A Collaborative Learning Culture: Preparing K-12 Teachers for STEM Success [Pipelining: Attractive Programs for Women]

After teaching elementary and middle school science and art for just under a decade, Wendy Binder was looking for a challenge. With her unusual combination of bachelor's degrees in biology and chemistry, a master's of science in education, and experience teaching at the elementary school level, she first found career success as a curriculum developer for the National Science Resources Center, a joint venture between the Smithsonian and the National Academies. When the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) decided to create a professional development department, Binder became its first hire by the department director. In her ten years there, she has worked with industry partners to implement sustainable programs that help teachers give students opportunities to learn the hard and soft skills they will need to be competitive in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce.