82 minute read
Mini-Courses
Mini-courses are a series of three connected workshops in which experts from academic institutions, local organizations, and from within the MƒA Master Teacher community engage MƒA teachers in a topic at the cutting edge of their content area and/or pedagogical practice.
2020: The Pandemic and the Genetics of Trauma and Resilience
Facilitators: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D., and Joseph Jones Marlin, M.D., Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, APR 27, MAY 11, MAY 25 ONLINE
SCIENCE
2020 will forever be remembered as a year of both turmoil and resilience. With the global COVID-19 pandemic, rampant social injustice, and a fraught presidential election, Americans were challenged by unparalleled adversity, stress, and trauma. Recent research on how animals overcome and survive adverse situations may help uncover how human brains might adapt to such adversity. In this course, we will examine the science behind chronic 2020 stressors such as social isolation, scarcity, and uncertainty; consider how organisms respond to trauma through the lens of behavior, brain morphology, and epigenetic adaptations; and explore how these concepts translate from animal studies to the human experience. In session one, we will discuss the ramifications of prolonged trauma to uncover the different biological responses to stress. In session two, we will investigate how epigenetic changes reflect our dynamic world to promote survival. We will conclude by examining the psychology and neurobiology of human resilience and what happens when that resilience fails. This course is best suited for middle and high school life science teachers.
Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute. Her lab investigates transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, or how traumatic experiences in parents can be “remembered” in their offspring. She holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from New York University and dual bachelor’s degrees in adolescent education and biology from St. John’s University. Dr. Marlin’s research has been covered in Discover Magazine’s “100 Top Stories of 2015” and she was named a 2017 STAT Wunderkind. Dr. Marlin’s goals are to utilize neurobiology and the science of learning to better inform both the scientific and educational communities on how positive experiences dictate brain health, academic performance, and social well-being. Dr. Joseph Jones Marlin is a Chief Resident of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. He investigates the role of synaptic plasticity in autism, using mouse models to understand how mutations in small molecules and ion channels lead to abnormal behaviors. Dr. Marlin holds an M.D. and Ph.D. in neuroscience from New York University, and dual bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Marlin is establishing a dual career in both clinical psychiatry and neuroscience research and hopes to bridge the gap between these two fields. His goal is to identify molecular patterns that underlie what makes people get “stuck” in maladaptive mental states.
Beyond CSI: Forensic DNA Testing Past, Present, and Future
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Bianca Brandon
THURSDAYS, MAR 25, APR 8, APR 22 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Are you a forensics fiend, obsessively watching true crime documentaries and CSI or doomscrolling through Buzzfeed Unsolved? Then join us to learn how DNA is actually used to solve crimes. In this mini-course, teachers will work with a former forensic DNA analyst from The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner to learn how forensic DNA testing really works. We will begin with a brief history of DNA testing and explore early techniques such as DNA fingerprinting (RFLP testing). We will then move on to how PCR-based DNA testing of short tandem repeats (STRs) is carried out and discuss how DNA testing was used in several well-known cases, including the identification of victims of the World Trade Center attack on 9/11 and the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in the Rockaways. Finally, we will look to the future of forensic DNA use: low copy number DNA testing, a promising but controversial technology; and the use of genealogy databases to solve cold cases such as the Golden State Killer. This course is best suited for high school biology teachers or anyone who has a personal interest in forensic DNA testing.
Bianca Brandon is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Staten Island Technical High School in Staten Island.
Beyond Experiments: Using Primary Literature in Scientific Inquiry
Facilitators: Sarah Fankhauser, Ph.D., Olivia HoShing, Ph.D., and Yamin Li, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, MAR 2, MAR 16 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
How can we bring the research experience into our classrooms when the tools of experimentation might no longer be accessible due to the pandemic or because of under-resourced school settings? Primary literature provides access to the scientific process without ever stepping foot in a laboratory and is a valuable and accessible tool for all students to experience the scientific process. In this minicourse, we will explore primary literature and ways to bring it into your classroom using free and accessible examples from the Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI), a science journal dedicated to publishing research conducted by middle and high school students. In our first session, we will explore some of this student work to discuss the purpose, value, and common structure of primary articles and how to adapt and incorporate them into the classroom. In our second session, we will collaborate to develop lessons and activities for our unique classroom settings. This course will focus on all aspects of the scientific process and will be of interest to teachers in any STEM field.
Dr. Sarah Fankhauser is a biologist at Oxford College of Emory University where she focuses on teaching and research with first and second-year college students. She has been internationally recognized for her work in supporting and training pre-college students (and their teachers) in their scientific writing and research. Sarah is formally trained as a microbiologist, earning her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunobiology from Harvard University.
Dr. Olivia Ho-Shing is a postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Department at Harvard University. Her research focuses on brain development and the neurobiology of social behaviors in mice. She has been an associate editor, publishing editor, and editor-in-chief for JEI; and as chief learning officer she is now focused on deepening the mentorship and learning experience students gain through JEI.
Dr. Yamin Li is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University. He obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry
from the University of Science and Technology of China. His research interests focus on the development of new materials to prevent, detect, and treat human diseases. Yamin is an Associate Editor of JEI, has reviewed hundreds of manuscripts for eighteen scientific journals, and has served as a judge in numerous scientific competitions.
Big Data: COVID-19, Ethics, and Social Justice p Facilitators: Francesca Anselmi, Ph.D., Maria Mazin, Ph.D., and Latasha Wright, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, APR 13, APR 20, APR 27 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Big data has changed the world. Now more than ever, the use of data to generate information and make informed decisions is crucial. In this mini-course, we will explore data concepts through the interrelated lenses of COVID-19, public health, and social justice. Using dynamic, hands-on exercises, teachers will gain a better sense of what data really is, and how it can be collected. Examining real data sets, we will ask questions at the intersection of COVID-19 and social justice and begin to answer them by performing basic statistical tests and applying Excel skills. We will also discuss the ethics of how data is utilized in public health as well as the dangers of how interpretation bias can shape public policy. Throughout the course, teachers will gain data search and analysis skills, develop hands-on lessons that can be taught remotely or in person, and explore tools to spark constructive conversations around data in the real world with their students. All STEM teachers are welcome to attend.
Dr. Francesca Anselmi is the Chief Scientist of the BioBus Harlem team. Microscopist and neuroscientist by training, she loves learning by making and is the co-creator of a Do-It-Yourself microscope, which has been the basis of new curriculum and projects for BioBus interns. At BioBus, Francesca hopes to help shape the next generation of scientists and citizens, aware and proud of the environment they live in, eager to observe their reality firsthand, challenge their common knowledge, and help them to formulate their own ideas to shape the world around them into a better place for everyone to share. Dr. Maria Mazin is a lead scientist at BioBus, where she works with K-12 and college students, helping them discover, explore, and pursue science. She obtained her Ph.D. in Entomology and International Agriculture and Development from The Pennsylvania State University. Maria conducted biological and social research on mushroom farms and farmworker communities aimed at improving pest management techniques and farmworker health. Maria strives to work within the intersection of biology and social justice, and believes that science should be accessible to everyone at any level.
Dr. Latasha Wright is the Chief Scientific Officer of BioBus. She has co-authored numerous publications and presented her work at national and international conferences. BioBus enables Latasha to share her love of science with a new generation of scientists. Latasha spearheaded the creation of the first BioBase community lab, the BioBus internship program, and the Harlem expansion. Every day that Latasha spends teaching students about science in this transformative environment helps her remember that science is fun. She loves sharing the journey of discovery with students of all ages.
Facilitator: Paul Rubeo
TUESDAYS, MAR 9, MAR 16, MAR 23 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Great educators know that learning happens when students are actively engaged, motivated, and goaloriented. Nowhere is that more evident than in STEM classrooms. How might we create this same environment virtually? Using break-out rooms is an effective way to facilitate active learning and engagement, but their effectiveness requires careful preparation and practice. This mini-course will provide teachers with tools and strategies to maximize breakout rooms and challenge them to create and run a break-out activity accompanied by digital resources. During our three sessions, teachers will identify a collaborative learning activity they have done in a traditional setting, adapt it to the synchronous virtual classroom, and give and get feedback on their adaptations. Teachers will take away practical breakout room strategies that they can easily implement with their students.
Paul Rubeo is currently the Assistant Director of the Mid-Hudson Teacher Center (MHTC) located at SUNY New Paltz. The MHTC provides professional development to approximately 10,000 educators in the Mid-Hudson Valley region of NY State. During the past four decades he has worked as a middle and high school social studies teacher, technology integration specialist, and school principal.
Bringing Oyster Restoration to Your Remote and Blended Classrooms
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Melissa Dowd, Jared Fox, Ph.D., and Sarah Gribbin
WEDNESDAYS, APR 14, APR 28 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
How might we incorporate citizen science projects into our remote or blended classrooms? Join us for an introduction to the Billion Oyster Project (BOP) and NY Restoration Project as we explore the work being done to restore oysters to New York’s waterways. We will begin with a discussion of the importance of oysters in aquatic ecosystems. Then, we will observe a remote oyster dissection with BioBus and share socially-distanced protocols for monitoring an oyster research station with students, including water quality and biodiversity data collection. Finally, we will analyze some BOP data sets and work collaboratively to incorporate the data into our science or mathematics classrooms. This course is for any STEM teacher looking for ways to bring real and citizen science to their students.
Melissa Dowd and Sarah Gribbin are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Urban Assembly New York Harbor School in Manhattan.
Jared Fox is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School in Manhattan.
A Changing Climate in a Resilient NYC
Facilitator: Robin Sanchez
WEDNESDAYS, MAR 24, APR 7, APR 21 ONLINE
SCIENCE
How is climate change affecting New York City and what can teachers do to foster and encourage students to take action? Join the NYC Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) to learn more about the local impacts of climate change and how you can invite your students into these important conversations. In this mini-course, teachers will explore the DEP’s new, multi-disciplinary Climate Change Education Module and hear from climate professionals, teachers, and students involved in building climate resiliency and supporting climate education. Each session will focus on a different climate-related topic specific to NYC, such as student activism, environmental justice, and climate resiliency, and will feature guest presenters from the DEP, the NYC Mayor’s Office, and other local climate education organizations. After learning about a particular topic, teachers will explore a related lesson from the DEP’s module. Each session will also highlight lessons that utilize different learning methods, such as research, action, and reflection. Teachers will be encouraged to help implement and iterate lessons from the module with their students to help further the discussion. While the resources will be most beneficial to students in grades 4-12, all teachers are welcome to attend.
Robin Sanchez is the Director of Education for the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, which provides pre-K to 12th grade students and teachers with a wide range of free programs and resources about New York City’s vital water supply, wastewater treatment system, and sound and noise quality. Education opportunities include field trips, hands-on activities, the annual Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest, teacher training, online education modules, and more.
Chimpanzee Behavior: A Quest for Quantification
Facilitators: Zarin Machanda, Ph.D., and MƒA Early Career Teachers Peri Mason, Ph.D., and Emily Schmidt, Ph.D.
MONDAYS, APR 5, APR 12, APR 19 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Have you ever wondered how something qualitative like animal behavior can be quantified and analyzed with graphs and statistics? Together, we will embark on an adventure from behavior to numbers with primatologist Dr. Zarin Machanda and the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda. We will start with Dr. Machanda presenting some of her research on our amazing primate relatives, sharing the tools and methodology used for quantification, and discussing ways to bring scientists into the classroom. Then, we will collect our own animal observations using video footage of the Kibale chimpanzees and learn how to score their behaviors as researchers do in the field. We will conclude with an exploration of how these data are used to inform our understanding of chimpanzees, leaving time to collaboratively develop strategies and materials to bring this type of animal analysis to our students. All those interested in teaching animal behavior using live animals or video footage are welcome to attend.
Dr. Zarin Machanda is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Biology at Tufts University. She is also one of the directors of the Kibale Chimpanzee Project, a long-term study of wild chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Zarin received her Ph.D. from the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University in 2009. Her research revolves around understanding the factors that shape the quality and development of social relationships in primates.
Peri Mason is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at Bard High School Early College Queens in Queens.
Emily Schmidt is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at the Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx.
Code Puzzles in the Classroom
Facilitator: Jeff Olson and Taylor Want
TUESDAYS, FEB 23, MAR 9, MAR 23 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Whether you’re writing your first line of code, or you’ve majored in computer science, you’ve likely heard of the code challenges that companies like Google use as part of their hiring process. These puzzles require critical thinking, perseverance, curiosity, and excellent problem-solving — all attributes teachers would love to see in their STEM students! Come hang out, learn the basics, sharpen your skills, and dig deep into solving code puzzles with us. We’re excellent debuggers, ready to support you at your current coding level (even if you are newer to coding) and to act as thought partners for you on the best ways to adapt these games for your students, your context, and your classroom.
Jeff Olson is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Upperline Code. Jeff has an undergraduate degree in neuroscience and American literature from Baylor University. Upon graduating in 2011, Jeff was placed as an English teacher in Phoenix, Arizona with Teach For America, and earned his M.Ed. in secondary education from Arizona State University. In 2015, Jeff began teaching beginner courses in software engineering, iOS app development, and web design to high school students in Los Angeles, California and New York City and has come to believe that learning to code is the most empowering experience a high school student can have. He believes that coding is joyful and that all students deserve access to this life-changing form of fun.
Taylor Want holds a B.A. in Physics from Carleton College and a Masters in Education from Boston University and has built her career around increasing educational opportunities in computer science for underrepresented populations in tech. Taylor began her career in education as a high school physics and computer science teacher, and then as the Director of Strategy and Operations at Upperline Code. At Upperline Code, she built, managed, and trained teachers for computer science education programs in partnership with organizations like Google, JPMorgan Chase, the New York City Department of Education, and Cornell Tech. She is now CodePath’s Head of Programs, where she brings a deep commitment to increasing equity in computer science to her role.
Coding for a Cause p Facilitators: Darien Cruté and Kenny Graves, Ph.D.
MONDAYS, APR 12, APR 19, APR 26, MAY 3 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE.
In what ways can computer science teachers embrace students’ voices and empower them to become informed activists for social justice within their communities? In this hands-on mini-course, teachers will use a variety of tools to design and implement apps through the lenses of cultural responsiveness and civic agency. Similar to the work done by the non-profit Random Hacks of Kindness, this course will demonstrate how to guide students through the
development cycle of apps and help them design projects that directly impact their school or community in positive ways. Teachers will experience this cycle themselves as they plan a project and work through the design process of product vision, product specification, documentation, implementation, and testing. We will conclude with a Shark Tank-style share-out to reflect on the completed work and possible next steps. Teachers should consider an area of need in their school they would like to focus on before joining. Previous coding experience is recommended.
Darien Cruté has been teaching in independent schools for the past eight years and is currently a Computer Science teacher at Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY. During this time, he has revamped several Computer Science courses, developed many new course curricula, and served as an advisor and athletic coach. Darien’s teaching philosophy centers around project-based student-centered course work. He believes a student’s ability to complete a project demonstrates a better understanding of materials and concepts than any tests or exams. Darien started his teaching career at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School and continues to incorporate topics of equity, ethics, and digital citizenship in every course. Before teaching, Darien worked as a software test engineer and software engineer for Fujifilm Medical and has designed and developed apps for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Dr. Kenny Graves has served in public and Independent schools for the past decade as an award-winning English teacher, professional developer, educational technologist, and school leader. Dr. Graves currently serves as the Upper School (9-12) Assistant Principal for Academic Life & Director of Studies at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in the Bronx, NY. Prior to this role, Kenny served as the Upper School (9-12) Ethics and Technology Coordinator for six years. You can follow Kenny on Twitter at @kennyegraves.
Creating Healing-Centered Classrooms p Facilitator: Marieke van Woerkom
MONDAYS, FEB 8, FEB 22, MAR 1 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Recent research has shown that traumatic childhood experiences are much more common than previously known or recognized. We are also currently facing the collective trauma of COVID-19, its disproportionate impact on communities of color, and how that exemplifies this country’s ongoing racial trauma that was present in our schools and classrooms long before the pandemic. In this interactive mini-course, we will learn how trauma impacts the developing brain and a student’s ability to learn. We will explore skills and practices that teachers can employ to create a more trauma-aware, sensitive, and healing-centered classroom that supports all students’ learning, whether remotely or in-person.
Marieke van Woerkom has worked with students, educators, and administrators for over 20 years. With a background in social psychology, she has worked in schools across the city to help strengthen classroom communities and create learning environments that are more conducive to teaching and learning for all. Her focus is on how social and emotional learning (SEL) impacts the academic environment and how restorative practices help break the school-toprison pipeline.
Designing Dialogue for Blended Learning
Facilitator: Gina Tesoriero
TUESDAYS, FEB 23, MAR 2, MAR 9 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Discussion and reflection are critical components for learning, but how do we design these opportunities for blended learning environments? In this course, teachers will leverage Ed Tech tools and protocols that cultivate opportunities for dialogue and reflection. In the first session, teachers will work in small groups using Flipgrid to experience how Ed Tech tools combined with protocols can facilitate discussion and reflection. Through this process, teachers will identify the many obstacles and opportunities that exist in their current classroom settings. In the second session, teachers will explore resources that can help overcome these obstacles and leverage opportunities to identify a personal design task. In the final session, teachers will share the creative ways in which they have cultivated discussion and reflection in their learning environments. Throughout the course, teachers will personally engage in learning environments rich with discussion and reflection, design methods to cultivate dialogue, and hear the innovative ideas of their colleagues.
Gina Tesoriero is an Ed Tech Implementation manager for the Division of Instructional and Information Technology (DIIT) at the NYCDOE. She has a decade of experience as a special education teacher. Previously, Gina was a research assistant supporting design-based research for the Institute for Science and Math at the University of Washington. While there she worked on the ACESSE project (a research practice partnership with the Council for State Science Supervisors) to codesign resources that support the development of equitable science learning environments. Currently, Gina strives to work with educators to redesign their classroom spaces to create more inclusive, collaborative, and relevant learning experiences.
Designing From the Margins: Universal Design for
Learning Meets Design Thinking p Facilitator: Kara Imm, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, APR 6, APR 20, MAY 4, MAY 18 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE.
In theory, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a powerful framework for ensuring that we design instruction with all students in mind — particularly in creating access for students with disabilities. In practice, however, UDL is often applied as a checklist with no mention of empathy, a central feature of design thinking, and not centered on the actual students we know and love. In this course, we offer a more empathetic interpretation: integrating the principles of UDL with the process of design thinking to develop a creative and collaborative place to curate new systems, tools, rituals, and interactions for our students. Mindful of how students with disabilities (and their families) have been excluded from many aspects of remote learning, we will use this course to design specifically for them. That is, we will prototype and iterate new processes, interactions, and experiences for students with disabilities and their families.
Dr. Kara Imm is a K-12 mathematics educator based in New York City. In her more than 20-year career, she has been a middle and high school math teacher, staff developer, leadership coach, and teacher education faculty. In her current role with Math in the City (City College, The City University of New York) she designs and leads site-based professional development for teacher teams and leaders, with the goal of developing inclusive math communities across the country and internationally. At MƒA, Kara has been invited to design and lead over 20 courses including design thinking, mathematical routines, models and modeling, developing a coaching practice, and early algebra. Kara has written several articles and books with and for teachers on the teaching and learning of mathematics. A proud graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools, Kara earned degrees from Stanford University and Bank Street College of Education. Her recent Ph.D. in Urban Education (The Graduate Center, The City University of New York) investigated the impact of mathematical modeling for high school girls of color who had experienced the gate-keeping effects of algebra.
Engaging Students Through Inquiry, Place, and Action in the Blended Classroom
Facilitators: Victoria Garufi and Lisa Mechaley
MONDAYS, MAR 22, APR 5, APR 19 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
How might we integrate students’ local environments, culture, heritage, and unique experiences into our curriculum? Join us in this immersive experience as we explore the frameworks, tools, and research to implement place-based learning in our classrooms. Place-based learning connects the classroom to students’ lived experiences in their communities. In this mini-course, teachers will explore local geography to understand how human and natural systems interact, and how this relationship develops and changes over time. Teachers will use mapping tools including Thinglink and Google Earth to draw connections between the conditions around them and their impacts on the public health of their communities. Teachers will collect, analyze, and interpret data on various neighborhood conditions to zero in on a specific challenge. They will then continue the work by collecting challenge specific data in the form of interviews, maps, and storytelling to develop solutions for improving the quality of life for those in their communities. This course is suited for STEM teachers of all grade levels.
Vicky Garufi is the Director of Education for the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF). CELF was founded in 2003 on the principle that education for sustainability is essential for today’s K-12 students. CELF programs use real-world problem-solving to prepare students with the holistic thinking skills and motivation to become agents of change for a healthier, more stable, and sustainable future. Vicky is responsible for guiding CELF’s educator team in the design of all PD programs. Prior to joining CELF, Vicky spent 12 years at the Sarah Lawrence College Center for the Urban River at Beczak (CURB) in Yonkers. Vicky holds a B.S. in Psychobiology from Long Island University’s Southampton College and a Master of Science in the Art of Teaching from Sarah Lawrence College.
Lisa Mechaley is an Educator and PD Facilitator with CELF. There, she collaborates with other education staff on the design, implementation, and delivery of professional development programs. Lisa holds a B.A. in Biology with an Environmental Specialization from Central Connecticut State University and an M.S. from Southern Connecticut State University in Elementary Science Education. Environmental Justice in the STEM Classroom p Facilitators: Zakhia Grant and MƒA Master Teacher Vielca Anglin
THURSDAYS, FEB 25, MAR 11, MAR 25 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
The environmental justice movement provides an intersectional opportunity to connect students, their communities, and their health to climate science. In this mini-course, teachers will explore sustainability through the lens of culturally responsive teaching, equity, and social justice using a framework and resources created by EcoRise. Since 2015, EcoRise has been empowering youth to tackle real-world challenges in their schools and communities, cultivating climate literacy and developing changemakers. Teachers will learn how the EcoRise curriculum (free for NYC teachers) and resources can be used to build 21st-century skills and engage students in environmental literacy and environmental justice even in a remote learning environment. Through facilitated group dialogue and interactive activities, teachers will explore elements of project-based learning and scientific inquiry to develop the skills they need to empower students to design feasible, inclusive, placebased solutions to sustainability challenges.
Zakhia Grant is the Northeast Program Manager for EcoRise and provides professional development to K-12 teachers participating in the Sustainable Intelligence Program in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. She is a geologist and a LEED Green Associate and brings with her more than a decade of experience teaching science and sustainability at both the high school and collegiate levels in NYC. She is passionate about equity and justice in sustainability and environmental education. Zakhia holds a B.A. in Geology from George Washington University and an M.S. in Geology from Bowling Green State University.
Vielca Anglin is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at City-As High School in Manhattan.
An Exploration of Non-European Origins of
WEDNESDAYS, APR 14, APR 21, APR 28 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is a cultural product, created and discovered by people in a particular time, often because of specific needs, questions, or circumstances. Traditional ways of organizing content in the history of mathematics hold a Eurocentric bias that is common in the production, dissemination, and evaluation of scientific knowledge (Powell & Frankenstein, 1997). Much of the focus in a traditional history of mathematics course focuses on Greek beginnings in the introduction of “rigorous” mathematics through proof. This prevailing Eurocentric, male-centered view of mathematics obscures history and denies communities and cultures that played significant roles in the development of mathematical knowledge (Joseph, 1987). This course will focus on mathematics that was developed from non-European cultures and will present mathematics in a more culturally relevant manner, as a global endeavor in contrast to the commonly held view that mathematics was a primarily European discovery. Also, different ways of doing mathematics will be celebrated as opposed to a view of school mathematics as the only legitimate way to do mathematics.
Dr. Christina Eubanks-Turner is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Graduate Director of the M.A. in Teaching Mathematics program at Loyola Marymount University. Her primary research areas include mathematics, mathematics education, and broadening participation in mathematics. She has extensive experience working with preservice and in-service teachers from both small districts and large urban districts across the US. She teaches math content courses for K-12 pre-service teachers. She has also taught various graduatelevel math courses for in-service middle and secondary teachers and has led several professional development workshops for teachers in collaboration with education faculty and school district leaders.
Exploring Data and Health of the Hudson River Estuary
Facilitators: Toland Kister, Anna Koskol, and Tina Walsh
TUESDAYS, MAY 4, MAY 11 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
How do climate change and marine debris impact fishes in the Hudson River? Join Hudson River Park’s River Project as we discover how our urban environment influences the health of living organisms in our waterways. In session one, teachers will be introduced to the Hudson River Estuary and its biodiverse ecosystem, meet local wildlife, and examine trends from the park’s 30-year fish ecology survey data. In session two, teachers will continue exploring the story of fish populations in the Hudson through the lens of water quality and pollution. Teachers will discuss the prevalence and impacts of marine debris and plastics with a rapid-survey exercise and by observing the relationship between plastics and the Hudson River food web. Throughout the course, teachers will be given access to a variety of online teaching materials including videos and printable lessons to take back to their classrooms. This course is best suited for science teachers of grades 4-12.
Toland Kister, Environmental Educator at Hudson River Park, leads education programs focusing on the ecology of the Hudson River. He also works to operate the Wetlab as well as the Wetlab’s 3,500 gallon flow-through aquarium system that holds native Hudson River species. Toland strives to incorporate these experiences into engaging hands-on programs for students and educators. He has previously worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and holds a B.A. in Environmental Science and Animal Studies from New York University.
Anna Koskol is an Environmental Educator at Hudson River Park’s River Project. With over 10 years of experience in early childhood care and informal education, Anna enjoys leading dynamic environmental education programs with NYC students and the general public, reaching over 28,000 people each year. Anna creates and implements environmental curricula and activities for schools, summer camps, and public outreach groups. Anna also organizes a variety of stewardship and sustainability efforts, including composting, marine debris research, and plastic reduction initiatives in the Hudson River Park community. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Stony Brook University.
Tina Walsh is the Senior Director of Education and Outreach for Hudson River Park’s River Project. Her work oversees a wide range of programs rooted in hands-on science, stewardship, and research to make the river accessible as both a classroom and a laboratory. She aims to connect New Yorkers to the Hudson River Estuary and teach them to love it. Urban environmental education and science communication are a primary focus for Tina and she previously held positions with the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, Center for the Urban River at Beczak, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. She holds a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from St. John’s University in Queens.
Feedback That Grows Student Understanding and Prompts Motivation
Facilitator: Rhonda Bondie, Ph.D.
MONDAYS, APR 5, APR 19, MAY 10 OR MONDAYS, APR 12, APR 26, MAY 17
ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS OF ASYNCHRONOUS ACTIVITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS COURSE AND WILL RECEIVE THREE ADDITIONAL CTLE HOURS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS WORK.
Feedback is one of the most powerful tools teachers use to advance student learning. Teacher feedback contributes to the development of student identity as learners and independent thinkers. In this course, we will explore a research-based, growth approach to providing feedback that enables us to understand learning from the student’s perspective. We will discuss how to value student thinking and push students towards learning beyond the current task while providing both support and challenge. We will use the ladder of feedback as a framework to grow student understanding and practice offering feedback on tasks from our own curriculum. Additionally, we will receive personalized coaching on the feedback we give in a virtual classroom with avatar students grappling with their understanding of a STEM article from The New York Times. Teachers will leave this course with the
ability to offer feedback that reliably results in greater student independence and learning.
Dr. Rhonda Bondie is a lecturer on education in special education for the Harvard Teacher Fellows program, and the Director of Professional Learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She enjoyed being a classroom teacher and administrator in public schools for over twenty years. Rhonda has served on the faculty of Project Zero for many years developing an expertise in Teaching for Understanding, Making Thinking Visible, and Multiple Intelligences. She has planned this minicourse with the support of Reach Every Reader.
Getting Started With Arduinos
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Andrew Wallace and Yenmin Young
TUESDAYS, APR 6, APR 13, APR 20 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
+ PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PURCHASE AN ARDUINO STARTER KIT AND CAN BE REIMBURSED THROUGH THE MƒA FLEX FUNDS PROGRAM. BUT TEACHERS CAN ALSO USE AN ARDUINO SIMULATOR.
Are you interested in learning to use Arduinos but not sure how to get started? Then come learn with us! Arduinos are small, affordable microcontrollers that can be used to enrich a mathematics, science, or engineering class. We’ll explore the world of physical computing using the simple yet powerful and versatile Arduino Uno microcontroller. Over three sessions, we will learn how to program the Arduino to control actuators (like LEDs and speakers), take measurements from simple sensors (such as photoresistors and forcesensitive resistors), and communicate with the user through the computer. Teachers with varying degrees of experience using Arduinos are welcome. Previous programming experience is not required and readings for those with no programming experience will be provided before the start of the course.
Andrew Wallace is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at World View High School in the Bronx.
Yenmin Young is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at East Side Community School in Manhattan.
Going Viral: Viruses Across the Biology Curriculum With HHMI
Facilitators: Sydney Bergman, Ann Brokaw, and Valerie May
WEDNESDAYS, FEB 10, FEB 24 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE. TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE 30-45 MINUTES OF ASYNCHRONOUS WORK BETWEEN THE TWO SESSIONS.
Viruses are always around us and always have been, and until recently, they have been easy to forget. Join us as we explore free, classroom-ready HHMI BioInteractive resources to help your students understand the biology behind the recent virus headlines. Using best practices in online instruction, we will model how virology can be integrated throughout a biology curriculum (including cell biology, genetics, and evolution) to enhance student understanding of fundamental biological concepts. This course is for teachers of all levels of high school biology. Middle school teachers who teach life science are also welcome to attend.
Sydney Bergman is a program officer with HHMI BioInteractive. Her work focuses on outreach and professional learning for high school educators in the United States and Canada. She partners with large school systems and other educational providers to deliver tailored professional development in a variety of settings. Prior to joining HHMI, she was a biology teacher in Washington, D.C.
Ann Brokaw has more than 25 years of experience in the biology classroom teaching at Rocky River High School, a suburban, public high school outside Cleveland, Ohio, where she teaches Advanced Placement Biology, College Credit Plus Biology, and sophomore-level biology. She is passionate about biology and science education, and continually seeks ways to improve her classroom practice and content knowledge. In addition to being a classroom teacher, Ann is also an HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador and enjoys facilitating professional development workshops for teachers on behalf of HHMI.
Valerie May teaches at the Woodstock Academy, an independent school in rural Connecticut that serves students from six small public school districts. Val enjoys working with teachers around the country in professional development workshops as an HHMI BioInteractive Ambassador, both in sharing what works in her classroom and learning from their experiences.
Graph Theory
Facilitator: Po-Shen Loh, Ph.D.
THURSDAYS, MAR 25, APR 8, APR 22 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Networks are everywhere – they can represent linkages between computers, people, ideas, and more. In mathematics, graphs are a way to formally represent a network or collection of interconnected objects. Graph theory is the study of these graphs and provides innovative methods to understand and work with the structures that arise. Examples of graph theory frequently appear in mathematics, physics, and computer science. In this course, we will focus on useful graph parameters, discuss how they relate to each other, and examine the interplay between notions (such as diameter, degree, connectivity, and graph distances) and different types of graphs (such as trees, complete graphs, and graphs arising from geometric or random models). We will also explore real-world
applications of graph theory including how it applies to the facilitator’s work on education and pandemic control.
Dr. Po-Shen Loh is a social entrepreneur, working across the spectrum of mathematics and education, and now healthcare. He is the founder of the free personalized learning platform expii.com, a social enterprise supported by his series of online math courses that reinvent the middle school math curriculum with a focus on creative thinking. He is also a math professor at Carnegie Mellon University and the national coach of the USA International Mathematical Olympiad team. Upon the outbreak of COVID-19, he turned his mathematical attention to create NOVID, the world’s first app to introduce the fundamentally different pre-exposure notification paradigm for pandemic control—the equivalent of radar to enable people to directly avoid getting infected.
Great Diseases With Tufts: Vaccines, Epidemics, and Trials for COVID-19
Facilitators: Berri Jacque, Ph.D., Karina Meiri, Ph.D., and Valerie Solon
WEDNESDAYS, MAR 10, MAR 24, APR 7 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS ARE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE APPROXIMATELY FOUR HOURS OF ASYNCHRONOUS ACTIVITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS COURSE AND WILL RECEIVE FOUR ADDITIONAL CTLE HOURS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS WORK.
As governments and researchers across the world scramble to control the pandemic with our new COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines, teachers have the unique opportunity to bring valuable, real-world connections to make the immune system and vaccines come alive for their students. In this mini-course, teachers will learn what makes a good vaccine, how vaccines and the immune response work, and which immunizations are recommended in the United States and why. This course will consist of three virtual sessions blended with one self-paced online module. In the online module, teachers will build a foundation of introductory immunology. In the virtual sessions, teachers will use this foundational knowledge to navigate current clinical trial results from COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine candidates. Ultimately, the goal is to help teachers interpret results from these new vaccines, explore numerous classroom resources, and discuss ways to incorporate these topics into their classrooms. Teachers will also gain access to a new Great Diseases COVID-19 curriculum module with lessons ranging from immunology and virology to health and equity, all developed for remote instruction. This course is best suited for middle and high school life science teachers.
Dr. Berri Jacque is an Associate Professor of Medical Education and Director of the Center for Translational Science Education at Tufts University. After completing his doctorate in immunology, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in curriculum design and evaluation. His work focuses on broadening participation in science and understanding approaches that engage high school students and teachers in authentic biomedical science. His current work is designing and disseminating biomedical and health-science curricula that teaches critical healthrelated concepts with the goal of increasing scientific and health literacy.
Dr. Karina Meiri is Professor Emerita in Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine and Director Emerita of the Center for Science Education. Throughout her career as a researcher and teacher of Developmental Neurobiology Karina has been committed to bringing cutting edge biomedical sciences to pre-college students. In 2009, together with Berri Jacque, she founded the Center of Science Education and spearheaded the development of the Great Diseases curriculum. Since her retirement in 2017, she has retained an active interest in the Center’s work, most recently by collaborating with Valerie Solon to develop a comprehensive high school curriculum focused on COVID-19.
Valerie Solon is a curriculum developer and research assistant at the Center for Science Education (CSE) at Tufts University School of Medicine. After obtaining her Master of Arts in Teaching, she taught high school biology, chemistry, mathematics, and reading/writing at the Boston Arts Academy in Boston, Massachusetts. It was during this time that she developed a relationship with the CSE as a teacher partner. Valerie joined the CSE part-time in 2019 to pursue her interests in developing engaging STEM curricula to foster student interest, confidence, and literacy in STEM.
Grit and Resiliency Skills to Increase Engagement and Prevent Burnout
Facilitator: Jessica Gifford
MONDAYS, FEB 22, MAR 1, MAR 8 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Teachers and students continue to be in a prolonged period of heightened stress caused by not only the pandemic but also a slew of social and political issues. This chronic stress burden takes a physical and emotional toll that can erode well-being and the ability to focus and fully engage academically. In this course, we will discuss the factors that contribute to burnout and disengagement, and what can be done to address them. We will explore a wide range of evidence-based strategies to build grit, resilience, and engagement. This mini-course is highly interactive and experiential. Teachers will practice each strategy and explore which ones they would like to incorporate into their own lives and classrooms. All teachers who want to improve their own resiliency and that of their students are welcome!
Jessica Gifford, LICSW, has a Master’s degree in Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work and spent her early career providing individual and group counseling in a variety of clinical settings. For the past fifteen years, Jessica has been focused on developing programs and curricula that build resilience and promote wellbeing. Jessica is the founder of ProjectConnect, a program that builds positive peer connection and community in schools and colleges. She is also the author of “The Resiliency Skills Training Workbook: 10-minute exercises to improve your health and happiness.”
Having Fun With Fungi: Growth and Experimentation With Wild Yeast
Facilitator: Jeanne Garbarino, Ph.D.
THURSDAYS, MAR 25, APR 8, APR 22 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Multicellular life forms — such as plants and animals — have existed in symbiotic relationships with microbes throughout the course of evolution. While humans may not have always appreciated the scientific nature of this symbiosis, they have exploited microbial community dynamics for thousands of years through
the fermentation, and thus preservation, of food. In this course, we will safely culture wild yeast that live in symbiosis with plants and flowers found outside our homes or from familiar food products easily obtained from the supermarket. From there, we will discuss ways students can conduct more traditional experiments such as growth assays with our homegrown yeast.
Dr. Jeanne Garbarino is the Director of RockEDU Science Outreach at The Rockefeller University, where she works to promote and support science outreach within the scientific community, open channels for community members to develop an appreciation for science as a human endeavor, and to provide equitable access to scientific resources and opportunities that genuinely reflect the process of science. Jeanne is formally trained as a lipid biochemist, earning her Ph.D. in metabolic biology from Columbia University, then conducting postdoctoral studies on cholesterol transport at Rockefeller.
Human-Centered Problem-Solving in a Virtual World
Facilitator: Heidi Brant
TUESDAYS, APR 27, MAY 4, MAY 11 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
How might we map a design thinking mindset onto our new world of blended learning and remote collaboration? In this course, we will use interactive ideation tools, such as Miro and Jamboard, to prototype ways of applying the design thinking method in our blended and remote classrooms. We will learn by practicing the human-centered approach of design thinking. In our first session, we’ll start with an introduction to the basic principles of design thinking and experience a hands-on empathy-building activity. From there, we’ll create journey maps and share research findings through peer-to-peer interviews. Looking at “pain points” on the journey maps, we’ll define a problem space that will shape the rest of our design process. In the next session, with our problem space in mind, we’ll practice an ideation activity to develop potential solutions and experience different brainstorm concepts for prototyping. In our final session, we will create simple prototypes to address the problems (and opportunities) we identified at the start of our process. Finally, we’ll present these concepts to the group and gather valuable feedback. This course is open to all whether you are live-streaming, teaching asynchronously, or teaching with a blended approach.
Heidi Brant is certified by the Association of Master Trainers in the Facilitation of the LEGO Serious Play method and materials. For over 10 years, Heidi worked for the LEGO Group as a creative digital producer and experience design strategist, developing innovative and engaging content for children and their families. Heidi is a graduate of NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program where her coursework focused on storytelling and interactive installations. In addition, she received a B.A. in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude, from Brown University. She is the co-founder of Human Things, an innovation design practice, and currently teaches courses in Design Research at NYU.
A Hungarian Approach: Teaching Mathematics Through Guided Discovery
Facilitator: Márta Barbarics
TUESDAY, FEB 16 THURSDAY, FEB 18 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE THAT TAKES PLACE DURING MIDWINTER RECESS IN THE AFTERNOON.
”When will I use this in real life?” This is a question that sooner or later all mathematics teachers get as students don’t see the point of memorizing formulas and solving unrelated problems with them. According to prominent Hungarian mathematics educators (such as George Pólya, Zoltán Dienes, Tamás Varga, Lajos Pósa), problem-solving skills and mathematical thinking are crucial in everybody’s life. The joy of thinking and figuring out solutions for ourselves, the opportunity to approach problems from different points of view, and the freedom to experiment and make mistakes are ways to develop these skills. Learning mathematics can
be enjoyable and understandable. During this course, we will take full advantage of the newly realized crosscontinental collaboration possibilities by exploring the work of these Hungarian mathematics educators and trying out their activities to see how we can apply their principles in our daily teaching practice. We will look at examples from elementary to high school mathematics classrooms, so all mathematics teachers are encouraged to join.
Márta Barbarics teaches mathematics at Petrik Lajos bilingual high school in Budapest, Hungary, where she investigates the effectiveness of implementing the Pósa Method, a form of guided discovery in teaching mathematics, in a public school setting. She is also a Ph.D. student at the Language Pedagogy Doctoral Programme of Eötvös Loránd University where she conducts research on alternative forms of assessment, such as assessment based on gamification. She is the instructor of “Gamification and Playfulness in Teaching Mathematics” and “Directed Research: Discovery Learning in Secondary Schools” classes in Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education.
HyperDoc Hysteria: Engaging Digital Learners
Facilitator: Cassie Horton
TUESDAYS, APR 6, APR 13, APR 20 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
A HyperDoc is a pedagogical tool created by the HyperDoc Girls: Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis — all educators and instructional coaches. HyperDocs are teacher-designed digital lesson plans that provide access for students to all content and learning in one organized digital space. These interactive Google Docs support student-centered learning, critical thinking, and visible learning. In this new era of remote and hybrid learning, the HyperDoc has become a tool that helps teachers personalize learning and promote student agency. By embedding multimedia content within a text set, students are given opportunities to choose their path of learning and share their thinking all within this one document. Teachers who use HyperDocs are hooked, and after this mini-course, you will be too! Teachers will learn what a HyperDoc is, how to create them, and where to find examples. Teachers will also walk away with resources to begin using HyperDocs as a regular part of both their synchronous and asynchronous teaching practice.
Cassie Horton is a National Board Certified teacher working as a reading specialist in the Wappingers Central School District. She has a M.S. in Educational Technology from The College of Saint Rose and spent several years working as an instructional coach before returning to the classroom. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, she is a professional development specialist and project manager for The MidHudson Teacher Center and is instrumental in providing high-quality learning opportunities for colleagues across the region.
Interrogating “Common Sense” in Mathematics
Education: Toward Anti-Racist Action p Facilitators: Jasmine Y. Ma, Ph.D., Daniela Della Volpe, Arundhati Velamur, and MƒA Master Teachers
TUESDAYS, MAY 25, JUN 1, JUN 8 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
In this tumultuous school year teachers and students are experiencing an exponentially worsening global pandemic, a fraught presidential election complicated by fascist narratives constructed to circumvent the democratic process, and widespread racist violence. In this context, we will come together again, as a collective, to question and reimagine a different world for mathematics education. We recognize that mathematics education has continued to play a significant role in perpetuating white supremacy in schooling practices, rooted in assimilationist labor, military-industrial, and capitalist agendas. We will continue some of the work initiated in the first part of this mini-course, Interrogating ‘Common Sense’ in Mathematics Education: Toward Anti-Racist Lenses. In this course, we will 1) Revisit the “interrogating skills” of Part I, posing and reframing new problems; 2) Delve deeper into the sociopolitical history that has shaped the practices and problems of contemporary mathematics education; and 3) Use our learnings to generate potential solutions and new possibilities within our classrooms and communities. We welcome past attendees and new teachers to this reflective community as we reframe positions shaped by “common sense” assumptions.
Dr. Jasmine Y. Ma is Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at NYU Steinhardt. Her research considers how young people engage in everyday activity across settings, and the ways this can inform designs for supporting their learning in the mathematics classroom. As a part of this work, she investigates how dominant forms of mathematics instruction, as well as the assumption that modern academic mathematics is the only mathematics of value, actively and systematically marginalizes particular populations of learners.
Daniela Della Volpe is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at NYU Steinhardt and a former high school mathematics teacher in Italy.
Arundhati Velamur is a doctoral student in the Department of Teaching and Learning at NYU Steinhardt. Arundhati is also a former MƒA Early Career Teacher.
Sarah Ahmed and Pearl Ohm are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at Essex Street Academy in Manhattan.
Introduction to 3D CAD Modeling
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Joseph Buro, Everton Henriques, Jared Jax, and Sandra Rossi
WEDNESDAYS, APR 14, APR 28, MAY 12 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
3D Modeling and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is easily accessible to students and teachers at any level. This mini-course will introduce you to 3D modeling and CAD, as well as how to use them in class and with students. We will investigate various opportunities for using 3D printed models including prototyping, demonstrations, student work, and display. Utilizing free CAD modeling software, we’ll learn common 3D modeling techniques for designing both creative and technical objects. In addition to the projectbased learning experiences, we’ll explore real-world CAD applications in biomedical engineering, green architecture, scientific modeling, and more. The CAD programs we will use are also compatible with 3D printers, CNC machines, and laser engravers. We’ll also discuss how to do this work remotely with students on various devices. All teachers are welcome to join!
Joseph Buro is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at Staten Island Technical High School in Staten Island.
Everton Henriques and Jared Jax are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Staten Island Technical High School in Staten Island.
Sandra Rossi is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bayside High School in Queens.
Introduction to Category Theory Facilitator: Eugenia Cheng, Ph.D.
WEDNESDAYS, APR 7, APR 21, MAY 5 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Category theory is one of the major new fields of mathematics to arise in the 21st century. In just the last 60 years, it has become indispensable to large swathes of pure mathematics, as well as parts of theoretical physics, computer science, philosophy, and even linguistics. It can be thought of as the “mathematics of mathematics”: it is a way of thinking about mathematics in the same way that mathematics is a way of thinking about the world. This is not so much in the sense of solving specific problems, but rather in shedding light on mathematical structures and providing a language for making connections between different topics. This mini-course will introduce basic category theory with an emphasis on ideology and motivation, to show that the ideas of category theory are relevant to all of mathematical thinking. Category theory is usually taught at a graduate level, with examples drawn from advanced mathematics. While we will explore some of these examples, we will also explore more accessible problems that could be taken into secondary school classrooms. In contrast to the idea that abstract mathematics is removed from real life, we will use category theory thinking to address topics of social justice and politics in a way that can be deeply motivating — especially to students who often feel excluded from standard mathematics education. There are no prerequisites other than curiosity, openmindedness, and basic arithmetic skills.
Dr. Eugenia Cheng is Scientist-in-Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She won tenure in Pure Mathematics at the University of Sheffield, UK, and has a Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. In addition to teaching undergraduates, she has assisted with mathematics in elementary, middle, and high schools for over 20 years. She is the author of popular mathematics books, How to Bake Pi, Beyond Infinity, The Art of Logic and x+y: A mathematician’s manifesto for re-thinking gender. Eugenia is also a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a concert pianist.
Introduction to Coding With p5.js
Facilitators: Michael Zitolo and MƒA Master Teacher Matthew Carlberg
MONDAYS, FEB 22, MAR 1, MAR 8, MAR 15 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE.
p5.js is a powerful JavaScript library that is easy to learn, versatile, and free to use. With it, one can create visual art, games, simulations, interactive quizzes, and much more. In this mini-course, we will learn the basics of coding with p5.js as we develop simple but purposeful programs. First, we’ll explore how to make a piece of visual art or PSA using shapes, colors, images, and text. Then we’ll move onto making simulations and games that involve motion and interactivity using our mouse and keyboard. Lastly, we’ll see how we can utilize basic HTML to give us more control over the appearance of our creations, and we’ll also learn to incorporate simple DOM elements (buttons, sliders, and text fields) as additional options for user interactions. This course is open to teachers of all content areas and no prior programming experience is required.
Michael Zitolo is a former MƒA Master Teacher who has taught a variety of high school physics and engineering courses in NYC for thirteen years. He is currently enrolled in the Electrical and Computer Engineering master’s program at SUNY Albany and works part-time for Bard High School Early College Manhattan.
Matthew Carlberg is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at Bard High School Early College Queens in Queens.
Introduction to Virtual Robotics
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Jay Jammula and Jay Lang, and MƒA Early Career Teacher Gabriela Aldave Jordan
MONDAYS, MAY 10, MAY 17, MAY 24, JUN 7 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE. THE VIRTUAL PLATFORMS USED WORK BEST WITH WINDOWS.
Robotics can inspire students to be the problemsolving heroes of tomorrow and is a fun and exciting way to immerse students in engineering. In this course, teachers will use collaboration and critical thinking to explore coding and robotics to program, build, and manipulate their own virtual robots. Teachers will also explore how sensors work, learn how to install them, and gain tools for troubleshooting through meaningful learning challenges. This course is designed for teachers who have no experience in programming or some experience with block programming, but anyone interested in developing a robotics course is welcome.
Jay Jammula is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher with the NYC Department of Education’s Home Instruction program.
Jay Lang is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Curtis High School in Staten Island.
Gabriela Aldave Jordan is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at Aviation Career & Technical Education High School in Queens.
A Journey Through High School Statistics
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Melanie Battles and Melanie Pflaum
WEDNESDAYS, MAR 10, MAR 17, MAR 24 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Are you teaching Statistics for the first time? Are you anticipating the Statistics unit in Algebra I or Algebra II and want to improve your materials? In this minicourse, we will make Statistics exciting and applicable for your students while providing a refresher on the content in general. With an emphasis on the importance of statistical literacy and reasoning,
we plan to deepen our understanding within four themes: probability, normal models, regression, and inference. All Algebra and Statistics (especially non-AP) teachers are welcome to dive into activities to enhance curriculum, sharpen content knowledge, and discover the beauty of statistics through various activities, applets, and simulations, all of which you can take back to your classroom.
Melanie Battles is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn.
Melanie Pflaum is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan.
A KenKen Meditation and Exploration
TUESDAYS, MAY 18, MAY 25, JUN 8 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
KenKen is an amazing mathematics and logic puzzle that was developed twenty years ago by renowned Japanese teacher and puzzle-master, Tetsuya Miyamoto. It is now published daily in The New York Times next to the crossword puzzle. KenKen is a fun way to learn arithmetic and logic skills as well as core habits of mind such as resilience, persistence, and curiosity. We will incorporate long stretches of quiet for solving puzzle sets hand-made by the creator, Miyamoto Sensei. We will also explore the mathematics behind the puzzles, discuss effective pedagogy, and finally, create some KenKens of our own.
Aaron Kaswell is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at J.H.S. 088 Peter Rouget in Brooklyn.
Michael Paoli is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Ella Baker School in Manhattan.
Mathematics for Human Flourishing: Building
Virtues, Not Just Skillsp Facilitator: Francis Su, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, MAY 4, MAY 11, MAY 18 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is often thought of as a set of skills to master. While important, what often gets lost in the drive to master skills are the parts of mathematics that make it enjoyable and appeal to the deepest human longings we have. Moreover, when an employer hires a mathematics major, it’s usually not because they want someone who can compute speedily or factor a polynomial expression. What they want are people with certain virtues: curiosity, persistence, imagination, ability to change perspectives, and competence to solve problems they’ve never seen before. In this course, we’ll talk about practical ways to reorient your courses to tap into deep human desires of beauty, truth, exploration, and play. We’ll discuss ways to encourage the development of mathematical virtues and how to assess them. Broadening the purposes of mathematics in this way—towards human flourishing— allows more equitable opportunities to excite a larger number of students.
Dr. Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a former president of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college mathematics faculty, and in 2018 he won the Halmos-Ford writing award. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and The New York Times. His book Mathematics for Human Flourishing (2020) is an inclusive vision of what mathematics is, who it’s for, and why anyone should learn it.
Maximize Real-Time Feedback Using the Desmos Activity Builder Computation Layer
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teacher Phylicia Hoyt and Kate Litman
THURSDAYS, FEB 11, FEB 25, MAR 11 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Have you dabbled with the Activity Builder in Desmos? Are you tempted to explore the Computation Layer (CL) but don’t know where to start? Do you want to harness the power of the Desmos platform during remote learning without checking every student slide every day? If so, this workshop is for you! The CL lets you connect different mathematical representations to change what students see later based on their earlier work, as well as collect data from an entire class. We will practice creating Desmos activities to give verbal, visual, and symbolic feedback based on graphs, tables, and numerical answers in real-time.
Phylicia Hoyt and Kate Litman are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at Quest to Learn in Manhattan.
Modular Origami: Mathematics Through Paper Folding
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Grace Chang and Kevin Peters
WEDNESDAYS, MAY 19, MAY 26, JUN 2 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
+ PLEASE NOTE: TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PURCHASE ORIGAMI PAPER FOR THIS COURSE AND CAN BE REIMBURSED THROUGH THE MƒA FLEX FUNDS PROGRAM.
Have you ever made a mathematical object out of paper? In this course, teachers will learn to fold modular origami to create geometric models. Modular origami is made of pieces folded from paper that are then assembled to form 3D figures. In the first session, we will begin by folding a simple cube made of six paper units. In the second and third sessions, we will fold various platonic and archimedean solids. As we fold, we will discuss how the paper units correspond to the edges and faces of the finished figures. We will also examine how key lengths and angles are established in the folding process which allows the units to fit together. By the end, teachers will be able to fold more complex structures. Throughout the course, we will discuss best practices and supports for folding origami with students, and review resources for understanding origami diagrams and instructions. If there is interest, we will also discuss the potential for starting an origami class or club at your school. Both beginners and experienced folders are welcome!
Grace Chang is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Neighborhood School in Manhattan.
Kevin Peters is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at 47 The American Sign Language and English Secondary School in Manhattan.
Multivariable Calculus: Calculus Beyond the AP Exams
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Thomas Blozy
MONDAYS, APR 19, APR 26, MAY 3 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Advanced Placement Calculus is the final mathematics class for many high school students, but what mathematics are we preparing them for in college? Multivariable Calculus is usually the third course in the Calculus sequence, Calculus III, and a requirement of many STEM majors in college. This mini-course will explore three main concepts in Multivariable Calculus: limits and continuity, derivatives, and integrals. Starting with the important basic definitions from AB Calculus (Calculus I), we will extend these from single variable functions to multivariable functions. Teachers will work in groups developing concepts, applying the concepts, and problem-solving. Virtual calculus tools will be used throughout to aid in this exploration. This course is designed for teachers who are currently teaching Calculus and would also benefit mathematics and science teachers interested in strengthening their calculus knowledge beyond AP Calculus.
Thomas Blozy is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn.
Numbers: Rational and Irrational
MONDAYS, MAY 10, MAY 17, MAY 24 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
How do you determine if a real number, such as √2, is rational or irrational? Why is 22/7 an excellent rational approximation of π? How can we create more great approximations? In this course, we’ll examine the structure of real numbers and their classification as rational or irrational, algebraic or transcendental. We will use various concepts from the theory of polynomials, trigonometry, and other Algebra II and pre-calculus curriculum to examine our conclusions. We will also discuss reasons why mathematicians are interested in the finer classifications of real numbers and will reference concrete applications such as the impossibility of trisecting an angle using only a straightedge and compass. The course is open to all mathematics teachers interested in delving into number classification. No prerequisite knowledge is required.
Aziz Jumash is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
Michael Wijaya is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bard High School Early College Queens in Queens.
On Zoom and in the Room: Engaging and Assessing Students Online With Nearpod
MONDAYS, FEB 22, MAR 8, MAR 22 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
How can we ensure optimal student engagement and participation in your classroom — even during remote learning? This course will show teachers how to maximize the powerful capabilities of Nearpod, a popular and rapidly expanding online learning platform for designing, planning, and executing multimedia presentations in the classroom. Teachers will see how they can incorporate virtual field trips, simulations, student collaboration, games, surveys, drawing tools, EdPuzzle-like videos, customized quizzes, and so much more! Teachers will also learn to integrate this platform with tools like Flipgrid, CK12, Quizlet live, Flubaroo, Fivver, and Mote, which can engage students of all levels through exciting, hands-on learning experiences while keeping a real-time pulse on student progress. These platforms will enhance both in-person and remote instruction and revolutionize the student learning experience. The facilitator is a licensed Nearpod PioNear.
Leah Goldstein is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science II in Brooklyn.
Oooh the Colors! Unlocking Light’s Secrets Virtually
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers David Deutsch and Alia Jackson
MONDAYS, MAY 3, MAY 17 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE. WINDOWS IS REQUIRED FOR SOME OF THE VIRTUAL TOOLS WE WILL UTILIZE.
What mysteries can the light around us reveal? Whether in a classroom or from the sky, light has a story to tell and spectral analysis offers a powerful opportunity to engage with that story. In this course, we will encounter phenomena of interest in the chemistry, physics, and Earth Science classroom or anywhere that curiosity strikes. In session one, we will engage with the wave behaviors that form the foundation of spectroscopy by gathering white light and emission spectra data through videos and the Rspec Explorer tool. In session two, we will analyze stellar absorption spectra, describe how cameras blend red, green, and blue images to produce color images, and learn how to use image processing software on remote telescope images ordered in session one. This course is best suited for physics and physical science teachers but anyone interested in learning more about light is welcome to attend.
David Deutsch is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics in Manhattan.
Alia Jackson is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Curtis High School in Staten Island.
Population Biology by Birding the Concrete Jungle
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Jordan Wolf
MONDAYS, APR 26, MAY 10, MAY 24 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Are you looking for real data sets your students can explore? Are you interested in students gaining first-hand experience within a functional, thriving ecosystem regardless of them being in-person or remote? Then look no further than out of your window! Birds are all around us, even in this highly developed city - and with surprising diversity. If you can tell a pigeon from a starling, you’re halfway to being able to do species counts and population studies of the feathered organisms all around you. In session one, we will conduct activities that teach students and teachers alike how to be better bird identifiers. In session two, we will be citizen scientists and practice using the tools of observation and identification (eBird and iNaturalist) in preparation to go outside and collect real bird and environmental data. In session three, we will use citizen science data as professional scientists do to better understand what is happening in the avian world. Throughout the course, we will use our work to create a database of topics and resources to bring back to our classrooms.
Jordan Wolf is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Flushing International High School in Queens.
Psychosocial Capacity Building With a Racial
Justice Lens p Facilitators: Annemarie Gockel, Ph.D., Peggy O’Neil, Ph.D., and Lujuana Milton
WEDNESDAYS, APR 14, APR 21, APR 28, MAY 5, MAY 12 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FIVE SESSION MINI-COURSE.
The interacting pandemics of COVID-19 and structural racism, deepening economic distress, and worsening environmental crises are having an extraordinary impact on New York City students. In this course, teachers will explore these ramifications and learn tools and techniques to support students in their classroom and school communities. Psychosocial capacity building (PCB) is a framework that focuses on the intersection of students’ social and psychological worlds using a racial justice lens. Teachers will identify and learn to address the differential impact of COVID-19 and structural oppression on students, explore students’ psychosocial reactions to these dual pandemics, discover how to use a PCB framework in their schools, and draw upon international evidencebased practices utilized in disaster relief that can be adapted to students in schools. Teachers will also explore best practices for risk assessment, safety planning, and trauma-informed interventions. In the final session, we will address the importance of teacher self-care through mindfulness and how to share selfcare strategies with students. Throughout, there will be an emphasis on resilience and cultural responsiveness. This course is open to all teachers of any grade level.
Dr. Annemarie Gockel, M.S.W., Ph.D., LICSW, SEP, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Smith College School for Social Work. She researches mindfulness in clinical education and community-based intervention and integrates mindfulness into her teaching and clinical practice. Gockel has had an ongoing personal practice of mindfulness for more than ten years. She trained in MBSR at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. She teaches mindfulness at Smith and local community health and social service organizations.
Dr. Peggy O’Neill joined the faculty of Smith College School for Social Work in 2012. Dr. O’Neill has taught across the clinical, Human Behavior & Social Environment and social enterprise administration methods. With several years of experience working with diverse communities facing trauma post-9/11, Dr. O’Neill has worked on co-developing, implementing, and evaluating resiliency-based, culturally and linguistically attuned psychoeducational groups and has 25 years of clinical and administrative social work practice in health/mental health care. Dr. O’Neill received her bachelor’s degree in special education from Boston College, her master’s degree from the Columbia University School of Social Work, and her Ph.D. in clinical social work from New York University.
Lujuana Milton graduated with a B.A. and M.S.W. degree from Boston College. She has over 12 years of clinical experience in the field and has worked in several settings addressing issues of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and trauma. Currently. Lujuana owns and practices at South Shore Child and Family Counseling, LLC in Braintree, MA. She also provides professional consultations and speaks regarding issues related to owning an individual or group practice, cultural diversity, and working with children, adolescents, and families on issues such as substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and self-harm.
Remote Teaching: Planning for Presence and Curricular Decisions
Facilitators: Robin Hummel and Laura Zadoff
MONDAYS, MAR 1, MAR 15 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
In a sense, teaching remotely has teleported many teachers back in time to their first years of teaching — learning as they go, taking risks, failing forward. This challenging instructional time begs the question: how might we do this better? This mini-course will support teachers in developing their online practice. We will explore essential methods and strategies from experts in the field and think about ways of shifting a strong on-ground practice to an online one that continues to sustain learning and engagement for all students. Maintaining a focus on how to support equity in online teaching and learning, this course will address the challenges that teachers face when seeking opportunities to make their online experiences richer, both for themselves and their students.
Robin E. Hummel, Ed.D., is Co-Director of Online Teaching and Learning at Bank Street Graduate School of Education where she supports faculty in the development of progressive pedagogy online. Dr. Hummel is also the Director of the Leadership in Mathematics Education program. As Bank Street faculty, she serves as an advisor to graduate students and teaches mathematics, mathematics pedagogy, and action research.
Laura Zadoff, Ed.M., is Co-Director of Online Teaching and Learning at Bank Street Graduate School of Education where she supports faculty in teaching with technology and designing online courses. She also supports the design and development of new online programs.
Science and the Opioid Epidemic
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Marissa Maggio and Mimi Prabhu
WEDNESDAYS, MAR 3, MAR 10, MAR 17 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Who is most susceptible to opioid addiction and why? In this course, we will answer this question as we explore the BioRad unit, the “Science of Opioid Dependency.” We will examine opioids and addiction through a scientific lens and a specific case study, concluding with a brief history and discussion of societal impacts. We will begin by experiencing the science activities through the lens of our students and reflect on how we can effectively apply these tasks to our own unique classrooms. We will also share videos and photos to support teachers in leading this lab remotely. In small groups, teachers will review background information and case studies, learn how to perform gel electrophoresis, and collect and analyze data. More specifically, they will analyze gels, calculate fragment size, identify genotypes, and complete a Chi-Squared analysis. We will conclude by connecting and comparing the cell surface receptors involved in addiction with those found on the novel coronavirus. Throughout the course, we will model the effective use of EdTech apps such as Perusall for group reading and annotation, Peardeck for formative assessment, Google Forms for reporting group lab results, and Jamboard for case study analysis. This course will be most beneficial to high school biology and chemistry teachers, as well as those teaching psychology, statistics, ethics, or neuroscience.
The Science of (Remote) Learning
Facilitator: Ido Davidesco, Ph.D.
THURSDAYS, FEB 11, FEB 25, MAR 11 ONLINE
SCIENCE
The transition to remote instruction raises a variety of instructional challenges, while also offering new learning opportunities. In this mini-course, we will explore how psychology and neuroscience research can inform the way we teach in virtual, face-to-face, and hybrid classrooms. We will begin by examining the cognitive aspects of learning, such as how attention span can fluctuate and how active memory retrieval supports student learning. We will then focus on the emotional aspects of learning and discuss how to address the negative consequences of stress and social isolation on student learning. We will conclude by exploring the social aspects of learning. Specifically, we will examine what the research says about collaborative learning and brainstorm ways to facilitate effective group work in virtual and face-toface environments. This course is open to any teacher interested in the science of learning.
Dr. Ido Davidesco is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences at the University of Connecticut. He studies how students learn science in classrooms using portable Electroencephalography (EEG) and eye-tracking technologies. Additionally, he develops and evaluates science curricula, educational software, and professional development for teachers to enhance classroom-based research experiences for students.
Slices and Copies: Re-Imagining Fraction Instruction
Facilitator: Dorothy Y. White, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, MAR 16, MAR 23, APR 6 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Have you ever wondered why students have such a hard time learning fractions? Often, the confusion begins when fractions are first introduced. More specifically, when instruction focuses on teaching procedures for computing fractions without first focusing on the concepts of partitioning (slices) and iterating (copies), it is difficult for students to build a strong conceptual understanding of fractions. In this course, teachers will re-imagine fraction instruction by first exploring the different meanings for fractions, various models for fractions, and the fraction concepts of partitioning and iterating. Next, we will build fraction models using virtual manipulatives to examine how the addition and subtraction of fractions lead to standard algorithms. Finally, we will focus on models and algorithms for multiplication and division of fractions. Throughout the sessions, we will discuss common misconceptions, unpack teaching strategies that can create and reinforce these misconceptions, and strengthen strategies that support students’ productive understandings. This course is best suited for elementary teachers, but all mathematics teachers can learn something new.
Dr. Dorothy Y. White is a professor of mathematics education in the Mary Frances Early College of Education at the University of Georgia. Her research, teaching, and service interconnect and support empowering all students for success in mathematics by purposefully promoting collaborative relationships among mathematics teachers and researchers. She teaches undergraduate teacher preparation courses in early childhood education and middle school mathematics education and graduate courses in critical issues and national trends in STEM education. She also provides professional development in mathematics to Pre-K-8 classroom teachers at the local, state, and national levels.
Storytelling in the STEM Classroom
Facilitators: Gastor Almonte, Christine Gentry, Ph.D., and Nisse Greenberg
WEDNESDAYS, FEB 24, MAR 3, MAR 10 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
As classroom teachers, we often walk a fine line attempting to understand how much of our full selves to bring into the classroom. What is the importance of telling our personal stories to our students? What can we gain from showing our humanity as mathematics
and science teachers? How do we explore the stories of our own life to more fully understand our role as educators? How can we learn to listen to our students’ stories better to understand their identities in our classrooms? In this mini-course, we will explore these questions and more as we learn to become both story listeners and storytellers. We will practice finding and developing a story of our own while also analyzing the science behind what makes stories effective forms of communicating both ourselves and our science.
Gastor Almonte is a stand-up comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn, NY. He’s appeared on Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening, Risk! the podcast, and The Story Collider podcast. Timeout magazine named him one of your “”New Comedy Obsessions.”” He’s been featured on the New York Comedy Festival, The People’s Improv Theater’s SoloCom and Cinderblock Comedy Festival. His best-selling album, Immigrant Made, was released in March 2019.
Dr. Christine Gentry joins BBQ on the list of good things to come out of Texas. She holds a Ph.D. in English Education from Columbia University and currently serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor, Residency Director, and English Content Mentor for the NYU Teacher Residency. In what little spare time she has, Christine likes to write short stories, perform in oral storytelling shows, and produce/host shows around the country for The Story Collider. Her writing has been published in English Journal, The English Record, and Printer’s Devil Review magazines, and her oral stories have been featured on the TEDx stage, The Moth Radio Hour, and This American Life. She is also a Moth Mainstage performer and threetime Moth GrandSLAM champion.
Nisse Greenberg is the Deputy Director of The Story Collider and is a long time mathematics and storytelling educator. Nisse has taught everything from robotics to clowning and spends most of his time thinking of ways to integrate the teaching of science into the art of storytelling.
Styles of Scientific Reasoning in Chemistry
Facilitator: Disan Davis, Ph.D.
WEDNESDAYS, APR 7, APR 21, MAY 5 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Despite what textbooks may tell you, the experimental method is not the only way in which scientists make meaning through science. In this mini-course, we will use the framework described by Kind and Osborne in Styles of Scientific Reasoning: A Cultural Rationale for Science Education? to reflect on the standard high school chemistry curriculum. Together, we will explore common examples in historic and modern chemistry that demonstrate each of their six styles of scientific reasoning and reflect on ways of highlighting each style for our students. By naming and differentiating these styles, teachers will be able to help their students value multiple ways of knowing and self-identify with one or more of these modes of scientific reasoning.
Dr. Disan Davis is the Program Manager of RockEDU Science Outreach at the Rockefeller University, where she creates educational materials for high school students and teachers that emphasize the process of science in accessible and equitable ways. Her work brings together her Ph.D. in biochemistry with her previous experience teaching chemistry, biology, and physical science.
Teacher Leadership: Building Learning Communities to Improve Instruction
Facilitator: Alan Cheng
THURSDAYS, FEB 11, FEB 25, MAR 11, MAR 25 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE.
Teacher leaders hold essential roles in our schools. They are responsible for supporting the learning of teaching communities and ensuring equity and access for all students. In this mini-course, teacher leaders will collaborate to deepen their knowledge of processes and protocols for building learning communities in their schools — in spite of the challenges of remote and hybrid instruction. Together, we will consider how to change the way we talk about our teaching with colleagues so we can give and receive honest and meaningful feedback. We will explore facilitation practices that optimize our time together in meetings and foster vulnerability and collaboration. We will also learn and rehearse norms, routines, and strategies to sustain these practices (including processes like intervisitations, peer coaching, and collaborative planning time); and we’ll discuss the pitfalls we need to avoid when leading teacher teams. This mini-course is designed for teacher leaders who have the time and energy (and support of their administration) to help develop new routines to improve instruction in their schools.
Alan Cheng is a former MƒA Fellow and co-facilitator of the MƒA School Leader Fellowship. Alan is currently a superintendent for NYC high schools in the Consortium, previously serving as the Principal of CityAs-School High School for many years. In his free time, he is pursuing his doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Teaching as a Human Endeavor: A Space to ReEnergize and Redesign
Facilitator: Kara Imm, Ph.D.
TUESDAYS, FEB 9, FEB 23, MAR 2 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
This is not a typical course because these continue to be atypical times. Developed in April 2020, and now in its third iteration, this course provides an inclusive space to make sense of our experiences as teachers and humans with the MƒA community, connect to others’ experiences (including other historical moments in NYC teaching history), and begin to frame what is happening to teaching, learning, knowing, and existing. Nearly all of our experiences in this minicourse (including those drawn from fields outside of STEM) can also be used to build relationships and community with students. Each session is framed by a focused question, includes some choice and a shared artifact, and concludes with a creative closing moment.
Dr. Kara Imm is a K-12 mathematics educator based in New York City. In her more than 20-year career, she has been a middle and high school math teacher, staff developer, leadership coach, and teacher education faculty. In her current role with Math in the City (City College, The City University of New York) she designs and leads site-based professional development for teacher teams and leaders, with the goal of developing inclusive math communities across the country and internationally. At MƒA, Kara has been invited to design and lead over 20 courses including design thinking, mathematical routines, models and modeling, developing a coaching practice, and early algebra. Kara has written several articles and books with and for teachers on the
teaching and learning of mathematics. A proud graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools, Kara earned degrees from Stanford University and Bank Street College of Education. Her recent Ph.D. in Urban Education (The Graduate Center, The City University of New York) investigated the impact of mathematical modeling for high school girls of color who had experienced the gate-keeping effects of algebra.
Teaching for Justice in the Mathematics
Classroom p Facilitator: Anjali Deshpande, Ph.D.
MONDAYS, MAR 15, MAR 22, APR 5 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
How can we plan for and infuse equity-forward practices in the mathematics classroom, whether in a virtual or in-person setting? In this mini-course, we take a deep analytical dive into key pedagogical practices that can hinder or promote agency and positive mathematical identity development. We will explore how to critically evaluate and redesign lessons to activate the principles and practices of teaching for justice. We will define what it means to teach for justice and then examine teaching materials and student work with a justice lens. Teachers are invited (but not required) to test parts of these lessons with their students in order to bring artifacts back to the final session for reflection. This course is appropriate for middle and high school mathematics teachers who want to go deeper into justice-promoting lesson design practices. Teachers will be asked to complete a few short readings before each session.
Dr. Anjali Deshpande is a professor of Mathematics Education at High Meadows Graduate School of Teaching and Learning in affiliation with MIT. Dr. Deshpande served as a public school teacher in the South Bronx for eight years and a secondary mathematics coach based in New York City for eight years. Her passions include investigating effective assessment practices, analyzing and implementing strategies that foster the development of positive mathematics identity, and promoting justice and equity through mathematics education.
Teaching Online: Tailoring Standards-Based Grading to Remote Learning
Facilitator: Kristen Dotti
WEDNESDAYS, MAR 17, MAR 24, APR 7 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
At a time when students have less control over their lives, the methodologies that encompass standardsbased grading give them a way to have more autonomy over their learning in virtual or in-person classrooms. Standards-based grading offers a pathway to personalized instruction, equitable access to content, and increased student engagement. In this minicourse, teachers will be guided through techniques to convert their standards into grading rubrics and choice menus so learning objectives for content and skills can be targeted with concrete steps to student success. The techniques taught in this course show teachers how to delineate universal outcomes, but with flexibility in the path a student takes to reach those common goals. Each session will focus on a different aspect of planning and preparation with a variety of templates to choose from so teachers can create original lesson plans tailored to their curriculum.
Kristen Dotti writes curricula and leads professional development training for teachers who enjoy using student-centered techniques. As a teacher, geneticist, and life-long learner, she is constantly exploring new topics from a scientific perspective to grow her mind and feed her passions. Although she travels to different schools each week to help them achieve their faculty development goals, she has made Asheville, NC home.
Technology Tools to Level the Playing Field for
Students With Exceptionalities p Facilitator: Savanna Flakes
WEDNESDAYS, APR 7, APR 14 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
Finding effective strategies and technology resources is imperative in helping students with exceptionalities excel. During this interactive mini-course, teachers will explore technology tools and resources to lift students with exceptionalities to higher levels of language proficiency and help them access complex, gradelevel content, tasks, and texts. Session one will focus on reading strategies and tools to develop complex reading skills in any content area. Session two will explore technology tools throughout the teaching and learning cycle to support effective writing instruction. This course is best suited for all teachers looking for ways to support their students with exceptionalities.
Savanna Flakes is a National Board Certified Teacher and an education consultant specializing in differentiation, inclusion, co-teaching, Universal Design for Learning, and educational technology. Her prior instructional leadership roles include manager of professional learning, master educator, technology integration specialist, professor, and inclusion instructional specialist - coaching administrators and teachers on effective inclusive and instructional practices. Savanna holds an Educational Specialist degree from the University of Virginia in curriculum and instruction, a post-master’s certificate from George Washington University in educational leadership and administration, and certifications in social-emotional learning, trauma, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence.
Tools for Teachers: Psychosocial Recovery and Support Skills to Help Students
Facilitators: Joshua Miller, Ph.D., and Ilana Silver
TUESDAYS, MAR 23, APR 6, APR 13, APR 20 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP + PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FOUR SESSION MINI-COURSE.
Are you and your students feeling overwhelmed as you navigate this time of uncertainty? Join us in this course as we explore tools for supporting our students, our families, and each other to help alleviate the stress and trauma of the pandemic. Drawing from Skills for Psychological Recovery, a manual published by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and designed to assist those recovering from disaster, as well as other evidence-based interventions, this course will provide teachers with the knowledge and tools to confidently assess and support those in the midst of or recovering from adverse situations.
Dr. Joshua Miller is a professor of social work at Smith College who specializes in helping individuals and communities to recover from
disasters, war, and violence. He also teaches and writes about racism in the United States and what to do about it. He is the author of Psychosocial Capacity Building in Response to Disasters and co-author of Racism in the United States: Implications for the Helping Professions. In addition to his academic work, Miller has responded to, consulted for, and written about many disasters including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami, the Haitian earthquake, armed conflict in Northern Uganda, the Boston Marathon bombing and the elementary school tragedy in Newtown, Conn. He volunteers for a team that offers crisis intervention responses to firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians after tragedies, is a clinician with the Crisis Care Network, and partners with local non-profit organizations when responding to major disasters internationally. Prior to teaching, Miller spent 20 years as a community organizer, family therapist, group worker and researcher, and was the director of public and private nonprofit child and family welfare agencies.
Ilana Silver is a second year M.S.W. student at Smith College School for Social Work. Her clinical experience includes working with adolescents and families within a community-based organization, as well as, more recently, providing telehealth for adults seeking psychosocial support. Prior to pursuing an M.S.W., Ilana worked as an environmental educator, teaching young children about our natural world through experiential learning.
Unpacking and Upending Racial Hierarchies in
Mathematics p Facilitator: Grace A. Chen
TUESDAYS, MAY 25, JUN 1, JUN 8 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Common narratives pit “White and Asian” students against “Black and Latinx” students, with no mention of Indigenous students, depicting the former as “good at math” and the latter not. These dehumanizing ideologies show up not only in mathematics classrooms, but also in broader conversations about affirmative action, immigration, and politics. Where did this racial hierarchy come from, and what can we—as mathematics educators committed to racial justice— do about it? We will review the historical context and citations to illustrate the social construction of the racial hierarchy in mathematics. Our primary focus, however, will be creating space for teachers to share their current practices and collectively brainstorm how to upend the racial hierarchy while engaging their positions within it. This mini-course is designed for mathematics teachers who are committed to practices in their classrooms that communicate to their students “everyone can be good at mathematics,” and are looking to develop a deeper critical consciousness around this work.
Grace A. Chen is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University. A former high school mathematics teacher, she studies how, why, and what mathematics teachers learn about race, power, and equity, with particular interests in ethics, identity, and affect.
A (Virtual) Night at the Museum: Designing Science Fieldwork Using AMNH
Facilitators: MƒA Early Career Teachers Jessica Sharoff and Caity Tully
MONDAYS, MAR 8, MAR 22 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A TWO SESSION MINI-COURSE.
Are you frustrated that you’re currently unable to take your students on a field trip? Do you think it will be impossible to do meaningful fieldwork given our current teaching context? Then join us as we consider how to meaningfully bring the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to your students! This twosession mini-course will focus on developing virtual fieldwork using AMNH online resources and exhibits. We will explore existing museum tools, sample AMNH lessons that utilize digital resources, and examine how these resources can strengthen remote curriculum. We will focus specifically on the use of the physical science halls and resources including, but not limited to, the Hall of Planet Earth, Hall of Ocean Life, Rose Center for Earth and Space, and Fossil Halls. This course is best suited for Earth Science teachers but any middle or high school science teacher who wants to find ways to engage their students in online fieldwork is welcome to attend.
Caitlin Tully is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at The James Baldwin School: A School for Expeditionary Learning in Manhattan.
Why Routines? Why Now? Developing Strategic Sense-Making in Virtual Spaces
Facilitator: Kara Imm, Ph.D.
K-8 6-12
TUESDAYS, MAR 9, MAR 16, MAR 23 WEDNESDAYS, MAR 10, MAR 17, MAR 24 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
+ PLEASE NOTE: THE TUESDAY SECTION OF THIS COURSE WILL BE GEARED TOWARDS TEACHERS OF GRADES K-8, AND THE WEDNESDAY SECTION WILL BE GEARED TOWARDS TEACHERS OF GRADES 6-12.
Numeracy and algebra routines can build joyful, inclusive communities of kids who see themselves as mathematicians with voice, purpose, and agency. Those of us who know the power of in-person math routines (such as number strings, quick images, and splat!) are now convinced we can create the same high energy and shared knowledge-making across digital platforms. In this course, we will identify the key purposes of these routines, name the challenges of “transporting” them from in-person to remote, and design new, flexible routines for our students. Those returning for “part two” will deepen their practice and have the chance to use routines to deconstruct powerful deficit myths about students, learning, and mathematics including the notions that “learning loss” is inevitable or that building community and content cannot happen simultaneously (it can!). Some familiarity/experience with routines is recommended, but not required.
Dr. Kara Imm is a K-12 mathematics educator based in New York City. In her more than 20-year career, she has been a middle and high school math teacher, staff developer, leadership coach, and teacher education faculty. In her current role with Math in the City (City College, The City University of New York) she designs and leads site-based professional development for teacher teams and leaders, with the goal of developing inclusive math communities across the country and internationally. At MƒA, Kara has been invited to design and lead over 20 courses including design thinking, mathematical routines, models
and modeling, developing a coaching practice, and early algebra. Kara has written several articles and books with and for teachers on the teaching and learning of mathematics. A proud graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools, Kara earned degrees from Stanford University and Bank Street College of Education. Her recent Ph.D. in Urban Education (The Graduate Center, The City University of New York) investigated the impact of mathematical modeling for high school girls of color who had experienced the gate-keeping effects of algebra.
