Introducing Steve Cooney

 Teaching is a second career for me after 20+ years in the construction industry.

I've taught at DVFS for 16 years, mostly math, 11 years as the department head, the last 2 years I've taught a hands-on physics course to 9th graders.

With a student population of bright, (average to above average IQ) LD students (ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Disgraphia, etc) our curriculum provides the kids with an activity to reinforce all of the lessons.  I use the curriculum to help them learn to use appropriate compensatory skills for their particular learning style.

I spend about 1/3 of the year teaching data collection and analysis, teaching Excel and introducing our physics software Logger Pro from Vernier.  The rest of the year we explore the world of physics using Vernier's hardware and software.  The equipment is good enough to verify a concept such as Energy = 1/2*mass*velocity^2 to 57/10,000 of a unit.  The real time data collection is an eye opener for the students, helping to keep them engaged.

Math is everywhere and physics uses math to describe the world around us.