OPTYCs: Nourishing Bold, Brilliant Teaching

Before I found OPTYCs, I was stuck in the rut of traditional lecturing. I knew my students deserved more, but I wasn’t sure how to break free from the cycle of covering material, assigning problem sets, and hoping something stuck. When I did try something different, I worried it wasn’t “rigorous” enough. My colleagues (mostly non-physicists), though supportive, didn’t fully understand the unique challenges of teaching physics at a two-year college. I was filled with self-doubt, unsure how to make my classroom a place of community, engagement and learning.

Then I found OPTYCs.

OPTYCs gave me something I had been missing: permission—permission to be bold, to be creative, and to fully embrace the kind of educator I wanted to be. More than that, it provided me with a community that values both innovation and student-centered teaching. OPTYCs gave me the critical combination of inspiration, support, and shared expertise that gave me succor but also challenged me to be better.

Through OPTYCs, I found a network of like-minded educators who understand the realities of teaching physics at a two-year college. They share my passion for making physics relevant and accessible to all students. This community has given me a space to develop, refine, and test my ideas without fear of failure.

With OPTYCs, I don’t just teach. I experiment. I imagine. I push boundaries. I know that if something doesn’t work, I have a caring network of educators ready to help me troubleshoot, refine, and try again. Teaching physics at a two-year college comes with unique challenges—students with diverse backgrounds, varying levels of preparation, and often a fear of physics. OPTYCs has given me the tools and confidence to meet these challenges and to create an inclusive classroom where students feel seen, valued, and capable.

OPTYCs has fundamentally shaped the way I approach my classroom. I no longer hesitate to bring imagination into my teaching. I no longer second-guess whether a creative new idea belongs in a physics course. Instead, I embrace the boldness, innovation, and student-centered approach that OPTYCs fosters.

I am the educator I am today because of OPTYCs.