Seaford High School math and computer science teacher Ryan Stephens always wants to learn, and he was given a great opportunity to do just that when he was accepted into the New York State Master Teacher program.
Mr. Stephens has been teaching in Seaford for five years. This year, he teaches geometry, Introduction to Game Design and LIU Java Programming. He started the game design course, which focuses on the Python programming language.
The Master Teacher program is sponsored by the State University of New York and hosted locally by Stony Brook University. This year, 221 educators were selected, and Mr. Stephens will be part of the program for four years, receiving expanded opportunities for networking and professional development.
“What really piqued my curiosity was the opportunity to collaborate with other math and computer science teachers,” Mr. Stephens said. “I thought it would be a great way to learn new and engaging teaching strategies.”
Already, Mr. Stephens attended a six-hour conference on geometry through an algebraic approach. Workshops focused on bridging the gap between algebra and geometry, two consecutive high school math courses with very different content and concepts. Another conference he went to targeted STEM enrichment opportunities that students could do at home.
Mr. Stephens plans to bring the knowledge he acquires to other Seaford teachers and would like to lead STEM instruction workshops. After a few years in the Master Teacher program, he will also be able to lead regional training sessions.
He holds his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Joseph’s College along with school building and district leadership certificates. At Seaford High School, he is the adviser of the Computer Club, Mathletes and the National Honor Society. His Computer Club students are attending a coding competition on May 17.
Mr. Stephens said that his goal as a participant in the Master Teacher program is to add new strategies to his teaching toolbox.
“I hope that my students can get more hands-on and differentiated instruction,” he said, “because the program will teach me how to present the content in ways I may have never thought of.”
Date Added: 05/23/2023
