A successful collaboration between three B-P middle school teachers has earned them the prestigious opportunity to present a workshop at the University at Albany for the first New York Teachers Summit on Monday, Oct. 9. This event is sponsored by the State University of New York and will bring together 2,500 teachers at nine locations across the state.
Math teacher Nichole Sullivan and science teachers Michael Nacheman and Anita Stabrowski are presenting about how they work to integrate math and science lessons. Integrating lessons across subject areas allows students to make connections between classes and deepen their understanding of the concepts.
“There are so many math and science concepts that are connected and they have such similar vocabulary. That’s why it’s so important for us to make sure that we approach similar concepts the same way and teach using the same vocabulary,” Nacheman said.
Nacheman, Sullivan and Stabrowski spent much of the last year concentrating efforts to integrate math and science lessons in their respective classrooms. One example is how the teachers have aligned their lingo and approach to teaching the formula to calculate volume. In the past, the formulas have been different depending on which classroom you were in. Now, each teacher uses the same approach and same vocabulary.
Stabrowski said the collaboration has resulted in “tremendous success” when it comes to students’ understanding of their schoolwork. She said the key was talking, and more importantly, listening to her peers.
“The State University of New York — in partnership with our campuses across the state — is convening a statewide summit to connect our best and brightest teachers with a vast network of their peers,” according to the event’s website. “Thousands of teachers from across New York State will come together at local SUNY campuses to connect passion with purpose, grow beyond boundaries, honor collective experiences, and move forward in uplifting the teaching profession.
For more information on the summit visit: www.suny.edu/NYTeachersSummit.