An opportunity of a lifetime

I teach two classes in particular that are related to aviation. The first is called Aerospace Engineering. It is a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) course. The second is called Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Aeronautics. Both classes are offered in the PLTW and STEM Magnet programs at South River High School in Edgewater, Maryland in the Anne Arundel County Public School district. The aeronautics class is a year long ground school to prepare future sport and private pilots for their FAA ground school exam. The aerospace engineering class covers all types of aircraft and forms of aviation; from airplane components to center of pressure of rockets to aerospace composites found on the space shuttle. Like any profession, I needed professional development in order to teach these content specific classes. With a technology education teacher background...I needed quite a bit of professional development. For the STEM Aeronautics class I could have read every book on aviation and flight to prepare me to teach the year long ground school class...but the STEM Magnet program had other plans. The STEM Magnet program offered to fund flight school training for sport pilot certification. I only had to agree to memorizing difficult flight maneuvers, studying and doing homework (even though I am a teacher) into the late hours of the evening, oh ya....and learn how to fly an airplane! Saying yes to the offer was one of the best decisions I have ever made.