STEMteachersNYC was delighted to partner with STEP UP: Physics Together to host a networking and professional development session at The Trinity School on Saturday, March 16. Attendees had ample time to meet with colleagues and discuss their successes and challenges. Following networking, Paul Feffer, Science Department Chair at The Storm King School, introduced the theory behind bringing algorithmic thinking, solving physics problems through incremental calculations rather than using calculus, to their classrooms. He then taught educators the basics of variables, objects, functions, and other javascript building blocks. This instruction culminated with educators building physics simulations of bouncing balls using the p5 editor. Following the coding workshop, STEP UP generously gave free physics classroom supplies to attendees.
We cannot thank Paul enough for his wonderful workshop. Dana Molloy, a physics teacher at Dobbs Ferry High School and a STEP UP ambassador, said that she really appreciated that Paul “gave ideas to implement in the classroom right away instead of lofty talking about what we could do in theory.” . We hope that the rest of the participants felt just as energized as Dana did walking out of the workshop!
We’re very proud to partner with STEP UP. They are a tremendous community of teachers, faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students committed to engaging young women in physics, changing deep-seated cultural views about physicists, and inspiring young women to pursue physics in college. We invite you to learn more about STEP UP on their website and hope to see you at future STEMteachersNYC events.
If you are interested in workshops like these please take a look at our upcoming workshops: