The Department of Education at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School recently received approval to expand one of its two undergraduate minors, the Minor in Science and Mathematics Education. This minor will now have two tracks: one for prospective elementary teachers (the new track) and one for prospective secondary mathematics and science teachers (the existing track). The minor will now be better able to help strengthen the preparation of K-12 teachers. The minor will begin enrolling students in January 2016.
“This new minor track is designed for those who want to be exceptional elementary teachers,” says Dr. Julie Bianchini, Chair of the Department of Education and UCSB CalTeach Faculty Director. “ Given the new Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and the Next Generation Science Standards, now more than ever before, beginning elementary teachers need to know how to teach mathematics and science to their students.”
The Science and Mathematics Education Minor is an integral part of UCSB’s CalTeach. CalTeach is a UC-wide initiative intended to recruit more undergraduates into science and mathematics teaching, and to better prepare these beginning teachers to meet the needs of diverse learners in California’s public schools.
The new Elementary Track of the Science and Mathematics Education Minor is for undergraduates interested in becoming elementary teachers – teachers who are well prepared to teach mathematics and science to their students. The existing Secondary Track of the Science and Mathematics Education Minor is for science, mathematics, and engineering undergraduates interested in teaching mathematics or science. In both tracks, undergraduates will gain a deeper understanding of science and mathematics content, students and student learning, instructional strategies effective in conveying content to students, and the structure and purposes of schools. They will observe, help design, and participate in the teaching of science and mathematics to elementary students.