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About SCH
Faculty and Staff Directory
Faculty and Staff Directory
Our passionate and progressive faculty
An Interview With Erik Dreisbach, Middle School for Girls Science Teacher
I’ve always believed that a good science classroom should look like an art studio. It needs to be a hands-on place, with the tools of science readily available for use. I’m so thankful that SCH provides its science teachers with such tools, ranging from the complex, like the electrophoresis chambers the girls used in seventh grade this year, to the simple, such as the hundreds of rubber bands the girls use for the memorable “Bungee Barbie” activity.
I first try to create an environment where girls get excited about the science world around them. Then I try to teach them the skills and provide the tools so that they can explore this world and answer the questions that their curiosity creates.
What are the most powerful learning tools you use in your classroom?
I’ve always believed that a good science classroom should look like an art studio. It needs to be a hands-on place, with the tools of science readily available for use. I’m so thankful that SCH provides its science teachers with such tools, ranging from the complex, like the electrophoresis chambers the girls used in seventh grade this year, to the simple, such as the hundreds of rubber bands the girls use for the memorable “Bungee Barbie” activity.
An Interview With Betty Ann Fish, Chair of the Girls' Physical Education Department
In March 2015, Fish was recognized as the National Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators).
In March 2015, Fish was recognized as the National Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators).
What brought you to teaching PE?
I became a physical education teacher because I love physical activity and sharing my enthusiasm with others. I love to be moving and was never one to sit still. I wanted to be outside or on a court playing any sport. My parents’ encouragement and support made it possible for me to follow my dream. In middle school, I had two female physical educators who encouraged me to pursue my passion and recognized the joy I found when playing on a team. In college, I had a supervising professor that set the bar high and encouraged me not to take the easy road, paving the way for my career.
An Interview With James Martin, Upper School Science and Robotics
What are the greatest challenges in teaching your subject and how are you addressing these?
Physics is a challenging subject for even the best of students—it’s highly dependent upon a strong grasp of math, requires both critical and abstract thinking, and is often very conceptual, since students are currently unable to see or touch particles, quantum mechanics, or nano-materials, for example. However, physics, like most sciences, is best understood by actively participating in directed experimentation and discovery.
The inquiry-based learning encouraged by SCH’s physics curriculum allows our students to actively experiment, arrive at conclusions supported by data they’ve collected, and develop strong critical-thinking skills. Using the technology provided by the Science Department and the Innovation and Technology Department, we are able to experiment daily, capturing data live. Students see, right before their eyes, the relationships between the physical phenomena and the mathematical equation describing it.
Mailing Address: 500 West Willow Grove Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
Main Reception: 215-247-4700 | Campus Security: 267-246-8427
| GPS & Campus Map |
Main Reception: 215-247-4700 | Campus Security: 267-246-8427
| GPS & Campus Map |
