Physics Master Teacher Leadership

The AAPT recognizes the role of teacher leadership and its potential for positively impacting science education. The AAPT/AIP Master Teacher Policy Fellowship is a direct outgrowth of the AAPT Physics Master Teacher Leader Task Force instated in 2016 to provide strategic direction to AAPT's national activities.

AAPT/AIP Master Teacher Policy Fellowship

Summer 2019 (dates TBD) - Anticipated, Washington, DC

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*Applications for Summer 2019 will formally open in December 2018. However, you are welcome to see last year's application in preparation for your application for next year's program. 

Description: The purpose of this fellowship, funded by the AIP Venture Partnership Fund, is to engage current and prior K-12 classroom teachers of physics and physical science as agents of change in physics education. Funding is provided for travel, meals, and double-occupancy accommodations necessary for a summer workshop in Washington, DC.

Meet the 2018 AAPT/AIP Master Teacher Policy Fellows! From July 21-28, the policy fellows visited Washington, DC to think strategically about issues that affect physics education in their local and state contexts. Following the first summer workshops, participants will be expected to carry out their strategic plans for policy engagements during the 2018-2019 academic year before returning to DC for a follow-up workshop in summer 2019. See the full program description and eligibility requirements here.

Physics Master Teacher Leader Task Force

Over 43 current or prior physics teachers, including teacher educators, physics education researchers, and policy leaders, have contributed to this project since early 2016.

Recognizing the need for networked physics teacher leadership to improve the quality and quantity of K-12 physics education, the AAPT selected a group of 17 Physics Master Teacher Leaders (PMTLs) supported by 13 teacher advisory members and a team of leadership advisory members.This task force was asked to develop a strategic plan to "create a new set of aspirational and coherent professional development and leadership models for the K-12 physics education community," and resulted in a major report, Aspiring to Lead. This project has been supported through a number of 100Kin10 Collaboration Grants and funds allocated by the AAPT Board of Directors.

Report: Aspiring to Lead - Engaging K-12 Teachers as Agents of National Change in Physics Education

Program Design: Based upon the report, the team proposes to design three programs that address the three priority areas set forth in the report.

Research Plan: These priority areas and associated programs call for additional educational research that focuses on both teacher leader network analysis, as well as contextualized studies on specific types of teacher leadership engagement.

List of Meetings:

• Seed Meeting: March 1-2, 2016 → Microchip Whitepaper
• Virtual Meetings: July-November 2016
• Enhancing the Teacher Voice in Policy Making Related to Implementation of K-12 Engineering Education Workshop at National Academies: September 30 - October 1 2016 → Proceedings (AAPT mention of Physics Master Teacher Leader Task Force on pg. 12)
• Summit Face-to-Face: December 2-3, 2016
• Aspiring to Lead Report Release: May 2017 → Report
• Teacher Leader Agency and Advocacy (TLAA) Working Group: May 22-23, 2017
• Teacher Preparation and Retention Program (TPReP) Working Group: July 1-2, 2017
• Physics at All Levels (PALs) Working Group: September 22-23, 2017
• Report Presentation to National Science Foundation: October 18, 2017 → Presentation Slides

 2018 AAPT/AIP Master Teacher Policy Fellows


Click to download this report


Appendix A