Teach To Learn

“When I go to Brayton, I am reminded that science is a way of viewing the world that is exciting, interesting, and important. Being with the students at Brayton challenges me to understand science in a broader scope and figure out how it is relevant to each of our daily lives.” – Rachel Waldman ’17

The central goal of the Teaching to Learn program is to impact the science learning experiences of undergraduate science, education, and liberal arts students by engaging them in a year-long experience to develop and implement science curricula in K-6 classrooms in the North Adams School District. Undergraduates work with both elementary teachers and college science professors to develop inquiry-based units of instruction based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Pairs of undergraduates will co-teach these units with elementary classroom teachers. Undergraduates and K-6 faculty also participate in joint professional development to deepen their understanding of both the nature of scientific inquiry and science pedagogy, and reinforce their connection as a community of learners.

Fast Facts

• Program title: Teaching to Learn (T2L)
• Grant awarded: National Science Foundation Grant
• Duration of grant: 2014-2018
• Amount of grant: $810,876
• Partners in the program: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and North Adams Public Schools
• Schools with Williams students participating in the program: Brayton and Greylock Elementary Schools
• Williams students who taught during 2014-2018: 108
• Elementary students served by Williams students during 2014-2018: 876
• Science lessons taught by Williams students during 2014-2018: 948
• Hours of science teaching by Williams students during 2014-2018: 3,175
• Majors of Williams students involved in T2L: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology, Comparative Literature, English, Computer Science, Math, Economics, History, Political Science, Political Economy, Latino Studies, Arabic Studies, Asian Studies, French, Chinese, Anthropology, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Teaching Resources

• Teach to Learn Science Units/Curriculum Materials Center
• T2L Curriculum Units
• Teaching to Learn YouTube
• Next Generation Science Standards

Teaching to Learn in the Press

• Learning in action: How a classroom of eight year olds changed my perspective 
• Williams, MCLA take part in national ‘Teaching to Learn’ initiative
• Williams College Joins White House Initiative on College Access

Program Newsletters

• Fall 2018
• Spring 2017
• Summer 2016
• Fall 2016
• Spring 2015
• Winter 2015
• Fall 2014

Who We Are

• Teaching to Learn at MCLA
• North Adams Public Schools
• Center for Learning in Action (CLiA)

Contact Info

• Jennifer Swoap, Director of Elementary Outreach
• Lindley Wells, Education Outreach Coordinator
• Amy Sosne, North Adams Coordinator for Williams Elementary Outreach