• Welcome to STC
• About STC
• FAQs about STC
• Application to STC
• Science Teacher Requirements
• STC Seminar
What We Do
• Staff Directory
• Teacher's Web Resources
• Current Events
• Professional Development of Science
Teachers
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ISS/Fair 2005
Investigative Science
Symposium/Fair
• ISS/Fair 2004
• ISS/Fair 2003
• ISS/Fair 2002
• Thomas A. Gardner Science
Teacher Endowment Fund
QC Secondary Education Dept.
QC Physics Department
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Do you wish to: Support the next generation of informed citizens who
are able to ask the critical questions affecting their own lives: questions
of their health, nutrition, medicine and of their local environment, of
technology and its benefits and drawbacks, and questions of legislators and
elected officials drafting the legislation and presenting plans for
developments which may affect all our lives? |
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Do you believe: that all high school students need to understand the
concepts and the methods of science to foster their analytical thinking and
to prepare them to live in an increasingly complex world of science and
technology? |
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Do you believe that all responsible citizens should have the critical
thinking tools to analyze scientific, medical, technological, economic and
even political assertions/claims? |
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Do you want to support the learning of critical thinking and science
inquiry for all high school teachers and their students? |
WHAT WE DO
1. We prepare, together with the Science Education program of SEYS, pre-service
high school science teachers to become initially certified in NY State and
knowledgeable in the methods of science inquiry and critical thinking and especially
encourage women and minority applicants.
2. We organize and host
Investigative Science Fairs (ISS/Fair) for Queens high school
students.
3. For in-service high school teachers we structure
Professional Development Workshops,
STC Seminars,
and courses, e.g.
Physical Science 501 — all of these focussed on investigative
science and science inquiry teaching methods.
The major goal of Science Teacher Careers together with the Science Education program of SEYS
is the development of secondary school science teachers in the skills necessary to incorporate
science inquiry [the methodology of science] and critical thinking into the
science curriculum. These skills enable students to learn and understand
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science more deeply AND to ensure they acquire the analytical tools needed
to approach problems of all kinds (social & economic), not only science
problems. Many teachers have had little experience in investigative
science, i.e. science inquiry, as described in the National Science
Education Standards. It is a comprehensive method of
teaching science which encourages the student to investigate a
‘question' into a significant science conceptual area. It requires the
students to do research, to work in collaboration with others and to record
their procedures, data and their thoughts. |
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Profiles of some STC members:
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Some participants are undergraduate science majors and many have degrees and
have been professionals in a variety of fields: environmental consultant,
advertising professional, legal secretary, airport meteorologist, NYC
fireman, marine engineer, emergency medical technician, NYC park ranger,
nuclear engineer, airline flight attendant, physical therapy assistant,
nutritionist, nurse, and more. They come from many countries of the
world. |
RP, A LaGuardia Airport meteorologist works nights until 6 AM and
then attends QC to complete science and education courses to become
certified as an Earth Science Teacher. He has two children: one and four
years old. "It is my firm belief that a person who becomes a teacher later
in life will be more tempered and seasoned...and be able to draw on prior
professional experience to become a richer science teacher."
CF, AAS in Medical Technology, is mother of three daughters, girl
scout leader and amateur astronomer, and recently graduated as a certified
Earth Science teacher. She took science and education courses one or two at
a time and needed seven years to complete her degree.
RL, Business Administration/Physical Therapy Program. "It is my hope
that my enjoyment for science will be contagious to my students."
TB, Political Science/Biology & Culinary Institute of America. "I
want to teach science to encourage students to become critical thinkers and
investigators, sensitive, aware, careful yet bold....I want to make science
approachable and fun."
LF, Physical Therapy Asst., is married with two teenage children and
taking evening courses. "I believe I have a better understanding today about
the adolescent years and wish to use my life experiences & training to
encourage and guide my students."
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