Three Webb faculty members, Jack Franko, Stephen Shone and Anthony Mendez, attended the AP Summer Institutes at Woodward Academy during the summer months.
A collection of workshops offered for virtually every AP course that the College Board offers, each is a weeklong session focused specifically on one subject. The courses are taught by experts in the field.
“Bruce Damasio, a longtime economics teacher and consultant and a reader of the first AP Economics exams in 1989 taught the course. His perspective allowed us to learn both about the history and recent developments in the Microeconomics and Macroeconomics courses,” said Franko, math teacher. “I benefited from being surrounded by both new and veteran teachers of the course. A lot of people there had been teaching the subject for a few years but came to the workshop to learn about different teaching modalities.” He added, “The instruction was outstanding, and Damasio was both highly engaging and knowledgeable. Woodward's facilities were top-notch, and it seemed like teachers in other subjects had a similarly positive experience
Stephen Shone attended a BC Calculus Workshop. “I increased my knowledge ten-fold with the help of a veteran teacher Kenny Moore and 10 wonderful colleagues,” explained Shone. “We all helped each other with our vast experience and shared knowledge. We became a team and a powerful unit knowing we each would have an important task of teaching a difficult subject to young minds when we started the school year. We laughed, discussed various options to attacking an array of problems, and drew conclusions from our varied experiences.”
Shone said he “feels well prepared to teach our students at The Webb School. We will face many challenges together, yet I feel we will emerge victorious in our development, thought processes, and the deep understanding of advanced calculus topics. I look forward to this wonderful opportunity I have been given by our leadership team.”
Anthony Mendez said attending the AP Summer Institute at Woodward Academy was a game-changer for him as a physics teacher. “The five-day workshop provided immersive insights into effective AP Physics instruction, covering crucial areas such as College Board requirements, exam question analysis, lesson planning, labs, and collaboration.”
He added, “The workshop's hands-on approach to working with AP Exam questions was eye-opening. It equipped me with the skills to better guide my students through exam prep. The focus on planning instruction helped streamline my teaching approach without sacrificing engagement. A highlight was delving into lab design and execution. This aspect has always been a challenge, but the workshop provided practical strategies that will enhance my students' hands-on learning experiences. Armed with these newfound skills, I'm excited to implement dynamic teaching strategies in my AP Physics classroom. The workshop not only bolstered my confidence in meeting College Board standards but also empowered me to create an enriching learning environment that prepares my students for success, both in the AP Exam and their physics journey ahead.”