56 minute read
Single Session Workshops
Single session workshops are one-time workshops in which experts from the MƒA Master Teacher community, as well as academic institutions and local organizations, engage MƒA teachers in a topic at the cutting edge of their content area and/or pedagogical practice.
“Alexa, Grade My Tests!”: Utilizing Technology to Give Students Feedback
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Andrew Fitts and Brittany Klimowicz
THURSDAY, FEB 11 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Online learning has brought a new set of challenges for grading student work and providing feedback. What if you could streamline this work by leveraging tools such as Google Forms, Goobric, Formule, and spreadsheets to simplify your grading life and give students quick and actionable feedback? In this workshop, we will explore ways to make grading and personalized feedback easier, more sustainable, and more impactful for both teachers and students by identifying the challenges, introducing various technological supports and how to use them, and having teachers build their feedback tools. While we plan to focus on high school level feedback, this session will be useful for teachers of all grade levels.
Andrew Fitts is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at NYC iSchool in Manhattan.
Brittany Klimowicz is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at NYC iSchool in Manhattan.
At the Clinic: Bringing Medicine Into the Classroom
TUESDAY, MAY 4 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Do your students want to become physicians? Do they enjoy watching episodes of Grey’s Anatomy or The Good Doctor? A great way to engage students and foster interest in anatomy and physiology is through the use of basic diagnostic approaches to assess health. In this workshop, we will analyze and adapt several University of Buffalo case studies involving cardiovascular and digestive diseases through discussion and doctor/patient role modeling. We will also explore a variety of online interactive tools and discuss how they can be incorporated into middle school science, Living Environment, or AP Biology curricula. Throughout this workshop, teachers will actively engage in solving medical problems while thinking of ways to integrate diagnostic medicine into their classrooms.
Jerry Citron is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
Arlene Ramos is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at High School for Health Professions and Human Services in Manhattan.
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Dwaina Sookhoo and Devon Williamson
WEDNESDAY, FEB 24 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Do you have what it takes to escape the room? In this immersive workshop, teachers will experience firsthand how escape rooms can foster community and collaboration in the mathematics classroom. We will demonstrate how escape rooms are designed through digital platforms such as Breakout EDU and Google Forms, as well as through analog puzzles for a technology-free alternative. Teachers will discuss how escape rooms can help students learn by doing and will explore best practices for facilitating them in the classroom. Lastly, teachers will begin building their own escape room puzzle, embedding mathematics from their curriculum, on the platform of their choice.
Dwaina Sookhoo is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Academy for Young Writers in Brooklyn.
Devon Williamson is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Mott Hall II in Manhattan.
Bringing Modern Mathematics Into the Classroom
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Patrick Honner
WEDNESDAY, MAR 3
ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
New mathematics is created and discovered every day, yet the mathematics we teach is hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. How can we build connections for our students between the mathematics we currently teach and the mathematics at the edge of discovery? Join us as we explore exciting mathematical advances and their curricular connections to arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.
Patrick Honner is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
Building Belonging in the Computer Science
Classroom p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Emily Fields and Marisa Shuman
WEDNESDAY, MAR 17 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
How might we foster a classroom culture and build a curriculum that includes all computer science students, and especially those underrepresented identities? In this workshop, teachers will explore activities and strategies to promote inclusion in computer science classrooms and the world of technology. As a group, we will collaborate on shared best practices and develop tools, resources, and projects that can be brought back into the classroom.
Emily Fields is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at Young Women’s Leadership School, Astoria in Queens.
Marisa Shuman is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at Young Women’s Leadership School of the Bronx in the Bronx.
Building Literacy Through Statistics
Facilitator: MƒA Early Career Teacher KC Hankins
MONDAY, APR 5 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
For students to become critical consumers of media and well-informed global citizens, they must understand statistical analysis and have the language skills to communicate its meaning and impact. In this age of social media and the growing number of disinformation campaigns, it is more important than ever that we teach students how to critically analyze text, interpret data, and share its meaning. How might we engage students in statistics through text and other languagebased media, use real-world examples to illuminate statistical phenomena, and support students to justify their findings with written statistical analysis? In this workshop, we will explore these questions and more as we delve into resources that scaffold the writing process, help students read for understanding, utilize statistical analysis, and empower them to overcome the unique challenges statistics classes can pose. This workshop is best suited for statistics teachers.
KC Hankins is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and mathematics teacher at John Dewey High School in Brooklyn.
Can I GRASP Your Attention?: Creating Authentic Student Assessments
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Denise Bou and Leton Hall
MONDAY, MAR 15
ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Are you looking for new and more personalized ways to assess your students that better align with the constraints of remote and hybrid teaching? Do you want to give your students agency over how they demonstrate their understanding? Designing assessments using the GRASPS (Goal, Role, Audience, Situation, Product, and Standards) model is a way to do just that. GRASPS, articulated by Wiggins and McTighe in their 2005 book, Understanding by Design, pushes students to think critically about major concepts, whether in science or mathematics. A GRASPS task asks students to tackle real-world problems through content immersion and creative problem-solving. Ultimately, a GRASPS task allows students to show mastery in more meaningful ways in contrast to traditional assessments. Join us as we review exemplars and discuss and design our own GRASPS tasks. All teachers are welcome.
Denise Bou is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Murray Hill Academy in Manhattan.
Leton Hall is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Pelham Gardens Middle School in the Bronx. The Chemistry of Hair p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Natasha Dooley and Asia Jackson
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Have you ever wondered what makes your hair curly, straight, blond, or black? Have you spent countless hours and dollars trying to alter your hair? How we wear our hair is greatly influenced by the media and societal expectations of beauty, and for many of us, including our students, our hair is intimately connected to our identity and self-worth. Join us in this workshop as we explore the chemistry of hair. We will discuss what determines hair texture and type, consider how chemical use and styling methods affect hair structure, and examine the social, cultural, and racial stigmas associated with particular hair types and styles. This workshop is best suited for teachers wanting to integrate more culturally responsive lessons into their chemistry curriculum.
Natasha Dooley is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Harlem Village Academy High School in Manhattan.
Asia Jackson is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at High School for Medical Professions in Brooklyn.
Common Content: Transitioning From Middle School to High School
MONDAY, MAR 15 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Students experience mathematics in various forms throughout middle school and high school. Imagine how beneficial it could be to know what your students experienced before they step foot into your classroom or what they would experience in future classes. How might this knowledge influence your instruction? Join us as we explore these questions through the lens of rational and irrational numbers, polynomial operations, and solving linear equations — all topics that appear in both middle and high school classrooms. This workshop will provide a space for rich discussions between middle and high school mathematics teachers on overlapping concepts and also allow for the sharing of best practices to transition middle school students to high school more seamlessly. All middle and high school mathematics teachers are welcome.
Shari Eng is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bayside High School in Queens.
Dwaina Sookhoo is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Academy for Young Writers in Brooklyn.
Co-Teaching in the Classroom p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teacher Kaley Wagner and MƒA Early Career Teacher Allisen Johnson
THURSDAY, APR 22 ONLINE Are you wondering how best to divide the responsibilities of co-teaching in a remote classroom? Do you want to more effectively utilize two teachers to better serve your students? Then join us in this workshop as we explore how to develop better working relationships with co-teachers and create a plan to productively work together. We will discuss four different effective co-teaching strategies, multiple ways to group students, and best practices for co-planning time. We will also investigate best practices for coteacher collaboration during remote instruction.
Kaley Wagner is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bronx Early College Academy for Teaching and Learning in the Bronx.
Allisen Johnson is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bronx Early College Academy for Teaching and Learning in the Bronx.
Creating a Bigger Tent... Virtually! p Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Matt Baker
MONDAY, FEB 8 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
We all want our students to feel welcome in our classrooms, and research shows that students learn better when they experience themselves as an integral part of the classroom community. Even in normal times, it can be challenging to build relationships within multiple classes of more than 30 students each, especially when teachers also need to develop content and prepare students for exams. These issues are further magnified in remote classrooms. In this workshop, teachers will experience easy ways to build community with students from day one. These activities require only minimal planning and upkeep. By the end of the workshop, we will assemble a toolbox of low-lift and high-reward strategies that can be used online for the coming semester.
Matt Baker is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Brooklyn Latin in Brooklyn.
Creative Projects for Calculus
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Maria Leon Chu and Alexander Lord
THURSDAY, APR 8 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Are you looking to incorporate more projects into your Calculus class but unsure where to start? Join us as we explore some of the in-class and long-term projects that have successfully been implemented with calculus students. Topics addressed will include limits, optimization, area, volume, and more. We will showcase sample student projects and address any questions to help teachers design calculus projects for their classrooms. This course is recommended for all current and prospective teachers of calculus.
Maria Leon Chu and Alexander Lord are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at Francis Lewis High School in Queens.
Culturally and Historically Responsive Education
for Equity and Excellence p Facilitator: Gholdy Muhammad, Ph.D.
MONDAY, FEB 22 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
In this workshop, teachers will come to understand the role of culture in their classrooms and be charged to engage in self-identity work as we clearly define culture, equity, anti-racism, and culturally and historically responsive education (CHRE). Together, we will explore and revisit culture in deep and multifaceted ways. We will also consider our own cultural identities as we discuss approaches to learning about the cultures and identities of our students. To frame and guide this work, we will begin with a brief history and discussion of CHRE and the power of education among communities of color in the United States. Then we will explore a four-layered equity model for teaching and learning developed by the facilitator, composed of (1) identity, (2) skills, (3) intellectualism and (4) criticality. Exemplar CHRE lesson and unit plans across STEM content and
grade levels will be shared and discussed. We will conclude with practical considerations for writing equitable lesson and unit plans. All teachers are welcome to attend.
Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Language and Literacy at Georgia State University. She also serves as the director of the GSU Urban Literacy Collaborative & Clinic. She studies Black historical excellence within educational communities with goals of reframing curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading educational journals and books. Some of her recognitions include the 2014 recipient of the National Council of Teachers of English, Promising New Researcher Award, the 2016 NCTE Janet Emig Award, the 2017 GSU Urban Education Research Award and the 2018 UIC College of Education Researcher of the Year. She works with teachers and young people across the United States and South Africa on best practices in culturally responsive instruction. She is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.
Decimal Expansions in Different Bases
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teacher Dee Dee Dyer and Adam Chawansky
THURSDAY, MAY 20 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Are you looking for an opportunity to do mathematics with other like-minded professionals? Join us as we think, collaborate, discuss, and struggle as co-learners. Designed around the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI) structure of “Important Stuff, Neat Stuff, Tough Stuff,” we will explore repeating decimals in different bases. The workshop will center around a problem set to spark ideas and lead us to discover unexpected connections. A basic familiarity with modular arithmetic will be useful but is not required.
Dee Dee Dyer is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at I.S. X303 Leadership & Community Service in the Bronx.
Adam Chawansky is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Brooklyn Collaborative Studies in Brooklyn.
Earth Science From Behind a Screen: Best Practices for Remote Instruction
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Bridget Mahoney
WEDNESDAY, FEB 10 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Teaching Earth Science when you can’t get hands-on is hard! Join us in this workshop as we share our best practices and our wildest misses to develop lessons and protocols that work for all those tricky hands-on Earth Science topics. This workshop is a continuation of the Hands-Off Hands-On Earth Science course from Fall 2020 and both new and returning teachers are welcome. We will continue the work from the fall by sharing outcomes, tips, and tricks and then delve even deeper into how to make Earth Science both accessible and fun during remote and blended instruction. We will also explore tools to support the lab practical of the Earth Science Regents Exam. This course is best suited for middle and high school Earth Science teachers.
Bridget Mahoney is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at High School for Environmental Studies in Manhattan.
Excel Training for Data Specialists and Enthusiasts
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Dave Richardson
TUESDAY, APR 27 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Are you a new data specialist at your school, planning to take on this role in the coming year, or simply interested in learning new data analysis skills? If so, join us as we dive into the fundamentals of Excel and learn to run a variety of reports for use in our school communities. We will explore skills such as the VLOOKUP and SUMPRODUCT functions, pivot tables, and more to create reports that highlight various statistics. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to confidently run data reports for your school community that can call attention to inequities that may exist. While this course is best suited for new data specialists, all excel enthusiasts are welcome to join.
Dave Richardson is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at High School of Economics and Finance in Manhattan.
Flipped Instruction 101
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Paige Healy
MONDAY, MAR 22 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Are you struggling to ensure students have access to important content in a remote setting? Are you looking for ways to ensure instructional equity amongst your blended and fully remote students? Join us as we discuss the basics of flipping the classroom. We will review tools for making screencasts including Explain Everything, Educreations, and Screencastify, as well as a means of tracking student progress through the use of Edpuzzle. We’ll also discuss what synchronous instruction looks like in a flipped classroom setting. This workshop is intended for those new to flipped instruction and experts alike!
Paige Healy is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Scholars’ Academy in Queens.
From Mummies to Monuments: Chemistry in Art Conservation
Facilitators: Lisa Bruno and MƒA Master Teacher David Connelly
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Mummification, acid rain, oxidation, and inherent vice – it’s all about chemistry! The world’s artistic and cultural treasures are degraded by time, the atmosphere, light, and physical forces, and the methods for conserving and restoring these treasures require the intersection of science and art. In this workshop, presented live from the Brooklyn Museum conservation laboratory, teachers will be introduced to real conservation case studies where chemistry played a key role in the identification, deterioration, and/or restoration of an art object. Teachers will be challenged to solve each restoration
riddle, before learning the actual steps taken by the museum’s conservation team and the results of those treatments. We will conclude with a discussion on how the content and tools can be used in our own chemistry classrooms. While especially directed to teachers of chemistry, this workshop is open to any teacher inspired by art and historical objects.
Lisa Bruno is the Carol Lee Shen Chief Conservator at The Brooklyn Museum. She earned her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at New York University before obtaining a M.S. at The University of Delaware/ Winterthur Museum Department of Art Conservation. She worked at the Art Institute of Chicago before coming to Brooklyn 26 years ago. She also teaches objects conservation at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts.
David Connelly is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Science, Technology and Research Early College High School at Erasmus in Brooklyn.
The Galapagos and Nature Journaling
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Crystal Thiele
WEDNESDAY, MAR 24 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Salt-water snorting iguanas, nocturnal seagulls, penguins that live north of the equator, and blue-footed boobies with permanently closed nostrils - these are just some of the unique adaptations of the animal inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands. Tap into your inner Darwin as we use nature journaling to explore photos, videos, and other resources gathered from a recent National Geographic expedition to the Galapagos. We will study specific animal adaptations to better understand natural selection and try our hand at nature journaling, a tool used by many scientists past and present, including Darwin, Audubon, and Muir. We will practice these journaling activities and discuss how to recreate them in any classroom setting to encourage students to deepen connections to the natural world, rediscover the thrill of outdoor exploration, and develop a greater love of biodiversity, wherever they are. While the activities and resources are best suited for elementary science teachers, all are welcome.
Crystal Thiele is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at P.S. 321 William Penn in Brooklyn.
Gamification With Google Forms
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Elyse Mattiaccio
TUESDAY, MAR 2 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Do you want to increase engagement and create assignments that automatically differentiate based on student responses? Join us as we learn ways to transform a humble Google Form into a gamified and adaptive formative assessment. In this workshop, we’ll explore an “escape room” format to develop both team and individual tasks with customized storylines based on student interests. Using a planning template, teachers will layout their escape room much like a storyboard, and then learn how to transfer it into Google Forms. By the end, teachers will learn to create several pathways where wrong answers lead students down a reteaching path with embedded videos and correct answers lead students to even greater challenges. This course is geared towards elementary and middle school teachers, but all activities can be adapted for high school teachers as well.
Elyse Mattiaccio is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at P.S. 396 in the Bronx.
Geologic Field Study of Prospect Park
TUESDAY, MAY 18 OFFSITE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE IN PROSPECT PARK.
Let’s take a trip to Prospect Park! Join us as we explore this outdoor teaching laboratory to gather evidence and make inferences about New York City’s geomorphology. During this field study, teachers will tap into their inner geo-enthusiast as they walk through the park observing formations and evidence of glaciation. Teachers will also create a geomorphic field guide using smartphone apps to collect and share data. Using the evidence gathered in the field, and their existing knowledge of Earth Science, teachers will deduce that glaciers once covered northern Brooklyn during the last ice age. The field study will provide teachers with the resources needed to design their own virtual or in-person field trip. This workshop is best suited for Earth Science teachers and is a continuation of the Fall 2020 course, Geologic Field Study of Central Park, however, new teachers are welcome to attend.
Carolina Castro-Skehan is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Comprehensive Model School Project M.S. 327 in the Bronx.
Rich Lebowitz is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at The SEEALL Academy in Brooklyn.
A Glimpse Into the History of Infinite Series
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Matthew Mitchell
MONDAY, JUN 7
ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
The concept of an infinite series can be overwhelming and hard to grasp, not to mention rather foreign compared to other calculus concepts. In this workshop, teachers will discover the true meaning and power of an infinite series. Unlike a traditional calculus course, teachers will learn the history of these series, the great minds that studied and developed the concepts behind them, and some fascinating applications. Any teacher that wants a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, infinite series is encouraged to attend.
Matthew Mitchell is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at KIPP NYC College Prep High School in the Bronx.
Glued into Science: Sustainable Polymers
Facilitators: Brett Fors, Ph.D., Scott Spring, and Mark Walsh
TUESDAY, FEB 23
ONLINE
SCIENCE
With more plastic being generated than ever before, and very little of it being recycled, there is a tremendous need for sustainable polymers - polymers that meet the demand for plastic but do so without long-term damage to our environment. Researchers at Cornell University are currently working to transform how plastics are made, unmade, and remade through innovative research. In this workshop, members of the Fors lab at Cornell University will share some of their work on developing sustainable polymers. Following the presentation, teachers will explore a hands-on activity to create their own non-toxic polymers and use them, along with other household plastics, to test for material properties. We will conclude by discussing how plastics are classified for recycling and the inherent problems of these classifications. This course is best suited for chemistry teachers but all middle and high school STEM teachers are welcome.
Dr. Brett Fors is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Montana State University and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the development of new synthetic methods and catalyst systems to control polymer architecture, composition, and function.
Scott Spring is a fourth year graduate student in the Fors group at Cornell University, where he develops new methods for polymerization of renewable monomers into sustainable plastics and characterizes their material properties. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Montana State University. Scott is also a member of the Center for Sustainable Polymers and is dedicated to outreach surrounding sustainable plastic practices and environmental stewardship.
Mark Walsh is the outreach programs coordinator for the Cornell Center for Materials Research. He received his Bachelor’s in Biology from Hartwick College and taught middle and high school science for twenty years in New York City, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia.
Google Sites and Slides for Student Portfolios
Facilitator: Tom Bijesse
TUESDAY, MAR 16
ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
A portfolio is one of the most valuable assessment tools. It can showcase a student’s progression as well as their culminating understanding. In this workshop, teachers will learn how to leverage Google Slides and Google Sites to generate a template portfolio for their students to copy and customize. Teachers will also create their own Google Site to use as a model for students to turn their portfolio into a website that can be shared across the world. It’s easier to create a website than you might think, and all for free! Whether you are just getting started or are hoping to learn new tips and tricks, this workshop is for you.
Tom Bijesse is a former NYCDOE computer science teacher and lifelong learner. Tom has led professional development for thousands of educators across three countries on a variety of technical subjects. He is a curriculum developer and trainer for Mouse, a NYC-based non-profit with a focus on Technology for Good.
Helping ELLs Master Literacy and Content in
Living Environment p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Carolina Gallego and Stephany Rosal
TUESDAY, FEB 9 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Supporting our English Language Learners (ELLs) can be challenging at the best of times, and even more so during remote and blended instruction. In this workshop, we will discuss our shared challenges in teaching Living Environment to ELLs, Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE), and undiagnosed SpED ELL students. We will also examine the level of our students’ English (and Spanish) proficiency as we unpack a set of tools to support their success, including metacognitive self-assessments, templates for debate and argumentative essays, and organization templates for simplifying Regents questions and vocabulary. By the end of the workshop, teachers will have a clearer understanding of where their students are and how to meet them at their level to promote learning and growth. Though we will be focusing on Living Environment-specific examples, all science teachers with ELL populations are welcome.
Carolina Gallego and Stephany Rosal are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Manhattan Bridges High School in Manhattan.
“Hey, That’s Not Fair!”: The Mathematics of Decision Making
TUESDAY, APR 27 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Our students are inquisitive by nature, which often leads to skepticism when asked to share things equally. In this course, we’ll tackle sharing through fun division problems that will appease even the most skeptical of students. Splitting something equally is a seemingly simple task that is wonderfully complex. Items of sentimental value add to the complexity. This workshop
will explore several fun problems centered around concepts of fairness, equality, optimization, division, game theory, and the prisoners’ dilemma that will challenge both teachers and their students.
Corey Levin is an MƒA Master Teacher Emeritus and mathematics teacher at Yorkville East Middle School in Manhattan.
Indigenous Communities: The Earliest Organic
Chemists p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teacher Denice Gamper and MƒA Program Officer Uzma Shah
WEDNESDAY, FEB 24 ONLINE
SCIENCE
What do aspirin, taxol, quinine, and p-menthane-3,8diol (PMD) all have in common? They are derived from plants and used medicinally. But how does a substance derived from a plant become a viable medicine or treatment? And when does ancient wisdom become part of the scientific canon? In this workshop, teachers will learn the chemistry of an essential oil extracted from the lemon eucalyptus tree. Native to Australia and the surrounding islands, this oil contains a potent insect repellent that has long been used by the indigenous people of the area. Teachers will explore how the oil is extracted, how the chemical components are identified, and how it can be refined to maximize the effectiveness of its insect repellent properties. We will also discuss how modern chemists can learn from the practices of indigenous people who have been utilizing plant-based substances for millennia. This workshop is ideal for teachers interested in learning more about ethnobotany or those looking for resources to make organic chemistry come alive for their students.
Denice Gamper is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan.
Uzma Shah is a Program Officer for Professional Development at Math for America.
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Bradley Pierce
WEDNESDAY, FEB 10 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Are you looking for a better way to teach computer science remotely? Carnegie Mellon University’s Computer Science Academy is an accessible and engaging curriculum and platform for teaching Python programming to middle and high school students. With this graphics-driven program, students develop layered images and then animations to eventually create event-driven games. Features include a web-based integrated development environment (IDE), self-paced interactive instructional content, a rich set of exercises, and an autograder. Through the grade book, you can see student progress, time spent, and code history. Teachers can send students messages for feedback and compare their work to the solution code. The auto-grader provides immediate feedback, including hints to show students what is missing or wrong. In this workshop, teachers will leave with an understanding of the scope and sequence, the platform functions, and its rich feature set. We will dive into some basic exercises to get a feel for the student interface and explore examples of creative tasks completed by students. This workshop is intended for computer science teachers with some foundational programming experience.
Bradley Pierce is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at International High School at Union Square in Manhattan.
Let’s Talk About Social Issues in the Mathematics
Classroom p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Estefania Hereira and Jennifer Parker
THURSDAY, JUN 3 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
How might we as educators disrupt the status quo by cultivating responsive and responsible youth? In order to disrupt, we must be willing to reflect on ourselves and our teaching practice and then collaborate with others to do the same. This work will have an impact not only on our teaching and mindsets as educators, but also on our students’ lives and work. In this workshop, we will reflect on and examine our teaching practices while looking at how conversations about social issues can organically be part of the classroom. As an example, we’ll look at a statistics project developed and implemented in both middle and high school mathematics classrooms that incorporates social issues. Students will be invited to share their experience, their understanding of mathematics, as well as the social impact of their work.
Estefania Hereira is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Flushing International High School in Queens.
Jennifer Parker is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Growing Up Green Charter School in Queens.
Let Them Speak: Student Discussion (Without You)
THURSDAY, APR 8 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
We want our students to discuss academic content and to learn from each other through discussion, yet we often struggle with how to teach students to have productive discussions. The Spider Web Discussion, a technique based on the Harkness Method and described by Alexis Wiggins in her book, The Best Class You Never Taught, provides a way to teach the crucial “soft skills” students need to be successful. These discussions can be utilized in any setting, including the virtual classroom, and are completely student-driven. They provide accountability and opportunities for student growth through multiple iterations with both self and groupreflection. In this workshop, teachers will experience a Spider Web Discussion themselves, then brainstorm ways to adapt these discussions for their classrooms. This session will be beneficial for all teachers, with any level of familiarity with Spider Web Discussions.
Jesse Markowitz is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at Science and Technology Academy: A Mott Hall School in the Bronx.
March Mammal Madness
Facilitators: MƒA Early Career Teachers Stephen Kos and Emily Schmidt, Ph.D.
TUESDAY, FEB 23 ONLINE
SCIENCE
“Who would win in a fight - a tiger or a lion?” If your students haven’t asked this exact question, they’ve probably asked something similar. Young people are innately curious about the natural world, and with March Mammal Madness (MMM), you can harness the power of this curiosity to teach them about animal adaptations and more. Each February, the scientists behind MMM publish a bracket that pits mammals, and the occasional “alt-mammals,” against each other in a hypothetical tournament similar to college basketball’s March Madness. Students of all ages conduct research on the animals to make their predictions and then watch the virtual battles play out on Twitter throughout March and early April. In this workshop, science teachers will learn how the tournament works, make their own predictions in a mini-bracket, and share ideas for using MMM in their classrooms as soon as the 2021 bracket drops!
Stephen Kos is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math High School in Manhattan.
Emily Schmidt is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at The Bronx High School of Science in the Bronx.
Matters of the Heart
MONDAY, APR 12 ONLINE
SCIENCE
An estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease cases are preventable, and yet heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. Join us in this workshop as we navigate the human heart and learn about the role of cholesterol in heart health. We will begin by analyzing data from journal articles and case studies and discuss how the symptoms of heart disease are detected, evaluated, and treated. We will then explore virtual activities including a microscopic examination of atherosclerotic aorta cross-sections, an enzymelinked immunosorbent assay to quantify cholesterolcarrying lipoprotein particles, and a microarray analysis to confirm familial hypercholesterolemia. Throughout, teachers will receive guidance and curricular resources to successfully facilitate these activities in their classrooms. This course is best suited for high school life science teachers.
Jerry Citron, Jason Econome, and Jeffrey Horenstein are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
MƒA Tech Night
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Amy Lee, Alexander Lord, and Gabe Rosenberg, Ph.D.
TUESDAY, FEB 9 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Join us for MƒA Tech Night as we explore digital tools to support feedback, collaboration, and discussion in synchronous and asynchronous classrooms. Teachers will learn by doing as they hear from their colleagues who will share tips, tricks, and strategies to maximize these technologies in any STEM classroom. These presentations will be quick overviews of various tools with a chance to ask questions, rather than in-depth explorations. All teachers are welcome!
Amy Lee is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Queens High School for Language Studies in Queens.
Alexander Lord is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Francis Lewis High School in Queens.
Gabe Rosenberg is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Bard High School Early College in Manhattan.
Middle School Math Teams
THURSDAY, APR 29 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
In this workshop, we’ll explore ways of engaging middle school mathematics students of all abilities to build confidence, improve attitudes towards mathematics, and develop problem-solving skills. Whether you are in a position to begin a math team or circle, or just looking to add meaningful enrichment within your classroom, we will look at ways to do both. We’ll start by exploring various online math team resources geared toward middle school students, including MathCounts and Art of Problem Solving. Then, we will practice different formats for running a mathematics meeting, such as
relays, circles, and games. Next, we will review the many local and national competitions available. Finally, we will address ways to engage students both virtually and in-person and consider teachers’ unique settings and needs. This workshop is geared towards middle school mathematics teachers, but all teachers are welcome to join.
Johanna Cinquegrana is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at New Explorations into Science, Technology and Math High School in Manhattan.
The Molecular Taxonomy of Innocence or Guilt p Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Shangaza Banfield
THURSDAY, MAR 11 ONLINE
SCIENCE
In taxonomy, organisms are classified based upon their physical appearance. In the case of law enforcement, the classification of suspects into categories of innocence or guilt are also often based upon physical characteristics, drawn out by various pieces of evidence. For many of these suspects, they have been placed in correctional facilities in large part due to eyewitness accounts. However, the evolution of DNA technology allows scientists to use DNA fingerprinting to provide important information about a suspect’s genetic sequence. Organizations such as the Innocence Project use DNA fingerprinting to free individuals who were erroneously convicted based upon eyewitness accounts. In this single session, we will explore whether or not eyewitness accounts should be the sole evidence required for an indictment, use DNA fingerprinting to solve a case, and have the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker and exoneree from the Innocence Project!
Shangaza Banfield is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
Ms. Frizzle-ify Amplify
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Mike Fernandez and Michelle Simeon
TUESDAY, MAR 16 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Are you hungry for fresh, exciting science activities based on extraordinary phenomena? While the Amplify curriculum provides a wealth of resources to students and teachers, it often feels as if the laboratory activities and the “wow!” of hands-on science are lacking. In this workshop, we will dive right in and sample hands-on activities inspired by San Francisco’s Exploratorium that can easily be integrated into middle school Amplify units. Activities will focus on photosynthesis, ocean acidification, evolution, bacterial growth, and density. We will explore the activities with digital learning tools to make them more accessible during remote instruction and to increase student engagement. Even if your school has not adopted the Amplify platform, this workshop will help you develop ways to incorporate engaging, rigorous, and simple-to-prepare laboratory activities for your science classroom. All elementary, middle, and high school science teachers are welcome.
Mike Fernandez is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at The School for Human Rights in Brooklyn.
Michelle Simeon is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts in Manhattan.
The Mystery of Dark Matter
Facilitator: Perimeter Institute Researcher-TBD
THURSDAY, APR 29 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Are you looking for new ways to connect your students with current physics research? Then join us as we explore how classical physics and graphing concepts contributed to Vera Rubin’s discovery of dark matter. In this workshop, teachers will collect observations as they perform an experiment on uniform circular motion. The experiment can be used to introduce students to modern science, and is one of many resources found in The Mystery of Dark Matter curriculum, a collaborative product between classroom teachers and Perimeter Institute researchers. These resources will be most useful to high school physics teachers, but all physical science teachers are welcome to attend.
This course will be facilitated by a researcher from the Perimeter Institute. Perimeter Institute is a leading center for scientific research, training, and educational outreach in foundational theoretical physics. Founded in 1999 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, its mission is to advance our understanding of the universe at the most fundamental level, stimulating the breakthroughs that could transform our future. Perimeter also trains the next generation of physicists through innovative programs and shares the excitement and wonder of science with students, teachers, and the general public.
New York Botanical Gardens Virtual Tour: History Through Glaciers
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Ramona Fittipaldi and Andrew Mittiga
TUESDAY, MAY 11 ONLINE
SCIENCE
Let’s take a virtual field trip to the beautiful Bronx River Gorge located in the heart of the New York Botanical Garden. Together, we will explore the ancient rock outcrops that have been shaped both by the Bronx River and the last period of glaciation. Utilizing a virtual field guide, videos and photographs of glacial erratics, potholes, and examples of mechanical and chemical weathering, we will provide you with the resources and tools to lead your own virtual or in-person field trip to the Bronx.
Ramona Fittipaldi is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem in Manhattan.
Andrew Mittiga is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem in Manhattan.
Press Record: Making Your Instruction Work on Video
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Daniel Horowitz and Jake Leibold
THURSDAY, FEB 25 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a huge shift in teaching practice. One of the best ways to keep instruction effective and familiar for students learning from home is for a teacher to create their own videos. There are many great tools out there to help make this possible, but it can be difficult to find the time to explore and gain confidence in learning to create video content. During this workshop, we will provide an overview and demonstration of four different tools - Loom, Educreations (only available on iPad), Explain Everything, and EdPuzzle. Teachers will have time to tinker with at least two of these programs during the session. At the heart of this work, we will look for ways to incorporate our personalities into the videos so students can still feel connected to their teachers and the content despite our physical distance. This session is best suited for people who have little-to-no experience with these tools.
Daniel Horowitz and Jake Leibold are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at M.S. 255 Salk School of Science in Manhattan.
Purposeful Collaboration in the Age of Social Distancing
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Kevin Ehly and Eddie Fletcher
TUESDAY, FEB 23 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Student collaboration has long been praised throughout educational circles as a valuable addition to learning experiences. But what is that value, and what makes it so special? How can we purposefully design collaborative activities that support learning and understanding without stifling student voices or comprehension? Join us as we delve into these questions and more. Especially given the context of remote learning, it is more important than ever that we are intentional in the ways we ask students to work together. Together, we will examine various ways collaboration can be leveraged to achieve and purposefully address our instructional goals.
Kevin Ehly and Eddie Fletcher are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at the Brooklyn Frontiers High School in Brooklyn.
Queer Your Classroom! p Facilitator: MƒA Early Career Teacher Jamie Kubiak
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Queer people are frequently marginalized in STEM classrooms. As educators, we have an opportunity to not only include, but also normalize, represent, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people in science and mathematics. This workshop is for any teacher (queer or ally) who wants to expand their knowledge and practice about how to best support, represent, and affirm queer students in their classrooms. By the end of this workshop, teachers will explore the problems that arise when queer students are not affirmed, identify areas of opportunity in STEM curricula, name and work on areas of improvement in practice, and begin to collaborate with teachers to redesign curriculum to be inclusive of queer identities. Teachers will leave with a comprehensive list of strategies for their classrooms and schools to make LGBTQIA+ students feel affirmed in their identities and not simply tolerated, but accepted. They will also leave feeling empowered to make simple, yet impactful, changes to their current curriculum (with access to a shared Google Drive of resources) and interactions with all students, queer and not.
Jamie Kubiak is an MƒA Early Career Teacher and science teacher at Park East High School in Manhattan.
Simple Mathematics for Leadership Decisions
Facilitator: Margaret Cheng
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Leaders make decisions. They decide on courses of action that respond to what has happened and what they predict to happen. They do this by interpreting the “signal” through the current over availability of information, and often the mathematics and logic they use is rather simple and elegant. In this workshop, we will explore concepts written about in Nate Silver’s book The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don’t. For example, we will look at the real business world applications of simple mathematics for leadership decisions and ways to evaluate decisions in order to make them better. This course is for any STEM teacher interested in these issues.
Margaret Cheng is currently a Director on Citigroup’s ICG Analytics team and holds an S.B. from MIT in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Standards-Based Grading Collaboration
MONDAY, MAR 1 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Standards-based grading (SBG) can be a real quagmire. It involves numerous variations, countless ways to assess, and multiple levels of granularity. But done well, SBG can also be a meaningful route to authentic assessment and a deeper understanding of our students’ learning. Join us in this workshop as we adapt current SBG practices to best serve our students’ needs. This session is ideal for any teacher currently implementing standards-based grading in their classroom.
Liz Maron is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Essex Street Academy in Manhattan.
Marisa Shuman is an MƒA Master Teacher and computer science teacher at Young Women’s Leadership School of the Bronx in the Bronx.
Statistics and Calculus: An Elegant Intersection
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Melanie Battles and Joseph Stern
MONDAY, APR 26 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Statistics and calculus are sometimes thought of as competing courses, but as subjects, they are very much intertwined as many advanced statistical concepts have deep roots in calculus. In this workshop, intended for high school mathematics and statistics teachers, we will explore problems in which statistical theory is applied to the real world and take a brief and lively tour of some sophisticated probability distributions in which calculus is a key ingredient. These will include hypergeometric, beta, and Poisson distributions, the Central Limit Theorem (revealing why the normal distribution is so ubiquitous), maximum likelihood estimates, and Bayesian methods. Statisticians and actuaries use these tools to model our daily experiences, and together, we will find out how. This workshop is best suited for those with a high-school level background in calculus and beyond, but there will be something for everyone to learn. All are welcome!
Melanie Battles is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn.
Joseph Stern is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
Step Into the Light! Spectrophotometry for Biology and Chemistry
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Felisa Lerum, Ph.D., and Suneeta Paroly, Ph.D.
MONDAY, MAR 15 ONLINE
SCIENCE
How can we use light to learn more about biology and chemistry? In this workshop, we will explore the use of spectrophotometry as an analytical tool in biology and chemistry experiments. We will use a guided-inquiry activity to introduce spectrophotometry and related principles such as Beer’s Law and absorption spectrum. We will also demonstrate a range of laboratory activities such as the investigation of enzymes, determination of cranberry juice concentration, and the kinetics of dye bleaching. We will conclude with a discussion on how these techniques can be used for building studentcentered projects for biology and chemistry students in both remote and in-person settings.
Felisa Lerum and Suneeta Paroly are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Bard High School Early College Queens in Queens.
Mathematics Instruction p Facilitators: Grace Kossia and Lisa Wang
TUESDAY, MAR 2 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
How might we use culturally responsive strategies to ensure all students are set up for success in mathematics? Join us as we explore the principles of culturally responsive teaching, mathematics lesson planning templates, and a rubric to evaluate existing lessons. The goal of this workshop is to support educators with practical, concrete steps for integrating culturally responsive methodologies into the classroom by exploring free, online resources designed by the education startup, Almost Fun. Teachers will review and provide feedback on Almost Fun’s personalized tool to support educators in culturally responsive lesson planning and gain familiarity with these resources for their immediate use. This workshop is designed for secondary school mathematics teachers.
Grace Kossia is the Chief Academic Officer of Almost Fun where she leads the development of curriculum content. Prior to joining the Almost Fun team, she spent four years in the classroom, where she worked diligently to develop and teach hands-on physics curricula. She received her training through the Harvard Teacher Fellows Program at Harvard University, where she also earned a master’s in teacher education and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.
Lisa Wang is the CEO of Almost Fun. Prior to joining Almost Fun, she was a product manager for Google Classroom, building education technology for teachers and students. While at Google, she also taught introductory computer programming and SAT prep through afterschool programs at Title I schools in New York City. She graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Computer Science and Math.
Teaching Mathematics Through Literacy
MONDAY, MAY 24 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Has reading a book ever inspired you to design a mathematics lesson? Students of all ages love to read
and be read stories of all kinds; funny, scary, or magical, and even graphic novels and manga. Storytelling has captivated audiences for ages, so why not use it to engage our mathematics students? In this workshop, we will read various mathematics books, including 100 Hungry Ants and the Manga Math Mysteries series to develop literacy-based activities for our students. This workshop will provide teachers with resources to engage students through literacy in order to maximize their understanding and make mathematical connections to their lives. This workshop is geared towards elementary and middle school teachers, but all are welcome on our mathematics literacy adventure.
Saida Atmaca is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at P.S. 049 Dorothy Bonawit Kole in Queens.
Amy Lee is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Queens High School for Language Studies in Queens.
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.
Teaching Online: Building Community Among Students in a Remote Class
Facilitator: Kristen Dotti
WEDNESDAY, FEB 10 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
In order to promote intellectual curiosity and advance the collective, individual participants must trust one another so they can take risks, offer ideas, disagree respectfully, and collaborate freely. Starting the semester with new students who are not meeting in-person presents some unique challenges. Even in a group already familiar with one another, this interdependence can be difficult. How might you build a collaborative culture in your online classroom? Teachers in this workshop will play the role of students meeting for the first time as a class. They will explore several activities they can reproduce in their classes that foster connection, ease, and familiarity. Interwoven in the activities will be skills required for learning in a synchronous and asynchronous classroom, so as teachers build a sense of community, they are simultaneously practicing and testing their ability to perform the skills required for future assignments.
Facilitator: Kristen Dotti
WEDNESDAY, MAR 10 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Online learning does not have to be devoid of depth; there are plenty of ways to hone your teaching skills and challenge your students within the confines of remote instruction. During this workshop, we will explore several assignments through the lens of a student to experience how higher-order thinking can be integrated into an asynchronous learning environment. Then, we will reflect on the methods that optimize participation, communication, collaboration, and depth of learning. We will conclude by considering “Dos and Dont’s” that pertain to distance learning and brainstorming the alignment of content and skills with the tools teachers have available.
Facilitator: Kristen Dotti
WEDNESDAY, MAR 3 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Online learning does not have to be devoid of depth; there are plenty of ways to hone your teaching skills and challenge your students within the confines of teaching remotely. In this workshop, we will explore techniques and best practices that foster higher-order thinking in a synchronous learning environment. Teachers will experience the effort, engagement, and critical thinking required as they examine several activities from the perspective of a student. We will also reflect on the methods that optimize participation, communication, collaboration, and depth of learning. We will conclude with a discussion of “Dos and Don’ts” that pertain to asynchronous lesson design and brainstorm how to align content and skills with the tools teachers have available.
Teaching Online: Tips and Tricks for Managing Your Remote Classroom
Facilitator: Kristen Dotti
WEDNESDAY, FEB 24 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
While many of us feel confident with the basics of remote instruction, there are still delays, hiccups, and a suite of things that can go wrong each time we start a synchronous lesson. These hurdles can leave us feeling like first year teachers all over again. How might we reestablish our mastery of teaching to create vibrant classrooms where our students apply knowledge, fully participate, and support each other’s growth? In this workshop, teachers will learn about and practice several techniques that can help make their remote classrooms run more smoothly, including tips and tricks to take the bumps out of basic procedures, as well as tools to build deeper connections with their students.
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.
Teaching to the Introverted Student in an Age of
Collaboration and Groupwork p Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Subarna Bhattacharyya and Sheri Greenspan
THURSDAY, APR 29 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Some of the world’s greatest thinkers were introverts, including Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. Our classes are filled with a vast array of personalities, yet education today is disproportionately geared to capitalizing on the comfort level and strengths of the extroverted student. There are many ways that curriculum can be designed to make sure that all personalities, including introverts and extroverts, are able to comfortably carry out their best work. Join us as we consider how we can give introverted students ways to thrive in the classroom, which will also help all of our students develop their greatness.
Subarna Bhattacharyya is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at the Fordham High School for the Arts in the Bronx.
Sheri Greenspan is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at the Academy of American Studies in Queens.
That’s Fake News! How to Decipher Mass Media in the Science Classroom
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers James Anderson and Jeanne Kopun
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 ONLINE
SCIENCE
We are fortunate to live in a time where information is freely available and at our fingertips. However, much of that information, especially science content, is often false or misleading. This has been especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic as we have witnessed a barrage of sensational and inaccurate news headlines. Science teachers are able to spot the many issues with such reporting, but can our students? In this workshop, we will work to find inaccuracies in news articles, determine which sources are reliable, and discuss how to teach these skills to our students. As they will become future voters and potential policy-makers, it is imperative they build strong scientific literacy and critical thinking skills. Teachers will leave this session with a toolbox for how to show students to identify inaccurate information in science media. Teachers will also understand how to best emphasize and articulate the importance of this skill. Science teachers of every subject and grade level are welcome.
James Anderson and Jeanne Kopun are MƒA Master Teachers and science teachers at Forest Hills High School in Queens.
Think Beyond the Square: Euclidean Geometry From 2D to 3D
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Iantha Chan and Isabella Shen
WEDNESDAY, JUN 9 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
In high school geometry, it’s common to cover two dimensional problems around distance, lines, and angles, but have you ever wondered how one might solve these relations in a three dimensional space? Would it be similar, or would it be different? In this workshop, we will use different modes of representation to solve cognitively demanding problems involving three dimensional and analytical geometry including proving parallel and perpendicular relationships, determining angle measurements, and finding the distance between lines and planes. This workshop is best suited for high school mathematics teachers, but all teachers are welcome to attend.
Iantha Chan and Isabella Shen are MƒA Master Teachers and mathematics teachers at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn.
Tools for Teaching Science: Blending Intuition and Intention
Facilitator: Perimeter Institute Educator-TBD
MONDAY, MAR 1 ONLINE
SCIENCE
+ PLEASE NOTE: ALL TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE TOOLS FOR TEACHING SCIENCE RESOURCE PRIOR TO THE SESSION.
Do you want to take your synchronous lessons to the next level? Are you interested in creative ways to modify asynchronous activities? In this workshop, teachers will explore pedagogical strategies for enhanced online learning based on Perimeter Institute’s brandnew resource, Tools for Teaching Science. We will discuss how you can blend your teaching intuition with research-proven scientific intention using classroomready digital STEM activities. We will also examine how students learn best and how teachers can utilize pedagogical tools to maintain high quality teaching and learning during remote instruction. The ideas and teaching tools we discuss and share will be most relevant to middle and high school science teachers.
This course will be facilitated by an educator from the Perimeter Institute. Perimeter Institute is a leading center for scientific research, training, and educational outreach in foundational theoretical physics. Founded in 1999 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, its mission is to advance our understanding of the universe at the most fundamental level, stimulating the breakthroughs that could transform our future. Perimeter also trains the next generation of physicists through innovative programs and shares the excitement and wonder of science with students, teachers, and the general public.
Uncovering Student Thinking Using FACTs
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Rocheli Apilan and Maria Cheryl Diangco
WEDNESDAY, APR 21 ONLINE
INQUIRY, PRACTICE, AND LEADERSHIP
Are you looking for new techniques to elicit and identify student preconceptions? Then join us as we explore a rich repertoire of purposeful methods that weave formative assessment with learning targets. In this workshop, we will discuss new ideas on how to
integrate Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACTs) into our virtual or blended classrooms. FACTs are specific strategies that utilize an activity, process, or question to uncover student understanding, engage students, and encourage discussion. Teachers will collaborate to review and adapt an existing lesson using the tools of FACTs. By the end of the session, teachers will walk away with at least two FACTs they can easily implement in remote or hybrid settings. Science and mathematics teachers of all grade levels are invited to join.
Rocheli Apilan is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at the High School for Health Professions and Human Services in Manhattan.
Maria Cheryl Diangco is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at School for Classics High School in Brooklyn.
Facilitator: Tom Bijesse
TUESDAY, MAR 2 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Whether teaching virtually, in-person, or in hybrid settings, Google Classroom and Google Meets are valuable tools that support student growth and foster organized and efficient learning environments. In this workshop, we will discover the many ways in which Google Meets and Google Classroom can be utilized in the K-12 classroom. We will begin by interacting with the standard features of both tools, work our way up to some of the more advanced features that save time and energy, and set up systems that hold students accountable for their work. Whether you are just getting started or are hoping to learn new tips and tricks, this workshop is for you.
Tom Bijesse is a former NYCDOE computer science teacher and lifelong learner. Tom has led professional development for thousands of educators across three countries on a variety of technical subjects. He is a curriculum developer and trainer for Mouse, a NYC-based non-profit with a focus on Technology for Good.
Unlocking the Full Potential of Google Drive
Facilitators: Tom Bijesse
MONDAY, MAR 15 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Google Drive is an incredible tool for managing teacher and student work whether you are virtual, in-person, or in a hybrid setting. However, with the continual addition of new features and tools, it can be difficult to keep up! In this workshop, we will start with the basics of Google Drive, including Docs, Jamboard, Sheets, and Quizzes and then experiment with more advanced features such as translating documents, advanced equations in docs/ sheets, and more! Whether you are new to Google Drive or hoping to learn new tips and tricks, this workshop is for you.
Tom Bijesse is a former NYCDOE computer science teacher and lifelong learner. Tom has led professional development for thousands of educators across three countries on a variety of technical subjects. He is a curriculum developer and trainer for Mouse, a NYC-based non-profit with a focus on Technology for Good.
Using Screencastify to Enhance Instruction
Facilitator: MƒA Master Teacher Lauren Friedman
MONDAY, FEB 8 ONLINE
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
+ PLEASE NOTE: SCREENCASTIFY IS COMPATIBLE WITH MOST DEVICES RUNNING THE DESKTOP VERSION OF GOOGLE CHROME WHICH DOES INCLUDE SOME TABLETS. SCREENCASTIFY IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH MOBILE DEVICES.
Incorporating videos into the classroom has become exponentially more important over the last year. Screencastify is a helpful add-on to your browser that makes it easy to record, edit, and upload personalized videos to various platforms. The goal of this workshop is to discuss and develop ideas for using Screencastify to integrate videos and enhance instruction. We will start with an overview of the add-on and learn how to record videos followed by work in small groups to practice and learn more about Screencastify. We then will come back together to discuss how to best use these videos in our classrooms, whether in a synchronous or asynchronous setting. Teachers will be provided with resources to continue work with Screencastify after the session is complete. This workshop is suitable for all teachers.
Lauren Friedman is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island.
Using Virtual Manipulatives as Problem-Solving Tools in Mathematics
Facilitator: Anne Burgunder
MONDAY, MAR 15 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Manipulatives have the potential to deepen learning in the mathematics classroom but often are used for the purpose of procedural mimicry. Students can use manipulatives as problem-solving tools that allow them to construct and interpret mathematical ideas. Using multiple, simultaneous representations, including manipulatives, should be central to learning mathematics and they serve as an important vehicle for communicating mathematical ideas. “Learning to construct and interpret representations involves learning to participate in the complex practices of communication and reasoning in which the representations are used.” (Greeno and Hall, 1997) In this workshop, we will explore ways in which virtual manipulatives can both deepen mathematical understanding and provide better access to critical ideas for a wide range of learners.
Anne Burgunder is widely regarded as a teacher’s teacher. Currently, she is a clinical faculty member of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education where she teaches mathematics methods courses and mentors student teachers in the field. Anne’s wide-ranging experience makes her a true mentor to new and seasoned teachers alike. She is dedicated to helping teachers increase student achievement through improved instruction and the development of pedagogical content knowledge.
“Wait, What Day of the Week Is It?”: The Doomsday Algorithm
TUESDAY, JUN 1 ONLINE
MATHEMATICS
Have you ever wondered on which day of the week you were born, if Christmas will fall on a Monday next year, or if New Year’s Eve will be on a Friday? The Doomsday algorithm is a simple yet elegant way to quickly answer these questions and more. The algorithm, devised by the late John Conway in 1973, draws inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s perpetual calendar algorithm. Join us as we practice using the algorithm, study the patterns that underlie it, and consider other methods for determining the day of the week. You will leave this workshop with a fun activity to use with students while enjoying a relaxing evening of mathematics with your colleagues. This session is open to all teachers.
Arup Mukherjee is an MƒA Master Teacher Emeritus and mathematics teacher at Bard High School Early College Queens in Queens.
Where Can Citi Bike Take You?
Facilitators: MƒA Master Teachers Mimi Ong Ante and Mimi Prabhu
TUESDAY, MAR 23 ONLINE
SCIENCE
The buzz of the city: cars, pedestrians, joggers, construction, outdoor dining, other cyclists - is there anything a NYC bike rider cannot handle? Cyclists must continually collect data as they assess their surroundings and safety, but did you know Citi Bike also collects data? For every ride, over twenty points of data are gathered and anyone can easily download and analyze this information. If you have been looking for new ways to bring data and statistics into your classroom, then join us as we explore the Citi Bike database to design project-based opportunities for your students. By bringing this database into your curriculum, students will utilize both mathematics and science to analyze data to improve their communities and propose new spaces, docks, and routes for bike sharing, while also considering carbon offset and other environmental impacts. This course is best suited for high school science teachers looking to integrate local sustainability issues and statistical analysis into their curricula.
Mimi Ong Ante is an MƒA Master Teacher and mathematics teacher at Hunter College High School in Manhattan.
Mimi Prabhu is an MƒA Master Teacher and science teacher at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan.
