PhysicsTeachersNYC was originated in summer of 2011 by a group of teachers as a teacher-led physics study group.  The founders were all practitioners of Modeling Instruction, developed by university and high school physics teachers over the past 20 years through a collaborative process that continues as one of the primary activities of the American Modeling Teachers Association. PhysicsTeachersNYC is affiliated with the AMTA and conducts 3-week summer modeling workshops as well as monthly 3-hour meetings on weekends during the school year. PTNYC is devoted to excellence in science teaching with a general focus on modeling instruction and similar approaches.

Modeling Instruction. The use of modeling in teaching was pioneered by Robert Karplus in his 1969 textbook, "Introductory Physics: A Modeling Approach. Modeling Instruction was subsequently developed at Arizona State University by David Hestenes, Malcom Wells, and Gregg Swackhamer, as well as by many others across the country.  Over 500 teachers have taken teacher-led Modeling Instruction workshops in the summer, and the best way to learn about Modeling Instruction is by taking a summer workshop. If you'd like to read more about it, go to American Modeling Teachers Association or take a look at the Chapter 1 of  Introductory Physics by Robert Karplus (book) or (eBook -- use "guest" for login and password).