HCPSS Teachers to Model Science Instruction for Korean Delegation

January 27th, 2014

The Howard County Public School System will welcome a delegation of 60 South Korean science teachers who will visit elementary, middle and high school classrooms this week to study best practices in STEM instruction. This will be the third year in which a Korean delegation has studied the school system.

“South Korean education, and specifically science education, is ranked among the best in the world. The fact that a Korean delegation chooses to visit and research our school system says a great deal about the caliber of our program here in Howard County,” HCPSS Superintendent Dr. Renee A. Foose said.

The Korean teachers were selected to represent their school districts through a rigorous application process, and include teachers at the elementary level, as well as secondary Earth Science, Biology and Physics. The visitors are assigned a host teacher, and many visit multiple classrooms.

“This opportunity has helped both our HCPSS teachers and their Korean counterparts establish international ties that continue into the future,” said HCPSS Secondary Science Coordinator Mary Weller. “We have received tremendously positive feedback and look forward to continuing this program in the future.”

The delegation will begin their professional development at the Howard County Conservancy on Jan. 27. Dr. Heidi Schweingruber, deputy director of the Board on Science Education at the National Research Council, will discuss the goals, development and implementation of the new science standards. HCPSS elementary and secondary science staff will demonstrate how these new standards connect to what is taught in Howard County classrooms.

The delegation will visit schools on Jan. 28 and 29, and on Jan. 30 will return to the Howard County Conservancy to reflect on their experiences and discuss how they can apply the insights they gained to their personal practice.

The cross-cultural exchange is made possible by the support of community partners including the Robinson Nature Center and Howard County Conservancy, which contribute significant resources.