Western Union's Science Instruction Enrichment for Teachers of ELL Students program

With the support of the Western Union Foundation, the Center for Science and Math Education is providing a one-year program to build capacity of teachers of ELL students in science content knowledge and inquiry-based instructional approaches. The cohort will consist of teams of two teachers from each participating school who support ELL students learning of high school science. For more information, email science@luc.edu.

Loyola Joins with CPS and Community Partners to Win $1.4 Million Award from NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and a consortium of community partners (Adler Planetarium, Depaul University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago) has been awarded $1.4 million to provide CPS high school students and teachers with the opportunity to participate in hands-on research with NASA mission data.

The teachers and students in Loyola's program will work with data from the recently launched Kepler space probe. Kepler will be scanning other stars in the galaxy to search for the existence of orbiting planets.

More information will be coming soon and keep watching the skies!

Scale Up of Math and Science K-12 Education Reform in a Large Urban District

The Loyola University Chicago Center for Science and Math Education hosts a two-year (2007-2009), National Science Foundation DRK-12 "systems research" grant. The research focuses on the systemic reform of math and science education in Chicago from 2002 through 2008. This project engages a research team that includes faculty and educators from Loyola University-Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools, UIC and other institutions. In the first year researchers analyzed qualitative and quantitative longitudinal empirical data documenting Chicago reform initiatives during the stages of design, planning, and initial implementation through scale up and adaptation. Now in its second year, the project will be sharing findings widely with additional practitioners and researchers who will be engaged to actively collaborate on shaping the next steps for research and action. A poster describing the project is available. You can read a draft version of our white paper. For more information, or to send comments about our white paper, contact Dr. Stacy Wenzel at 773-508-7330 or email her at swenzel@luc.edu.

Announcing a new M.Ed. in
Chemistry Teaching Program

Loyola's Center for Science and Math Education, in partnership with Loyola's School of Education is proud to announce a new degree specifically designed for teachers of high school chemistry. The new M.Ed. in Science Education with an emphasis in Chemistry teaching will provide teachers with a broad range of skills and background needed to teach chemistry in urban high schools. Focused on learners in high-needs districts, the program emphasizes inquiry pedagogy and meaningful laboratory experiences, as supported by the current literature on effective science teaching.

Because of generous funding from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) as part of the Illinois Math-Science Partnerships as well as from Loyola University, teachers accepted into the first cohort of this program will be able to earn this M.Ed. in Science Education (Chemistry Teaching) at no cost! The first cohort will begin classes in January, 2009. For more information about this program contact The Center for Science and Math Education at 773-508-3513 or email us at science@luc.edu. Read more about the M.Ed. in Science Education for Chemistry Teachers and also go to our online application. The Application deadline has been extended to Dec. 1. We will be admitting applicants on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as possible!

How Many Oceans are on Earth?

If you are a school teacher or student and have a science question, write to science@luc.edu. This week's question comes from Isabel of Martha Roldan's class at Nightingale Elementary in Chicago, and she asks "I thought I read somewhere that there are five oceans, but lots of people are telling me I am wrong. How many oceans does the Earth have?" Can you name the Earth's oceans? After you have decided on your answer, read how many oceans the earth has.

CPS Physics Endorsement Program

Loyola has received approval from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to accept additional CPS teachers into our physics endorsement program. This program provides CPS high school teachers the opportunity to take graduate level courses at Loyola in all appropriate areas to be able to earn their endorsement to become a highly qualified physics teacher. Because of generous support from Loyola, ISBE and CPS, all tuition is fully subsidized and there is no cost to teachers selected for this opportunity. Please read more about this CPS Physics Endorsement Program. Classes start this summer so please apply early!

Boeing Math Scholars Program

Loyola has received funding from the Boeing Corporation to support a cohort of Chicago Public School middle school teachers interested in earning an endorsement to teach 6th-8th grade math. This 14 month program will provide all the math courses needed to receive the Illinois endorsement for teaching middle school math. Learn more about this exciting opportunity in math education.

LAB-AIDS Summer Science Seminars

LAB-AIDS, a innovator in inquiry based science curricula will be holding a summer science seminar geared to middle school teachers at Loyola's campus in downtown Chicago in August 2007. With seminars in life science and physical science led by two award winning Loyola science professors, participants will expand both their content knowledge and experience in teaching inquiry based science. Learn more about this summer program at our LAB-AIDS Summer Institute page.

PASCO Summer Institutes

PASCO, one of the leading manufactureres and distributors of scientific equipment for schools and educators, will be holding summer workshops at Loyola this coming August. Find more details at our PASCO Institute page.

Attention Science Teachers!!

Learn about Loyola's new Master's Degree in Science Education! Contact us at 773-508-8352 or by emailing us at science@luc.edu

AP Summer Institutes

Gain the experience necessary to successfully teach an advanced placement course in your discipline.