Mike Vargas, Author at STORIES FROM SCHOOL AZ

Purchase Order Woes

April 15, 2019Mike Vargas Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Web/Tech

Here is what drives me nuts about education finance. We are asked to operate as a business yet; we are not allowed to follow the same rules as businesses in regards to purchasing and acquisitioning. We need upgrades in how

EP KIDS

March 18, 2019Mike Vargas Uncategorized

Electronically Pacified Kids I have been teaching for 19 years now. When I first started teaching and coaching my students were engaged. I would create a lab or an experiment and they were totally tuned into what we were

AZ – SB 1051 – The High-Quality Teacher Pilot Program

January 18, 2019Mike Vargas Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Mathematics, Professional Development, Science, Teacher Leadership

SB1038 came about because Arizona schools were no longer offering physics. As teachers left, schools chose to eliminate programs as there was no one to teach this subject. We eventually got down to 159 certified and active physics teachers teaching

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The Push for Computational Physics and Mathematics

December 13, 2018Mike Vargas Uncategorized

Currently in physics land there is a push to merge computer science with physics. This idea is slowly starting to gather STEAM and the rewards of such a blend could have numerous benefits for everyone. So, imagine this. You

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Discipline and Grades Matter in Sports

November 15, 2018Mike Vargas Sports

This past week I was asked to coach basketball again at my old romping grounds at Scottsdale Community College. The alumni game is a new tradition that takes place every year prior to the regular season and I was

The Arizona Leaky STEM Pipeline

October 16, 2018Mike Vargas Current Affairs, Education, Education Policy, Elementary, Mathematics, Science, Social Issues, Uncategorized

My wish for the next group of elected state officials is to adopt a growth mindset when you take on your new roles. But even more specifically, my hope is that this new crop will adopt a growth mindset

Physics and Public Policy – Our Brief Story

September 17, 2018Mike Vargas Education, Education Policy, Mathematics, Professional Development, Science, Teacher Leadership

In 2016 a small band of physics teachers got together to address the problem of a rapidly dwindling supply of qualified physics teachers in the state of Arizona. This team took it upon themselves to go straight to the capitol