UW-River Falls graduates and master teacher are panelists at national science teacher conference

October 24, 2016--Two graduates and the master teacher from the newest graduate teaching program of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls are presenting at the National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) Area Conference in Minneapolis on October 28.

Rachelle Haroldson, master teacher for the STEMteach program and Nichelle Wollberg and Chelsey Turner, who completed teaching licensing requirements through the STEMteach program this year, will lead a panel titled "The Transition from STEM Student to STEM Teacher." Wollberg is a science teacher at Lake Holcombe School in Holcombe, and Turner teaches science at Viking Middle School in Woodville.

"These first-year teachers who went through a STEM teacher preparation program will present their experiences transitioning from being a STEM student to a STEM teacher," said Haroldson.  

The teachers will discuss ways the STEM teacher preparation program prepared them for their current teaching positions. Those attending this session of the conference will receive lesson plans that Wollberg and Turner developed to use in their secondary science classrooms. The presenters will also address the challenges they faced in transitioning from student to STEM teacher and provide advice for other new teachers or current STEM teacher candidates.

The UWRF STEMteach program offers an efficient route to become a teacher with a highly-marketable license within one year. Qualified applicants take graduate-level courses on the River Falls campus beginning in the summer and continuing throughout the year. Students will have opportunities for teaching experiences in the summer and finish with an apprentice teaching semester in the spring.  Those who wish to complete a master's degree in secondary education may do so by taking additional graduate credits.

Interested individuals are encouraged to meet with an admissions adviser for a personal consultation and preliminary application review. The next cohort of students will begin in the summer of 2017. For more information, contact Outreach Manager Pamela Bowen at 715-425-0633 or send an email to outreach@uwrf.edu.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is an accredited institution offering a variety of degree and certificate programs designed to meet personal and professional educational goals. UWRF programs are built on a solid foundation of academic excellence and faculty are friendly, experienced mentors who take the time to address each student's professional needs and career objectives.

The UWRF graduate programs provide intensive, reality-based learning experiences, which often serve as a stepping stone to professional and career advancement. Browse the complete list of graduate programs online at www.uwrf.edu.

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Va., is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership of 55,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education.