The Graduate Student School Outreach Project (GSSOP) provides graduate students the unique opportunity to teach mini-courses at local elementary and secondary schools. Annually, about 20 graduate students representing a wide range of fields such as architecture, literature, engineering, physics etc. participate in this project. An example of a recent engineering mini-course was an introduction to modern telecommunication for high school students. Each mini-course is typically 6-8 sessions. The participating graduate students receive an honorarium of $250 and reimbursement for travel and material expenses. The following is a quote from the project description:
Graduate students report benefiting in a wide variety of ways by participating in the program. Students find that breaking down their area of expertise for elementary, middle and high school students and collaborating with the teachers, actually enhances their own understanding of their subject. The program provides an opportunity for students to make a positive contribution to the community. As one graduate student stated, `Perhaps the biggest benefit to me is when I can tell that I've reached a student.' In addition, graduate students inspire grade school students by exposing them to particular fields and related careers, while allowing teachers to expand their own knowledge and incorporate new information and activities into their curriculum.
Applications including mini-course proposals are typically due in late fall, around November. There is an informal interview, and then the proposals are sent out to teachers in Ithaca area schools. If accepted, all mini-courses are offered during the spring semester. For more information, contact GSSOP, Cornell Public Service Center, 200 Barnes Hall (gssop@cornell.edu, 255-0255).