Janet Kahn
Janet Kahn
Fellowship Placement: United States House of Representatives
Hometown: Falls Church, VA
Janet Kahn has spent her career as a high school physics teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia. Fifteen of her twenty years of teaching have been at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, a suburban school of 2100 students from diverse cultures, countries, and economic levels. This is also where she has served as the Science Department Chair and curriculum team leader. During her tenure at Marshall, she has taught every level of physics, from courses designed to support English Learners and Special Education students to Higher Level Physics for the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB). Janet takes pride and pleasure in supporting new teachers, having served as an IB Physics trainer and physics teacher mentor to dozens of interns and new teachers over the course of her career.
Janet holds a Bachelor of Science in physics from Georgetown University and a Master of Science degree in physics from Stanford University. After working in basic science research and starting a family, she found that her strongest professional interest was in sharing her love of science with students. Janet believes that every student should participate in authentic scientific inquiry. She champions hands-on, data-driven experiences that appropriately challenge students regardless of background or learning style. Janet has written curriculum, both formally and informally, for all levels that is used throughout the county, and developed grading practices that motivate and support student learning.
Janet has written physics standards for the Commonwealth of Virginia and Fairfax County, and served on and chaired the Gifted Education Advisory Committee of the Falls Church City School Board. She worked with the superintendent’s office and the committee to run focus groups to hear from parents, the community, and teachers. With the Assistant Superintendent, she helped put together a state-required Plan for the Gifted.
Janet believes student engagement in science happens more equitably when the resources exist for students to participate in authentic scientific inquiry in their own school buildings and communities. To support this effort, Janet has mentored hundreds of students in a wide variety of independent science and engineering research projects and sponsored group projects that are tied to her active involvement in big science including particle physics, radio astronomy, and astrophysics. These experiences have led to greater diversity in our students who intend on STEM majors in higher education.
