As kindergarteners soon discovered, our Planet Earth could use some help with ensuring that we have clean water, provide healthy environments for our animal population, and maintain clean air.  

Two CSI teachers, Alicia Hamilton and Julia Quintero, have been chosen to participate in the award-winning The Tech Academies fellowship program. They will join a cohort of forty educators from other local school districts and expanded learning organizations, all of whom will develop leadership skills and expertise in engineering instruction. As the district resource for engineering education and design thinking, they will help train other CUSD educators across the curriculum in engineering and design thinking, which will create a growing network of STEM leaders supporting excellence in our community

Fellows can choose to specialize in either software engineering or mechanical engineering. Both cohorts will work closely with instructors from The Tech’s Bowers Institute. The software engineering cohort will also enjoy additional support from  San Jose State University. Both groups will receive more than 90 hours of in-depth, hands-on professional development that will ultimately expose their students to engineering, fostering their development of 21st Century problem-solving skills critical to any career and increasing the number and diversity of students pursuing engineering careers.

The cohort will participate in a two-year fellowship. In the first year, they will learn how to integrate engineering or computer science into their own instruction. In the second year, they will be developed as leaders — attending an intensive two-week summer institute in 2020, and then spending the 2020-2021 school year training other educators in their district or organization.

“The Tech is proud to support our ten school district partners and the expanded learning organizations serving these districts with the systemic integration of engineering and computer science in core K-12 curriculum,” said Christina O’Guinn, Senior Director of Educational Partnerships for The Tech Museum. “Together, we will ensure that all students are regularly challenged with real-life applications of ELA, math, science and social studies skills and concepts through engaging problems, so that all students are prepared for tomorrow’s Silicon Valley careers.”   

School tours are scheduled for February 1, February 5, and February 13! See our calendar for times.