About TeacherTech
Connecting Businesses to Educators and Students to the Future
Background
Since 2007, TeacherTech has been connecting Greater Kansas City area teachers with local businesses, academic institutions and research facilities for eight-week, summer externships. The goal of the program is to expose teachers to applied industry concepts, which will then be incorporated into their classrooms.
By hiring teacher externs, employers play a critical role in developing well-rounded, progressive teachers who can inspire the future workforce through real-world application of math, engineering, technology and science (METS) and more.
Companies of all sizes and industries are needed and welcome to participate: large or small, nonprofit or for-profit, local or regional, national or international.
"I just think it's a great program and it's an opportunity for us to get some tremendous benefit over a short period of time, and also to feel that we're helping to develop and mold our future leaders of Kansas City."
—Mitzi Cardenas, Vice President/Chief Information Officer, Truman Medical Centers
What do TeacherTech externs bring to the workplace?
Here's what some businesses executives have said:
• Fresh perspectives
• Good skills
• Leadership
• New ideas
• Community connections
• Educational reach
• Renewed energy
• Creativity
• Diverse experience
• Mentoring
• Friendship
Benefits
For Teachers
• Enhanced knowledge and skills through experiential learning
• Option for 3 hours of continuing education credit
• A classroom grant
• Gained understanding of career opportunities available to students
• A summer job with competitive pay of $20 per hour
• In-depth understanding of the workplace to make teaching more relevant to students
• Long-term partnerships and support of employers
• Renewed energy through exposure to a different field of work
For Employers
• Highly qualified, temporary employees who can work on specific tasks and assignments
• Knowledge to better prepare tomorrow's workforce
• Leadership development opportunities for employees who mentor TeacherTech externs
• Enhanced diversity, new energy and fresh perspectives for the workplace
• Company exposure in schools and the community
Overall Gains
• Teachers receive hands-on professional development where they can apply their skills and broaden their experiences outside of the classroom
• Students win when teachers return to the classroom better equipped to teach the technology and business skills that students will need to succeed
• Employers benefit from hiring bright, creative and motivated teachers to work on substantive projects during the summer and enhance their image and visibility in the community
• The local economy wins because teachers link the relevancy of math and science to excellent careers and inspire the future workforce