On October 22nd, current students and recent alumni of the M.Ed in Science and Math for Teachers sat together virtually to answer questions from the College community. The panel included current student Lindsay Dunn, as well as alumni Jimmy Freeman and September Alumni of the Month, Heather Crider. Topics discussed included program quality, funding options, program flexibility, and more!
An attendee asked about balancing the rigor of graduate education with being a full-time educator, which was something all panel members could relate to. Their answers reflected the true flexibility of the program, with full and part-time options and the ability to take breaks. Dunn, a mother of two and full-time middle school teacher balances her graduate education by being a part-time student, taking one class a semester. Crider and Freeman agreed, saying this flexibility and part-time student status allowed them to have no problems at all being both a full-time educator and a graduate student.
Even though they approached their graduate education at their own pace, both Crider and Freeman stated they didn’t need to wait until graduation in order to start applying what they learned in their own classrooms. Many times, they explained, they would learn something in graduate class, and walk into their own classrooms the next day and apply the new strategies and methods.
One of the attendees lives in Columbia and asked if it would be possible for her to be in the program. The answer is yes! The M.Ed in Science and Math for Teachers program is adjusting the curriculum to be able to be completed remotely. In person classes will be available to attend via Zoom. As for lab assignments, materials will be mailed to students in advance, so that students can complete the lab via Zoom with the rest of the class. Any special events or field experiments will be held on weekends in a more central location, to give everyone the opportunity to attend.
All of the panel members raved about the quality of education, the personal attention from faculty, and how much they’ve enjoyed their time in the Science and Mathematics for Teachers program here at the College. Crider stated that completing the program has given her more confidence in her knowledge of science and math, which also gives her the opportunity to implement more advanced projects in her classroom, thus enhancing the educational experience for students. She also felt supported by the variety of funding options provided by the state, especially for teachers in the fields of science and mathematics.
For more information on Heather Crider, see our Alumna of the Month post from September 2020. For more information on the M.Ed. in Science and Math for Teachers, please visit https://cofc.edu/academics/graduate-degree-progs/graduatedegreeslist/sciencemath.php
