Eric.ed.gov – Employer-Sponsored Teacher Internships in Science and Math: A Part of Education Reform Strategy.

In 1981, an estimated 25% of the nation’s secondary school teachers had summer jobs outside education. This report on the current status and future directions of employer-sponsored teacher internship programs has an underlying theme: that such programs can make a serious contribution to the career and professional development needs of teachers and to the quality of instruction. Chapter 1 considers how employer-sponsored teacher internships are connected to educational reform. The second chapter discusses the purposes of teacher internships. Eleven pioneer teacher internship programs are briefly described in chapter 3. Many of these programs focus on improving mathematics and science instruction; many also place a strong emphasis on communication skills. All rely heavily on the leadership and motivation of employers to improve scientific and mathematical understanding and competence. In chapter 4, replicability, sustainability, and expansion of these programs are considered. Finally, chapter 5 discusses new directions and next steps for teacher internships. Contacts and addresses for the 11 programs are listed in the appendix. (MNS)