Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine Program

Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine (GFSTM) seeks to recruit and prepare future science and math teachers, and provide continued support as they enter the classroom in high-need school districts. GFSTM, a partnership between Saint Joseph’s College and Southern Maine Community College, is committed to growing the pool of highly qualified secondary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teachers in Maine by creating and supporting multiple pathways into the profession and helping districts “grow their own.”

Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine logo

  • Explore – Current SJC undergraduates, community college students, and high school students with an interest in STEM education are encouraged to sign up to become a GFSTM associate. You’ll be able to participate in a variety of activities to determine whether teaching is the right path for you!
  • Preparation – Rising 3rd- and 4th- year students (including transfer students) in four STEM & Secondary Education programs can apply to be GFSTM Noyce Scholars and receive FULL TUITION scholarships to support their preparation.
  • Support – After graduation, GFSTM Noyce Scholars will have access to mentoring and professional development through the program.
GFSTM is generously funded by the National Science Foundation.

Meet the 2020 GFSTM Noyce Scholarship recipients.

  • Science students perform research on Sebago Lake
  • Sarah Curtin works in the biology lab
  • STEM students hold a starfish during a field trip to the nearby ocean
  • Science students teach students chemistry
  • school children work with education students in the pollinator garden
  • SJC students work with high school students during a chemistry workshop
  • ESS student perform research on schooner
  • Education student teaches in the classroom
  • Brooke, a science student, holds some mussels she works with in Casco Bay.

GFSTM Activities

Individuals with a passion for STEM & Secondary Education are invited to become GFSTM Associates. GFSTM Associates are eligible to participate in the following program activities:

  • Teaching Experience Short Course  SJC, community college, and high school students will spend a week learning STEM content and how to teach it in high-need rural and urban schools. Participants will earn 1 credit (STEM 100: STEM Teaching in High Needs Schools, instructed by Dr. Dorland and Dr. Waters) AND earn a $200 stipend. The course will run Sunday, January 9 – Friday, January 14. The deadline for the Winter 2022 program is Friday, November 5. Apply now.
  • Careers in STEM Education Workshop  Panels of current STEM teachers and SJC alum will provide insight into the benefits and challenges, as well as the professional dispositions associated with the field. Wednesday, October 27 5:30-6:30pm. Please send an email to stem.ed@sjcme.edu with Career Workshop in the subject line to register and receive the Google Meet invite.
  • Deep Dive Seminars  This seminar series provides the opportunity to explore topics identified by high-need school partners such as trauma-informed teaching, rural challenges, and Native American traditions and their relationship to education.
  • Virtual Information Session  Learn more about FULL tuition scholarships and upcoming GFSTM program opportunities! Spring Dates, TBA.

GFSTM Associates are strongly encouraged to apply to become a GFSTM Noyce Scholar and receive FULL TUITION scholarships and additional programming during their third and fourth years in one of the STEM & Secondary Education program pathways (see the GFSTM Noyce scholarships page for more details).

Curriculum

Highlights of the secondary education minor include flexibility in format (online or on-campus), personal instruction, and a progression of teaching skills as candidates receive training in authentic contexts through sequential field experiences.

Saint Joseph’s College features four accredited STEM & Secondary Education programs:

The BSE program results in Life Sciences teaching certification in Maine, with the option to earn dual certification in Life and Physical Sciences. There is flexibility in biology electives – offerings range from Ornithology to Physiology to Disease Prevention – and all students participate in the senior research seminar program.

MSE students develop expertise in the traditional realms of mathematics including calculus, linear and abstract algebra, real analysis, and geometry. A unique feature of the program is the series of one-credit mathematics seminar courses, taken each semester by each student. Seminar courses include exposure to current events in the wider math community; learning and practicing proper mathematics oral and written presentation style; and other topics outside of usual course content. All students complete a capstone project in their senior year in which they research a mathematical topic. The program results in Secondary Mathematics certification in Maine.

The PSSE-Chem reflects SJC’s strength in community-based learning. PSSE-Chem students have additional opportunities to serve in schools in their chemistry classes via the National Science Foundation-funded Chemistry for the Community program. Students take upper level courses in small, personal courses and work in the Advanced Chemistry lab and Trace Element lab. The program results in certification in Physical Sciences.

Students in the PSSE-Env program have the option to participate in the only semester- long total immersion experience offered in New England: the Environmental Science Semester (ESS), where their classroom is the White Mountains, Acadia National Park, and the Bay of Fundy, among other locations. The breadth of courses prepares the student to teach any combination of Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physics, or Chemistry and results in Physical Sciences certification.

Funding Agencies and Partners

National Science Foundation logo

American Association for the Advancement for Science logo

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

Southern Maine Community College logo

Deering High School
Lewiston High School
Westbrook High School
Bonny Eagle High School
Old Town High School
Windham Middle and High School
Lake Region Middle and High School

Contact Us

stem.ed@sjcme.edu

Dr. Patricia Waters
Dr. Patricia WatersSaint Joseph’s College, Education
pwaters@sjcme.edu
Dr. Emily Lesher
Dr. Emily LesherSaint Joseph’s College, Sciences
elesher@sjcme.edu
Dr. Daniel Moore
Dr. Daniel MooreSMCC, Biological Sciences
dpmoore@smccme.edu
Dr. David Pinchbeck
Dr. David PinchbeckSaint Joseph’s College, Mathematics
dpinchbe@sjcme.edu