TIP Celebrates the Completion of Two STEM Seminars December 11, 2023 – Posted in: Uncategorized

The culminating celebration for TIP’s fall 2023 seminars will be held on December 20th from 5-7pm at Silverman Forum at Penn GSE’s Stiteler Hall. The event will mark the completion of the two STEM-focused seminars held this semester: Children’s Environmental Health taught by Marilyn Howarth, Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacology, and The Science, Engineering, and Operation of Drones taught by Dinesh Thakur, Consulting Director at the Pennovation Center.

The celebration will honor the exceptional achievements of these TIP fellows, who are School District of Philadelphia teachers, in extending the breadth of their knowledge and delivering new information to their students. Fellows representing each seminar will speak about the work participants have done and the units of study they wrote based on their new knowledge.

TIP fellows appreciated the chance to learn with experts. Fellow Christopher Sweeney, a teacher a Baldi Middle School, noted that the seminar leaders are “…leaders in their research in their individual fields, and the knowledge and information they give District teachers cannot be matched in other programs.”

Justin Guida, who teaches STEM at Southwark School, commented on the insights he gained from his TIP experience. “It’s been eye opening seeing this world that educators do not typically get to see,” said Guida. He hopes to teach his students that “…even if you are not an expert now, you can learn and experiment, create, and iterate your way to being one.”

In addition to offering technical knowledge and basic science that fellows can incorporate into their teaching, fellows also reported that TIP has strengthened their morale and interpersonal connection. “Each TIP seminar offers a new approach to academic content that’s always exciting to share, but it’s really the emotional learnings that have been most important for me,” TIP Fellow and National Steering Representative Chloe Glynn said.

TIP fellows remarked on the unique opportunity the program provides. Said Guida, “to put it into context for anyone on the fence about joining a TIP seminar: if you are ready to be challenged, engaged, and to grow as an educator, this is the most useful professional development I have had the pleasure to be a part of.”