Hamilton Chemistry Teacher, Anthony Favero Honored

Even after teaching chemistry for more than 30 years, Anthony Favero has still got the right mix. The Hamilton High School teacher recently garnered a national award, commending him for his exemplary work in the chemistry field.

Favero was the 2008 recipient of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Education Northwest Region Award for Excellence in High School Teaching. He was one of two recipients from the nine states that encompasses the northwest region.

“It’s very humbling in a way,” Favero said.

Favero has been teaching chemistry and physics at HHS for 21 years. The Butte native has been teaching a grand total of 36 years. This is the first time Favero has received this award.

WHITNEY BERMES – Ravalli Republic

Full Story: http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2008/07/23/news/news32.txt

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"Rob and Terry Ryan’s Generous Support Continues to Inspire Montana’s Future Leaders at Hamilton High in Montana"

“Because my participation in several workshops over the past eight years, I am convinced of the effectiveness of inquiry based science instruction. The basic premise of inquiry based instruction is that students build a deeper level of understanding of course content and develop higher level thinking skills when they arrive at science concepts through hands-on experimentation and interpretation of the data they have gathered.

In order for effective inquiry based instruction to happen, students must be supplied with equipment and materials that with will provide them with the data that will lead them to the concept they are attempting to develop. Such equipment today means in part technology. The Ryan grant has allowed me to purchase the type of technology that allows my students to easily and very successfully gather data that leads them to some of the most essential principles in chemistry and physics. Specific examples of this are instances that have taken place in my Physics class within the last several weeks:

1. In past years I would lecture my students about a quantity known as specific heat when we study thermal energy.

This year, my students, using lap top computers, a Vernier Lab Pro (a computer interface), a digital thermistor, a digital heat pulser, and an immersion heater, gathered data, interpreted data and arrived at their own definition of specific heat. I have not doubt that they have a better understanding of that concept. In the process of interpreting the data they did some deep level thinking.

2. In past years I would demonstrate and then describe for my students what constitutes simple harmonic motion.

This year, using a lap top computer, a Vernier Lab pro and a digital motion detector, my students simultaneously observed the motion and real time graphs representing different aspects of the motion.

From their analysis of these graphs, they derived their personal description of what constitutes simple harmonic motion.

Through additional Ryan grant given last year, I was able to purchase digital projectors for both my chemistry and physics lab rooms.

The acquisition of those projectors has allowed me to utilize internet websites that provide animations and simulations of scientific principles that I could never demonstrate in any other way for my students. This visualization, I am sure, provides better comprehension for all my students but especially those who are visual learners. I am deeply grateful to Ryan’s for their generosity. I have no doubt that their generosity is having very serious impact on the students in my classes.”

Sincerely,

Tony Favero, Chemistry and Physics Teacher, Hamilton High School

http://matr.net/article-29104.html