What is AMTA?

Of Teachers, By Teachers, For Teachers

AMTA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by teachers with the mission of providing professional development designed to help teachers implement Modeling InstructionTM in their classrooms. Teachers learn to help students plan and conduct data collection, analyze data, and share their findings in order to develop conceptual models that help them make sense of phenomena they observe.

Emphasis is placed on promoting classroom discussion in which the students arrive at a set of representations (a diagram, a graph and an equation) for the model they have created, then deploy the model in a series of related tasks.

This classroom dynamic is very different from the typical school culture, and requires teachers to develop skills in redirecting student questions to the group rather than simply giving the answers. To become proficient in the implementation of this pedagogy requires time and practice.

AMTA offers a number of experiences including face-to-face workshops, distance-learning courses and customized training which are aligned with NGSS Science and Engineering Practices.  AMTA is a community of teachers dedicated to providing a wealth of instructional resources (curricular materials, webinars, short conferences and the ability to interact on various social media platforms) that will support teachers long after the training has been completed.

What is Modeling Instruction?

Modeling InstructionTM is a guided-inquiry approach to teaching science that organizes instruction around the handful of conceptual models that form the content core of the scientific disciplines. This method provides a framework for science instruction that approximates how scientists “do science.” Students build, test, and deploy conceptual models of physical relationships. Research has shown that students in Modeling Instruction classrooms perform significantly better on measures of conceptual knowledge than similar students in traditional science classrooms.  Follow this link for more information.

What’s Happening?

Resources to Learn and Improve the Practice of Modeling Instruction

Membership in the AMTA Modeling Teacher community includes: Professional Development Offerings, Community Events, Classroom-ready Teacher Resources as well as Research on Modeling Instruction.

Community Events

AMTA offers webinars to members and support is provided to Modeling teacher members through Professional Learning Communities and book clubs. In the Fall of 2024 we have webinars scheduled on [...]

What our members have to say

  • Modeling encourages cooperation and discourse about complicated ideas in a non-threatening, supportive environment.

    Kelli W. Arizona Physics & Math Instructor
  • Modeling has led me to the scientific practice of science education. It helps me focus on what helps my students learn.

    Jim D. Kansas STEM teacher
  • Modeling Instruction has changed the way I teach Chemistry. [It] is a very student-centered approach to teaching and I firmly believe that it is the best way to teach. 

    Gerri S. Tennessee Chemistry Instructor
  • I was late about 10 minutes due to a meeting in the office ...students had picked up right where we left off the day before.  One student was acting as moderator.  Teams had whiteboards.  They had created their own review problem and posted it on the front board.

    LISTSERV post Chemistry Modeling
  • I believe the methods and philosophy of Modeling Instruction have changed physics teaching and have made physics more accessible for all students.

    Karie M. Arizona Physics Instructor
  • Modeling is how I became interested in physics as a high school student in the early 1990s.  More students should have this powerful science experience!

    Melissa G. Arizona Physics Instructor
  • Modeling Instruction motivated me to step back and let students learn through inquiry and my career got a boost!

    Anonymous AMTA Donor STEM teacher

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