含羞草社区

Seeing into the Future: TOPS of Santa Clara Valley is growing!

1. To provide regular science and engineering content support in the sciences to middle school or elementary teachers who often experience gaps between their preparation as teachers and the science knowledge they need in the classroom.

2. To draw on the large reservoir of retired and other science, engineering and technology professionals who have valuable knowledge, experience, and time. The ultimate benefactors of TOPS are students! Students tell evaluators that they are inspired to learn science by the presence of the TOPS volunteers. Teachers say TOPS retirees help them become more prepared to teach science by being content resources and by modeling what scientists do and how they think. Surveys show that the teachers also feel inspired, develop more confidence as well as understanding, and appreciate the extra pair of skilled hands and highly schooled minds. TOPS volunteers find their work in the classrooms intellectually stimulating and emotionally rewarding. Roughly 75% return the following year. Many of the retirees have been recognized by their schools, their communities, and even by their town officials. Numerous articles have been written about them in the local and national press. Some retirees find a whole new life as a Science Resource Agent (SRA) and spend a significant portion of each week building equipment and otherwise preparing for their day in school. Teacher Recruitment is done with the help of local school districts. TOPS coordinators keep a running list of schools that request volunteers. Some corporations within a region may contribute a small amount of funds to TOPS to help defray the cost of training volunteers and operating the program.