PTSOS: Support for new physics teachers
Paul Robinson, Dan Burns and Stephanie Finander conducted three New Teacher Workshops last year at Los Gatos High School as part of the Physics Teacher SOS program. Over 120 teachers from all over Northern California attended the workshops. Although teachers do not receive a stipend for attending, they gave out over $15,000 of instructional supplies and demonstration equipment. Teachers came from nine different area codes, one from Chico and another from the Sierra foothills (a 3 hour drive). Several teachers come all the way from Los Angeles! While most were high school teachers, several junior high and and college teachers participate as well. This year PTSOS will conduct 4 workshops instead of the usual 3 giving more teachers the opportunity to participate as well as providing more time for hands-on activities like the popular liquid nitrogen labs.
This year will be our 10th year conducting workshops and reaching out to new teachers and teachers new to teaching physics. Although teaching physics can be challenging, it is also very rewarding. The PTSOS program is funded by a grant from the Karl Brown Foundation as well as other anonymous donors.
Information: ptsos.org
First time attendance at NCNAAPT is free
All teachers, new or veteran, are invited to attend their first NCNAAPT meeting/conference free of charge (you’ll still have to pay for your lunch). Our meeting/conference calendar can be found here.
Other resources:
We have a page dedicated to Becoming a Physics Teacher loaded with information and resources for new (or veteran) physics teachers.