FCR-STEM

Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Florida State University

 

FCR-STEM is seeking applications from middle and high schools for the following

professional development focusing on math and science:

 

What:

Content Enhancement Routines Initiative.

 

Provided by:

The Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics (FCR-STEM – www.fcrstem.org).

 

Eligibility:

Middle and high schools in Florida where instructional leaders

and all math and/or science teachers commit to participate in the

professional development and implementation during the 2007-08

school year. Other configurations within schools, such as academies

within schools, also are eligible to apply.

 

Application deadline:

June 30, 2007. Application (attached) must be made by the

school principal.

 

Cost:

None to the school or district. Professional development,

materials, coaching and support will be funded by the FCR-

orida Department of Education.

 

 

Description:

Content Enhancement Routines provide teaching tools that can easily be

integrated into the comprehensive teaching model for math and science adopted by a school

or district. The routines are explicit instructional procedures that revolve around visual

devices (graphic organizers) that enable teach

ate on the targeted topic, and make ideas and

ed to help students organize, understand,

ddress student needs related to reading in the

 

The Content Enhancement Routines were developed by the Center for Research on Learning

at the University of Kansas (http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/content.shtml). Routines are available

for planning and leading student learning; exploring text, topics, and details; teaching

concepts; and increasing performance on assignments and assessments. Each routine has

been studied primarily in middle and high school content-area classes with academic

diversity including a range of literacy proficiency. Teachers learned the routines easily and

both teachers and researchers observed student-learning gains, averaging at least 10 to 20

percentage points on classroom tests. Preliminary results of the Seminole County High

School Reading Project (an RFT) and a study in Palm Beach County confirmed that large-

scale implementation of these routines produce substantial gains in student achievement.

---

Page 2

 

Schedule:

Professional development for the first routine will be delivered in fall 2007 in a

three-hour face-to-face workshop at the school, followed by coaching and support. Two more

routines will be offered as online courses later in the 2007-2008 school year. The

professional development and materials will be provided at no cost.

 

Eligibility:

This initiative is designed to foster department-wide implementation in middle

and high schools. Applications will be accepted from schools in which the entire math and/or

science department will participate and commit to the year-long implementation. Other

configurations, such as academies within schools, may also apply. The enclosed application

must be received by the FCR-STEM no later than June 30, 2007.

 

Questions:

Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Marty Beech at

mbeech@lsi.fsu.edu or at 850-921-0687.