Center for
Excellence in
Education
Teacher’s Round
Table
Joseph A. Isaac
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
National Science Foundation
September 25, 2013
Personal:
• Born in Washington, D.C.
• Grew up in Va. Beach, Va.
(Graduated Princess Anne High School, 1989)
• Worked for eight years as a Biological Lab Technician/Research Assistant
- 3 years at the National Institutes of Health - Transgenic animal model
research of HIV, with a focus on Kaposi’s Sarcoma and other AIDS
related cancers.
- 5 years at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,
Department of Microbiology and Immunology – Research of HIV
cofactors and their role in viral transmission.
•
Taught for two years at Friendship Collegiate Academy (General Biology, A.P.
Biology, D.C. History)
•
Taught for eight years at McKinley Technology High School (General Biology,
A.P. Biology, Biotechnology II, Molecular Biotechnology, Biotechnology Senior
Project, Forensic Science)
•
Married 14 years (wife is Principal of Washington Yu-Ying PCS in Washington,
D.C.)
Three Children (Elijah 11, Mattie 8,and Ellis 7)
•
McKinley
Technology
High
School,
District of
Columbia
A National Blue
Ribbon School,
2012
McKinley Technology High School
Demographics
McKinley Technology High School
Demographics Cont’d
English Language Learners
1%
Free and reduced-price lunch
52%
Special Education
2%
In-Boundary
0%
Graduation Rate-4 years (DCPS
Graduation Rate)
Student to Teacher Ratio (DCPS Avg.)
Median Household Income of
surrounding area (DC Median Income)
93.68% (59.58%)
12:1 (12:1)
$35,313 ($43,865)
Results……Student Performance at
McKinley Technology High School
2006 – 49%
2011 – 87%
2012 – 92%
2006 – 61%
2011 – 88%
2012 – 91%
What makes McKinley different?
(4 Curricular STEM/CTE Strands)
1.Biotechnology –
2.Engineering –
3.Information Technology –
4.Mass Media –
PCAST (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology)
Report; February 7, 2012
Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional
College Graduates with Degrees in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Four Recommendations:
1. Catalyze adoption of validated teaching practices.
2. Advocate and provide support for replacing standard lab courses with
discovery-based research courses.
3. Launch a national experiment to address math preparation gap.
4. Encourage partnerships to diversify
pathways to stem careers.
Types of Partnerships
• Post Secondary Academia
(University, Community College,
Private For-Profit College)
• Industry
• Non-Profit Organization
• Government Agency
• Consortia and Advisory
So just how did we move from a newly opened
STEM school to the Blue Ribbon in just 8 years?
Perfect Storm of:
Timing, Availability
of resources, Close
proximity, Openness
and creativity of
instructors,
administrators and
partners, Funding
and last but not
least……Quality
instruction.
“The Sage on the Stage”
v.
“The Guide on the Side”
So what am I doing now?
Second year
of Einstein
Fellowship!!!!
Ph.D. Student- Curriculum
and Instruction, Science
Education
Anacostia High School Bioscience Partnership Project
Most Science Teachers
Desire to be here…………
A problem Identified
….. and consequently
this
Unfortunately……..
It’s more like this…..
Which leads
to this……….
Then
ultimately
this……..
……..a possible solution
Teacher/Scientist
Matchmaking
Service
STEM Education in the
T
Caribbean
From 1999-2009, 32 Caribbean countries published
12, 817 scientific research papers –
0.08 % of the world total
Cuba produced half of them and Jamaica and
Trinidad and Tobago, 10 % each
There exists the potential to catapult to the head of
the class as trendsetters in unique and rigorous
STEM education.
There is NO reason why these lands of resources and
intellectual talent should be looking up at other
regions on the sole basis of land mass and population
size.
Achievable STEM Avenues
Themes to Focus on:
 Human Health and Disease
 Biodiversity and Plant Biotechnology
 Molecular and Marine Biotechnology
 Molecular Genealogy
 Engineering and Robotics
 Climate Change, Renewable energy and
Environmental Conservation
Thank you for your time!
Any questions
Joseph A. Isaac
jisaac@einsteinfellow.trianglecoalition.org