STEP Program
The Student and Teacher Enhancement Partnership (STEP) Program partners advanced Georgia Tech undergraduate and graduate students with metro-Atlanta area high schools in teams that are led by master teacher-coordinators. The program seeks to improve the teaching-related communication and leadership skills of Georgia Tech students and to use the exceptional scholarly expertise available at Georgia Tech to assist in increasing the mathematics and science performance of Atlanta-area high school students.
STEP Graduate Fellows and Undergraduate Interns participate in summer training workshops to familiarize them with inquiry-based learning pedagogy, classroom management, and effective teaching skills. They also work with high school personnel to develop a needs assessment and action plan for the school. During the school year they work in teams (each having at least two Georgia Tech students) with their partner school, choosing activities from a menu of options that includes: 1) Student instruction, 2) Teacher professional development, 3) Student enrichment and mentoring, 4) Implementation of appropriate educational technologies, 5) Science fair project assistance, and 6) Georgia Tech lab tours.
Who should participate in the STEP Program?
We encourage all qualified students who have a desire to improve their leadership and communication skills, who like to work with other people in teams, who would enjoy working with high school age students on math and science skills, and who have a desire to give back to the local community to apply to be a STEP Graduate Teaching Fellow or a STEP Undergraduate Teaching Intern. If you need more information, please contact Dr. Donna Llewellyn at donna.llewellyn@cetl.gatech.edu or 404-894-2340.
STEP Graduate Teaching Fellows
- Students Eligible: Graduate students from NSF-related disciplines who are supported by faculty or academic units as Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Teaching Assistants, or Graduate Assistants.
- Time commitment :
- Summer Training —7 hours per week of class time, plus some outside projects. The summer program begins on May 12 th and continues through July.
- School Year —5 hours per week at the school and 2 hours per week preparation time. The preparation time includes a 1-hour per week seminar (expected to be at 8am on Fridays).
- Compensation : Students will receive a $7,000 supplement to their existing salary, a tuition exemption for the whole year, and an allowance towards the mileage expenses incurred in commuting to and from the school. In addition, they receive academic credit for the summer training, and for the school-year seminar.
STEP Undergraduate Teaching Interns
- Students Eligible: Undergraduate students who are majoring in Engineering, Sciences, Computing, Architecture (any major in the College of Architecture), Public Policy, or STAC with at least junior standing (60 credit hours) as of the end of Spring 2008. GT Cumulative GPA must be at least 2.75, with preference given to students who have a GPA of at least 3.0 and the desire and availability to take the graduate training course during Summer 2008.
- Time commitment :
- Summer Training (first choice) —7 hours per week of class time, plus some outside projects. The summer program begins on May 12 th and continues through July.
- Summer Training (second choice) — intensive 10-hour training course during the week of May 5th (the week after spring finals).
- School Year —5 hours per week at the school plus preparation time. The preparation time includes a 1-hour per week seminar (expected to be at 8am on Fridays).
- Compensation : Students will receive $15/hour during Fall and Spring semesters for the time spent working at the schools, and an allowance towards the mileage expenses incurred in commuting to and from the school. (Note that there will be required preparation and commuting time above and beyond the five paid hours/week.) In addition, eligible interns (junior standing with a GPA of at least 3.0) may receive academic credit for the summer training, and for the school-year seminar.