Local educators in the fields of science and maths will have the opportunity to develop their skills for Middle School teaching, thanks to a new agreement between Government and Wheelock College.

The Ministry of Education and Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wheelock College to help teachers get accepted into a graduate programme.

Joan Bergstrom, Director of the Centre for International Education, Leadership, and Innovation at Wheelock College, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Education Minister Terry Lister at the Ministry's boardroom this week.

Wheelock College, which is based in Boston, offers a Professional Development Program with an emphasis on Math and Science for grades five through eight.

The purpose of the agreement between Government and the College is to provide on-site professional development for educators and people with science and maths backgrounds.

"Upon successful completion of this programme, graduates will become certified teachers in the Bermuda public school system, and qualified to teach mathematics and science at the Middle School level," said Mr. Lister.

The programme is geared towards developing teachers in these two academic disciplines, which are under-represented both locally and internationally. The focus will be on mathematical thinking, scientific inquiry, and engineering.

The programme offers 19 graduate credit hours and a twelve-week student practicum with an accompanying seminar. The practicum is divided into two sessions, with six weeks spent teaching science and six weeks spent teaching mathematics.

"These field-based experiences ensure that these student-teachers can apply the knowledge in practice and provide assessment of their performance in relations to established professional standards for teachers," said Mr. Lister.

Mr. Lister thanked Wheelock College for the previous two programmes held in Bermuda which provided "more than fifty additional certified teachers" into the pipelines.

Dr. Bergstrom mentioned the "Teachers as Scholars" programme offered previously, and noted that some participants have subsequently earned a Masters Degree.

"We have a number of alumni on the Island and a number of teachers who have very distinct positions enrolled with leadership, administration, teaching and in a variety of roles involved throughout the island," she said. "It is very exciting for us to be launching a new programme."