how can you benefit from the ptra program?

How Can You Benefit From The PTRA Program?Elaine Gwinn PTRABall State UniversityPhysTEC Physics Teacher In Residence

Indiana AAPT Spring Meeting

Rose Hulman, Terre Haute, IN

April 21, 2007

Physics Teaching Resource Agents Program

What is PTRA?

AAPT program that provides sustained professional development to teachers of physics and physical science

Nationwide cadre of over 100 accomplished high school teacher-leaders

A Call To Action – “A Nation at Risk”The National Commission on Excellence in Education April 1983

All, regardless of race or class or economic status, are entitled to a fair chance and to the tools for developing their individual powers of mind and spirit to the utmost. This promise means that all children by virtue of their own efforts, competently guided, can hope to attain the mature and informed judgment needed to secure gainful employment, and to manage their own lives, thereby serving not only their own interests but also the progress of society itself.

Of all the tools at hand, the public's support for education is the most powerful. In a message to a National Academy of Sciences meeting in May 1982, President Reagan commented on this fact when he said: “This public awareness--and I hope public action--is long overdue.... This country was built on American respect for education. . . Our challenge now is to create a resurgence of that thirst for education that typifies our Nation's history.”

History

“A Nation At Risk” – 1983PTRA developed - 1985Urban Initiative - 1997Rural Initiative - 2001

Goals of the PTRA Program

To give outstanding practicing teachers an opportunity to improve themselves professionally

PTRA can provide Professional Development Institutes:

One day workshops Week long workshops District professional development Cost is $10/hour/participant Graduate credit for over 40 hour

workshops

To develop AAPT/PTRA Manuals

Special Topics for PTRAsRole of active learning in physics teaching laboratory activities in introductory physics teaching demonstrations in introductory physics teaching graphing calculators in introductory physics (T1-83) toys for teaching physics calculator based laboratories in physics teaching lasers in teaching introductory physics physics in the mathematics classroom quantitative reasoning in teaching introductory physics chemistry in physics teaching computer interfacing in physics (PASCO) computer interfacing in physics (Vernier) physics in the human body

To do outreach workshops for teachers who have had limited opportunity to attend workshops related to the teaching of physics topics

To become the recognized provider of accessible, highest quality, physical science and physics pre-college teacher professional development workshops

TOPICS astronomy color & vision digital electronics elementary particles electric circuits electrostatics fluids geometric optics kinematics magnetism lightwave communication cosmology Newton's laws radioactivity simple machines vacuum science waves & sound physics of music phases of matter global positioning systems impulse & momentum

Supported byNSFAAPTIndustry Sponsors: Pasco, Vernier,

Texas Instruments, Dairy Queen, etc.

MSP grants are being used in states to help with training

To establish a system for the long term continuation of the AAPT/PTRA Project for providing accessible, highest quality, professional development for teachers of physical science and physics

What does PTRA Provide?

ResourcesCamaraderieProfessional Development

Where You’ll See PTRA

State/RegionalHASTI INAAPTNSTA

NationalNSTA

Sample Activity

Sample Activity

Sample Activity

PTRA Wants YOU

Become a PTRA

www.aapt.org/PTRAApplications due by end of March of

each yearMust have at least 5 years experienceMust have support from school

administration

Expectations for PTRAs

Attend the National Leadership Institute (held the week before the AAPT Summer Meeting

Be a resource for all teachers in geographic area

Conduct workshops (~ 12 hours/year)Local/stateNational

Attend a PTRA Workshop

State Summer 2008 Week long summer workshop Held at local university

Cost Housing Meals

Stipend/College credit Make-and-Takes

HASTI NSTA - Boston

Contact Information

Elaine Gwinn2006-2007 BSU Teacher-In-Residence

jegwinn@bsu.edu

Cooperating School: Shenandoah High School, Middletown, IN

jgwinn@shenandoah.k12.in.us

PhysTEC Funding Agencies

National Science Foundation Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education

Special thanks to Karen Jo Matsler for her help with this presentation.