I believe the secret to success in teaching is to never stop learning. I have a network of teachers who are all experts in the field, and I rely on them to help me be my best educator.
I have spent this year so far working through the materials for the new AP Physics classroom, creating assignments and integrating the interactive tools into the AP Physics curriculum. I also have been employed for the last two years by the College Board to create material for both AP Classroom and for future AP exams, having written nearly 50 multiple choice questions for use on the AP Physics 2 curriculum and exams.
I participate in Pretty Good Physics, a network of teachers and materials shared between physics educators around the world, and contribute material for other teachers to use. I have mentored new teachers both formally and informally, and have been accepted to a session for High School teaching at the AAPT National Conference in Orlando, FL this January to discuss the use of whiteboards and posters in inquiry-based labs.
other opportunities
AP Physics Reading
The single most valuable professional development I do is as an AP Reader. There is no better way to truly understand what students think and where their misconceptions lie than to read what 10,000 of them write. I have learned so many things through my work with the College Board, and it has connected me with the best Physics teachers in the country who I consider my friends.
AP Symposium
During the AP Reading, we have a professional poster session, where all these extraordinary educators share what they’ve learned. It is an incredible cross-section of college and high teaching best practices. I have attended 3 separate AP Summer Institutes for Physics - Southern New Jersey (2011), Goucher College (2014), and Great Neck, NY (2015).
AAPT - New Orleans, 2016
The American Association of Physics Teachers offers and amazing opportunity for Physics educators of all levels to share ideas. At this conference, I learned how to create apps in HTML5, and how to teach rotation more effectively.
AAPT - Atlanta, 2017
This conference allowed me to attend a workshop on inquiry based physics labs, and study project based learning.
aapt - Washington, DC 2018
This summer I studied more inquiry labs (my new passion!) and created an optics demo tool kit that I can’t wait to use in PWT: Waves.