by KYW's John Ostapkovich
Temple University has gotten a $2.4-million grant to educate the next generation of science and math teachers.
The grant underwrites a program called "TU Teach," spun out of the University of Texas.
The point, says Heidi Ramirez, director of Temple's Urban Education Collaborative, is solving a chronic problem:
"It's not just an itch. It's a real big rash, actually, in that there's an increasing shortage of qualified math and science teachers, particularily in urban schools and districts but across the state, country, and particularily the region."
TU Teach involves not just rigorous science and math coursework for prospective teachers at Temple, but being out in the schools learning the craft of teaching, right from the get-go.
Ramirez says it's hard to gauge how many students will be attracted to this program, which begins next fall. But she says it's hard to imagine having too many -- the need is so great.
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