TOPS Program for Physics Majors

June 26 – August 9, 2016

TOPS is a six-week summer program for physics majors who are considering careers in teaching at the pre-college level and are currently in their sophomore or junior year. The program is hosted by the MIT/Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms (CUA) and takes place at MIT. The goal of TOPS is to provide undergraduate students with an exceptional teaching experience that will reinforce their interest in pre-college teaching and help them to make an informed decision about pursuing a teaching career.

TOPS accepts eight undergraduates each summer. Participants work in two teams of four students. Each team works under the supervision of an experienced lead teacher. The teams design short courses that emphasize hands-on experience and then teach their courses to middle school and high school students. Participants learn about the opportunities and challenges of teaching and acquire skills and expertise that are most effectively transmitted by personal interactions in a small group setting.

The scientific focus is on topics of interest within the CUA, whose themes of light, heat, energy and atoms embody concepts of the physical sciences that naturally connect the CUA research to the core curricular topics.

Participants receive a stipend of $4,500, plus housing at MIT.

Participants should plan to arrive at MIT on Sunday June 26 and leave late afternoon August 9 or on August 10.

Activities Include:

• Developing hands-on learning material including demonstrations and laboratory sessions
• Participating in workshops on teaching techniques with the lead teachers
• Teaching in both the middle school and high school physics workshops
• Learning about the many teacher certification opportunities

TOPS Undergraduate Teaching Program Frequently Asked Questions

Application

To download the application, click the link: TOPSUndergrad2016application

Applications are due February 1, 2016

Article on TOPS

A genuine teaching experience