The New Jersey Section
of the
American Association of Physics Teachers

       President’s Message
    September 2009

     Welcome back to a new school year and to a very exciting year of activities sponsored by the NJAAPT. With the changes in graduation requirements for high school students in our state, the question is going to be: “How will this effect physics?” Since it is now a requirement that all graduates complete three years of lab sciences, we must address the fact that physics is not specifically mentioned in the state recommendation. Biology and chemistry are singled out as two of the lab science and students must select another, but it does not have to be physics. Are you going to encourage students to take physics and, if they do, does your district have a sufficient number of physics teachers to cover the additional classes? This is where the NJAAPT can help. How can we assist? First. with your cooperation, we need to increase our membership and to that extent we have a proposal to extend your membership for a year with a program of enlisting you to bring in a new member. Please read the information in the newsletter relating to this issue and how it can benefit all of us!

              Second, providing workshops to enhance the teaching of physics has always been a primary function of the section. We have a core group of individuals who provide the opportunity for a make and take or presentations at the New Jersey Science Convention or sharing sessions throughout the year. We need you to encourage your fellow teachers to attend these events for the benefit of their students. We see the same faces and realize that others may like to come but are also teaching other subject areas and belong to other organizations, and if they are teaching one section of physics, then we are a low priority. We need to change that mindset to demonstrate that physics is an important aspect of their professional life. If you are teaching a subject, it is vitally important that you belong to a group that is related to your career. So. look at the information relating to the AAPT membership information in the newsletter.

              Third, by providing a section meeting in the spring, we can bring teachers together by addressing a theme that is of interest to all levels of physics teaching. Normally this meeting is held at Princeton University in March. However, this year we have joined with Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania to hold a joint meeting at LaSalle University in Philadelphia. More information is available later in the newsletter.

             Fourth, Bergen Community College has become a major site for a meeting in the fall for the past two years. With a Saturday afternoon program of speakers, it has been a success and will continue this year with the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the development of the telescope. Information on those events appears later in the newsletter as well.

            What else can we do for you? We want to hear from you either by email or at an executive board meeting. So many of you have much to offer to your colleagues, won’t you share yourself with them?

                                                         Ray Polomski, NJAAPT President

Click HERE to see the most recent NJAAPT Newsletter!