professional development experiences to date and we look forward to continuing that tradition of excellence in the future. Visit our new SMEC Web Site for a regular update of SMEC academic year and summer professional development programs for Central Valley’s science and mathematics teachers including, of course, our own future science and mathematics teachers. You are also invited to visit the MERLOT Science Education Community and eventually its counterpart for mathematics teachers, to learn about professional development opportunities, resources, support and other important information. As you visit this site, developed under SMEC’s leadership, you are encouraged join the list serve and sign up as a member of MERLOT. It’s free.
Often, it is nice to visit other parts of the state or nation to gain new knowledge about science, math, or teaching science and mathematics. Outstanding professional development programs abound throughout the state and the US. Many teachers are interested in honing your best practices in science and mathematics education and meeting the new credentialing demands? You can find out about the many exciting professional development opportunities for California Science Teachers by visiting www.cascience.org and nationally by visiting www.nsta.org. You can learn about similar opportunities in math by visiting http://www.cmc-math.org/.