Welcome to UHD Noyce Teacher Scholarhip Program!

Have you ever thought about being a teacher?

Are you a science major, or thinking about pursuing a degree in science?

Are you curious about the natural world and willing to share your vision with others?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the UHD Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program may be for you.

UHD Noyce can help you become a science teacher.

The UHD Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program prepares and educates science majors for careers in science education at the secondary school level. You will work with UHD faculty from the Departments of Natural Sciences and Urban Education, and with master science teachers from local high schools.

An $8,000 academic year scholarship is supplemented with stipends for training during the academic year and summer, which can increase your total financial assistance to $10,000. Only students with junior-level status are eligible for funding though this program, however students can enter into their science degree plan at any point. Post-baccalaureates can also receive stipends and are encouraged to apply.

Students must have a 3.0 GPA overall in their science courses to be eligible for this scholarship. Accepted candidates for this program will sign a contract that requires two years of service at an at-risk secondary school for every year of scholarship support after earning a baccalaureate degree in an area of science from UHD. The degree requirement will be waived for post-baccalaureate participants.

You can read more about the UHD Science Noyce Program in this article from International Innovation Journal: From Laboratory to Classroom

You can learn more about International Innovation at the International Innovation Website.

Mentor Teacher Roles/Responsibilities:

Mentor teachers participating in the Noyce Science Teacher Scholarship Program are teachers who provide intensive mentoring and coaching to Noyce Students and both pre- and in-service teachers during the academic school year and summer.

Mentor teachers will earn a $450 stipend for participating in the summer workshop and up to $500 a semester ($1000 per academic year) for every Noyce student that is mentored.

Participants in the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.

Criteria for Mentor Teacher Selection

The mentor teacher requirements include:

• A current Texas teaching license with appropriate endorsements for current assignments.
• Minimum of three years of successful classroom teaching, preferably in the district and at least one year in that particular school.
• Two references from the applicant’s school district.
• Demonstrated competence as a teacher.
• A positive professional attitude and enthusiasm for teaching.
• An understanding of effective teaching strategies.
• Knowledge of both state and national science standards.
• Preparation in supervising, evaluating, and/or instructing Noyce students.
• An ability to relate to and communicate with other teachers, administrators, staff, children, and parents.
• Skills in evaluating the performance of student teachers and a willingness to constructively share the evaluation with the Noyce student and university supervisor.
• An ability to work cooperatively with the Noyce student and university supervisors.
• A willingness to participate in seminars, workshops, and other professional development activities related to the Noyce Science Teacher Scholarship Program.
• A 250-300 word narrative that explains why the applicant wishes to participate in the Noyce Science Teacher Scholarship Program.

Mentor Teacher Responsiblities

Mentor teachers will:

• Introduce the Noyce student to district and school policies, procedures, and routines.
• Create an atmosphere of acceptance for the Noyce student with the students, staff, and community.
• Guide the Noyce student in setting goals and objectives through planning, writing and revising lesson plans, using a variety of teaching strategies, measuring and evaluating student growth, and designing feedback techniques.
• Facilitate both pedagogical and content growth in the Noyce student.
• Guide the Noyce student in advancing from an assisting role to a primary teaching role while the mentor teacher moves to a supporting role.
• Assist the Noyce student in adapting her teaching and discipline style to an urban classroom setting.
• Require the Noyce student’s self-evaluation through suggestions, constructive criticism, and encouragement.
• Provide written comments following interactions with the Noyce student.
• Provide opportunities for the Noyce student to observe other teachers and programs.
• Consult regularly with the university supervisors about the Noyce student’s progress.
• Assist the Noyce student and both pre and in-service teachers participating in Noyce hosted professional development activities.

Click here to download an application to become a Noyce Mentor Teacher.

Noyce Scholars and Mentor Teachers have participated in summer workshops and research. The first summer workshop was "Modeling Physics". The second was "Environmental Education". Summer research has included studying wetland succession and chemical preparation of soil samples. This summer's workshop is "The Pedagogy of Research Based Learning" along with hands-on research with the Watershed Wonders program.

Watershed Wonder research will take teachers into the field and laboratory for research projects in watersheds. The research will also involve pre-college students in hands-on research as well as STEM teachers across grades 10, 11, and 12 in public and charter school districts.

Through two one-week day-camp sessions during the summer and 2 two-day sessions in the fall/spring, UHD’s Watershed Wonder research will offer daily participants a program geared to excite, motivate, and provide a meaningful environmental experiences for both teachers and pre-college students across biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science and evaluate the impact on attitudes and practice of students and teachers in the program. Innovative problem-base learning will set the stage for learning through the use of a watershed as a system, datasets from NOAA, use of sensor probeware, sustained activity over a year timeframe, and development of support curricula and the materials needed for implementation. Watershed Wonder will encourage environmental stewardship as well as encourage increased interest in STEM careers as well as entrance into university STEM programs. Watershed Wonder will train and evaluate up to 40 secondary science teachers and 80 high school students in grades 10-12 over a two-year research period. Participating ISD campuses receive over the two-year project period probeware equipment (with training in implementation and problem-based curriculum development) valued at approximately $2000. Participants will be involved in PhD research programs targeting the Trinity River and San Jacinto River Watersheds in this research and will partner with Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Harmony Schools Charter ISD, and Houston ISD in this research.

Contact Dr. Hoge for more information about the joint Noyce and Watershed Wonder research opportunity.