Recruiting Black Biology Majors into STEM Education Careers (ePub)

This book addresses issues related to the recruitment, preparation, and retention of STEM teachers. Focusing on recruitment specifically, it explores the strategies used to introduce biology majors to the teaching profession, increase their interest in teaching, and support their transition into teaching. Taking the Transformative and Innovative Practices in STEM Education (TIPS) program as a case study, it draws upon a wide range of data sources to contextualize the experiences of program participants, including reflections from participants and program staff, pre- and post- surveys, focus groups, and annual interviews. The authors present insights about their decision-making and use the data to help create illustrative examples of the STEM majors of color who choose to pursue teaching and to explore why others decide not to pursue teaching. It foregrounds the importance of recruiting STEM teachers of color for urban districts, the role of culture and identity in the decision-making process, and the role played by professional development and mentoring. With emphasis on recruiting STEM majors at a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI), the book ultimately provides strategies for increasing collaboration across departments, supporting and mentoring students, and addressing cultural and institutional barriers that STEM majors face when transitioning into teacher education. As such, it will appeal to STEM education and teacher education scholars, as well as program directors, deans of Schools of Education, and deans of Schools of Science.