Description :  

Chemical Concepts and Connections (C₃) for Teacher Leaders is a multi-year program that prepares high school chemistry teachers from Louisiana with the content knowledge, instruction and leadership skills, and confidence to serve as peer-mentors/collegial coaches, workshop presenters, and agents of change in their schools.  A total of 128 chemistry teachers (64 during years 1 and 2, and an additional 64 during years 3 and 4) participate in over 260 hours of professional development.  Administrators are involved in the planning of the program and participate in an electronic Administrators’ Forum.

The overall goal of the project is to develop the in-house capacity of school systems to provide effective, long term professional development that increases teacher quality and job satisfaction, thus leading to increased teacher retention, improved quality of science instruction, and improved student achievement.  Specific goals include preparation of teacher leaders with in-depth chemical content knowledge; in-depth knowledge of standards-based instruction and assessment; and skills and knowledge to serve as mentors/collegial coaches, workshop presenters, and change agents for their systems.

The program is composed of a three-week summer institute each of two summers with extensive academic year follow-up each year through electronic networking, on-line mentoring, workshops, newsletters, and classroom visits.  During the fist academic year, participants implement standards-based instruction in their classrooms and serve as mentors/collegial coaches for their peers.  Following the second summer institute, participants continue the mentoring program, present workshops, and work with administrators to plan future programs.

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Principal Investigator:  Ramsey, Linda  --  Biological Sciences

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Collaborators:  William Deese

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Funding Agencies:  NSF

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Amount Awarded:  $1,616,983

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Start Period:  09/01/2001

End Period:  08/31/2005