The Storm King School campus is bustling with visiting summer camps again this year. Popular youth camps including the Bill Pilat’s Goalie School, Lyra Music Academy, and the NY Fencing Academy are taking advantage of SKS’ scenic location and facilities this summer. In addition, high school physics teachers from the New York metropolitan area are using our classrooms and facilities for professional development.
From July 5-14, STEMteachersNYC is holding a nine-day workshop titled “Foundations in Student-Centered, Models-Based Mechanics for High School Physics,” where participants can master hands-on, student-centered, models-based lessons and units, and create their own.
The workshop, led by SKS Science Department Chair Dr. Paul Feffer, focuses on fundamental physics mechanics concepts including kinematics (constant velocity and uniform acceleration), dynamics (Newton’s Laws), circular motion, and the conserved quantities momentum and energy. Participants also observe instruction from a student perspective as they conduct lab activities that are central to each unit. The course is ideal for first-year teachers teaching an algebra-based intro physics course, as well as for experienced physics teachers who want to gain fresh ideas for presenting concepts and encouraging a hands-on, collaborative, classroom culture.
“We have eight participants who are physics teachers with experience ranging from zero years to 30 years. Most hail from the New York City area and one teacher joined us from Florida,” explained Dr. Feffer. “I ran the same workshop last summer in Manhattan, but hosting it on the SKS campus gives the participants a chance to get out of the city and explore the Hudson Valley. Since we employ these methodologies in our own classrooms, it’s also a good way for qualified teachers to see our school and campus, and keep us on the radar in terms of professional opportunities and potential students they may wish to refer,” he continued.
About STEMteachersNYC
STEMteachersNYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting a community of STEM teachers across the New York City region with the mission of cultivating excellence in STEM teaching, and to promote understanding and success for students through innovative, teacher-led professional development. STEMteachersNYC welcomes teachers from across the globe, the US, and the local New York City area to attend their summer and school-year workshops and seminars.
