2006 Accountability

1. Mathematics Department: Accountability Report
Name: A. Jorge García Date:3/30/2007
1.) Peer Coaching
Students complete several programming projects in each unit of AP
Computer Science. Some of these projects are completed individually and
some are completed in a group setting. Each programming project is then
printed out and graded for immediate feedback.
1a.) Peer Coaching Principle of Learning:
“Fair and Credible Assessments.”
1b.) Peer Coaching Focus:
“How can I incorporate group work in a Computer Science lab setting?”
1c.) Peer Coaching Experience:
When teaching students a new programming language, as we do in AP
Computer Science, it is very difficult to have the students solve problems
independently in groups. However, in each unit, once students have
mastered a few concepts, I challenge them with a special project that they
can complete with the help of their peers.
1d.) Peer Coaching Evidence:
I found that the students did poorly when applying new concepts in a
group. However, the students’ grades were higher on subsequent projects
when they worked in groups as compared to working alone. I think the
students’ retention and understanding of these concepts, when applied in
later projects, was also better than in prior years.
1e.) Peer Coaching Lesson:
A typical lesson occurred the first week of school. The first unit taught
students how to write the infamous HelloWorld.java program. I followed the
Master/Apprentice model of teaching programming at the beginning of this
unit. Under this paradigm the students are the apprentice programmers and
I am the master programmer. I model correct programming, debugging and
editing techniques while the students follow my lead. During the next few
days, the students worked in groups on projects that practiced and extended
the new concepts in this unit.
Accountability20062007.doc 1

2. Mathematics Department: Accountability Report
Name: A. Jorge García Date:3/30/2007
2.) Curriculum Development:
Most of my AP Calculus BC students also take AP Physics C
Mechanics. However, they only have an independent study course for AP
Physics. To address this problem and to show the students more applications
of Calculus in the real world, I developed a series of bi­weekly take home
exams related to physics applications. This is the Curriculum Project I chose
to pursue in September when asked to choose a project for this year.
Late in March, I was told that my Curriculum Project was to be the AP
Audit. I was told this after I had completed a significant amount of work (8
out of 10 planned exams, each with an average 10pp of questions and 10pp of
solutions = 200pp). I was given release time on 3/16/2007 (one half day) and
on 3/29/2007 (another half day). This amount of time was barely sufficient to
complete one AP Audit. However, I am required to complete AP audits for
AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC and AP Computer Science A.
3.) Personal Goal:
I have been researching Linux Cluster Programming for several years
now. I have done so with an eye toward incorporating several cluster
programming related activities in my computer science classes. We have
touched on this topic in class in the past. My goal this year was to complete a
significant final project in May and June for my AP Computer Science
students related to cluster programming. However, new Linux Desktop
(Windows VMWare) is not conducive to researching or teaching this topic. I
strongly recommend that the old Linux Desktop (Linux Partition) be
reinstalled.
Accountability20062007.doc 2

3. Mathematics Department: Accountability Report
Name: A. Jorge García Date:3/30/2007
4.) Staff Development:
I attended an AP Calculus Round Table given at Oyster Bay High
School this year. Such a round table conference has not been held in this
area for AP Calculus Teachers for some years. This meeting drew many new
and veteran teachers from the tri­state area and was a great learning
experience as we had the whole day to share and debate new ideas and topics
related to teaching Calculus.
I was not permitted to attend LIMACON this year. I was told to
complete the AP Audit during Superintendent’s Day which was the same day
(3/16/2007).
4a.) Department activities and initiatives
I help teachers and students with problems relating the Graphing
Calculators and Personal Computers.
I develop and promote the computer classes.
I am continually researching new curricula and teaching methods for
teaching computer programming.
I maintain three Linux ssh servers and one Windows ftp server for the
computer programming students to use on campus and at home.
I make sure that the LAN in room 429 is up and running every day.
I maintain a Linux Super Cluster in Room 429 for the APCS class.
4b.) Describe your role in school activities:
co­curricular ­
I am the advisor for the Continental Mathematics League (CML) in
Calculus. We have 4 meets in class each year. We are currently 3rd
in New
York State!
extra­curricular ­
I advise the Baldwin High Chess Club. I am a rated member of the US
Chess Federation (USCF). I am a USCF Certified Scholastic Chess Coach
and a Permanently Certified Local Tournament Director (LTD). We hold
USCF rated tournaments every Thursday after school (3PM – 4PM).
During the Fall semester this year, the Baldwin High Chess Club
participated in the Nassau County Interscholastic Chess League for the first
time. This is a league of schools fielding chess teams via a model similar to
that of Mathletes. We had away meets against Kellenberg, Great Neck
South, Wheatley and South Side. We had home meets against Freeport,
Chaminade, Portledge and Massapequa. We had a 2­6 record this year. The
meets took place every other Thursday after school (4PM – 5:30PM plus
bussing time) including a playoff and championship match both in December.
Accountability20062007.doc 3

4. Mathematics Department: Accountability Report
Name: A. Jorge García Date:3/30/2007
5.) Professional Organizations:
http://www.ams.org American Mathematical Society
http://www.maa.org Mathematics Association of America
http://www.nctm.org National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://www.acm.org Association for Computing Machinery
http://www.knoppix.net KNOPPIX Linux CD Beta Tester
http://www.yabasic.de yaBASIC for Linux Beta Tester
http://www.realbasic.com REALBasic for Linux Beta Tester
http://gcc.gnu.org g++ for Linux Beta Tester
http://bccd.cs.uni.edu Bootable Cluster Linux CD Beta Tester
http://www.cs.rit.edu/~ark/pj.shtml parallelJava Beta Tester
http://www.uschess.org US Chess Federation
Nationally Rated Member/Player
Certified Scholastic Chess Coach
Certified Local Tournament Director
6.) Contests/Competitions:
Continental Mathematics League: Calculus
Nassau County Interscholastic Chess League
US Chess Federation Rated Tournaments
7.) Additional:
I have been involved, for several years now, as a Beta Tester for the
KNOPPIX Linux live CD and the Bootable Cluster Linux live CD in the
Computer Science Classroom. I install and maintain the latest updates of
the Linux Kernel in Lab 429 and on the Linux Servers. The AP Computer
Science class is upgrading the client platform to an openMOSIX Super
Cluster. I am also a Beta Tester for REALBasic, yaBASIC, g++ and
parallelJava for Linux which I use in Computer Math, Adavanced Computer
Math and AP Computer Science.
Accountability20062007.doc 4

5. Mathematics Department: Accountability Report
Name: A. Jorge García Date:3/30/2007
8.) Most Proud of:
The Take Home Exams I give quarterly in Pre­Calculus and bi­weekly
in AP Calculus as group tests have proved to be a creative and interesting
extension of class work.
Using Linux in Computer Math, Advanced Computer Math and AP
Computer Science has made my students very productive. Teaching students
about open source, free software and the GNU Public License has opened
many doors for them. My Computer Science students are very excited about
using Linux at home as a replacement for the Windows Desktop and to be
able complete classroom assignments.
I am very proud of my Chess Team. My Chess Club members really
rose to the challenge when I asked them to represent Baldwin Senior High
School in the Nassau Interscholastic Chess League this for the first time. We
didn’t achieve a great win:loss ration. However, it was our first year in this
competition and many of my tough players graduated last year. I think that
they better be ready for us next year!
Accountability20062007.doc 5