Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science (TOPS) was conceived to bring retired scientists into elementary rural schools.  The California Postsecondary Education Commission(CPEC) awarded a grant to Columbia College in Columbia, California, and the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton, California to test the concept of TOPS during the 1993-94 year.

 

TOPS started as a pilot program with four Science Partners, each assigned to a rural school in the three California Counties of Tuolumne, Calaveras and San Joaquin.  The goals of the pilot program were to:

 

(a) determine the feasibility of placing retired scientists in the schools,

(b) explore the different roles scientists could play in the schools, and

(c) determine the preparation needed by the school and the Science Partner to make the program a success.

 

The pilot program proved that retired scientists and engineers were a great asset to a school's science education program.  Further, the pilot program also provided TOPS with the necessary knowledge to develop a training and recruiting program in order to expand the number of schools that could be served.

 

The California Postsecondary Education Commission(CPEC) then awarded a three year grant to Columbia College and San Joaquin County Office of Education to expand and continue to test the concept of TOPS.

During the 1994-5 year, TOPS held a Summer Institute at Columbia College to train 25 retired scientists and engineers to become Science Partners.  These Science Partners were subsequently assigned to 25 elementary schools in the San Joaquin, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties.  During the year (1994-1995), the different roles the Science Partners could perform were more clearly defined.  TOPS sponsored several support meetings to help the Science Partners share their experiences and develop an esprit de corps .

 

During the 1995-6 year, the program was enlarged to cover 27 schools.  New Science Partners were recruited to replace those lost by attrition and a Summer Institute was especially conducted to train them.  The Summer Institute also provided the veteran Science Partners with new training and with opportunities to share their experiences‚ including lessons they had developed and presented‚ with each other and with the new Science Partners.  The veteran Science Partners were also asked to help the new scientists by relating how they had successfully worked in elementary schools.

 

A 1996 evaluation‚ that is still continuing‚ of TOPS was started.  This evaluation included the input of the Science Partners, interviews with the Lead Teachers, and a report by an outside evaluator appointed by CPEC.  Results of the initial evaluations showed that TOPS has become a valuable program to the schools, and has helped the science literacy of both teachers and students.  In addition, there have been numerous benefits for the Science Partners that include enhanced interest in science education, finding new applications for their science knowledge, and the development of a network of their peers after retirement.

 

Conducting training sessions for the Lead Teachers at the TOPS school was an improvement brought about by the evaluations.  In addition, it was found that both new and veteran Partners benefited by attending these sessions as well.

 

By the time the grant had been completed, TOPS had proved to be a great success for its benefits to the students, teachers and schools and also to the Science Partners (see Benefits section above).  TOPS is now a paragraph in an ongoing story that is growing to include other schools in large and small school districts, both public and private, rural and urban.

 

After being supported by grants from the California Postsecondary Education Commission(CPEC), TOPS started to offer its services for a fee.  The majority of schools that had been served by TOPS chose to continue with the program.  In addition, schools new to the program, decided to join the TOPS program by paying for the service.

 

TOPS  continues to be a viable program serving between 25 to 40 schools each year.  At the same time, efforts are being made to disseminate TOPS to other school districts and to strengthen the training and support activities for both the Science Partners and the Lead Teachers.  As detailed below in section VII, a number of promotional and recruiting instruments have been developed, this include a video, a web page, a guidebook and a number of flyers.

 

The Guidebook provides a comprehensive description of TOPS  and all the necessary applications and guidelines to start new TOPS  partnerships in other school districts.

 

Since 1999, More schools are being served by forming separate partnerships with University of the Pacific (UOP) and the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD).

 

The Delta Sierra Science Project sponsored by SJCOE and UOP was formed to promote standards-based instruction for K-12 teachers.  A number of the elementary schools became TOPS  schools and are being served by Science Partners who also help during the summer institute.

 

In Livermore, the LVJUSD School District has endorsed TOPS and incorporated the program by starting with four schools during the 2000-01 school year and ten schools during the coming 2002-03 school year.  The Livermore program has been supported by grants from the Rotarian and the Livermore Valley Education Foundations and some funds from LVJUSD.   For more info on TOPS Livermore please visit

 

In 2002-03 school year, as the number of schools in Livermore is expected to increase, it was decided to restructure the administration.  SJCOE will remain as the major center and Livermore becoming a regional center with its own Coordinator and with responsibility to carry out local major training activities (see Section V).  

 

The California Postsecondary Education Commission(CPEC) is to be commended for its foresight and vision in helping the fledging idea of scientists helping schools, students and teachers become a reality.  This partnership between CPEC and TOPS includes special mention of TOPS as an exemplary program in the CPEC sponsored Developing Teaching Professionals;  The California Eisenhower State Grant Program Experience, 1992-1996.

Success of TOPS program has been highlighted in numerous laudatory newspaper articles, testimonies from participant scientists, presentations at conferences, article about TOPS in the Science Education Academy of the Bay Area Journal  (SEABA; Fall, 1996) and articles in the national Journal of Staff Development  (October 1997) and the California Science Teachers Journal (Summer, 1998), and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA 1998 report).

Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science (TOPS) is a comprehensive partnership program for helping schools tap the tremendous talent that exists in our society among retired scientists. TOPS helps develop effective partnerships that combine the knowledge and skills of classroom teachers with the content knowledge of retired scientists and engineers by volunteering to serve in a school and enhance the science learning of students. TOPS is more than just placing scientists in classrooms; TOPS Partners are trained and supported as they commit to spend a year in a school.

 

Recruiting the TOPS Partner

 

Qualifications of a TOPS Partner

The Partners come from a variety of scientific or technical careers, with degrees in science or technology.  Former scientists, engineers, technicians, physicians, pharmacist, and science teachers and professors have found delight and satisfaction as they contribute to education in a very special way.

 

Screening

Security and state regulations require TB and fingerprinting screening.

 

Commitments for joining the TOPS Program

TOPS Partners become the science resource for a school.  They volunteer for a minimum of 80 hours during a school year, or about 10 hours for 8 months.

 

Preparing the TOPS Partner

 

Training

Several times a year, new and returning Partners attend workshops covering pedagogy, science standards (state and national), and inquiry based learning.  During these workshops, Partners role play classroom procedures and practice different teaching methods.

Partners share model lessons they have developed and receive guidance and encouragement from TOPS staff and other Partners.

Partners attend conferences with their Lead Teachers, e.g., California Science Teachers Association.

 

Mutual assessment

Before and during the year, there are several opportunities for the TOPS Partner and the school to assess their commitment and to improve the Partnership.

 

Curriculum resources

Partners enhance their skills by participating in enrichment programs, such as, Math Science and Beyond, GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science), and K-12 Alliance.

 

Preparing the School

 

School commitment

School makes a commitment to support science learning by students and teachers.  Principal, school staff, and parents are involved in the decision to become a TOPS Partnership School.

 

Lead Teacher

Lead Teacher (LT) takes responsibility to help the Partner learn the school culture. LT helps the Partner match scientific background with school's needs and science matrix.  LT works with the Partner to schedule classroom presentations, teacher workshops, family science activities, and other programs (for example, science or rocket clubs)

 

Supporting the Partnership

 

Follow up

TOPS staff continually monitors and supports each School Partnership to maintain vitality and health.

 

Networking meetings

Several times during the school year, TOPS Partners and LTs are brought together for networking and for sharing experiences and resources.  Special school problems and opportunities are discussed.

 

Parent involvement

Family Science Nights and special newsletters encourage parent and community participation and support of local TOPS Partnerships.

 

Evaluating and Continuing the Partnership

 

Ongoing evaluation

Regional TOPS Staff Developers (SD) regularly assess the health of each school partnership to provide guidance and help to solve any problem.

 

End of the year evaluation

The whole school partnership is evaluated, and assessment instruments have been developed for the principal, LT, TOPS Partner and SD.

 

Preparing to continue

The evaluations set the stage for returning TOPS Partnerships.  Most Partners volunteer for more than three or four years.  All TOPS Partners report very rewarding experiences and help recruit their fellow retirees.