My CS Adventure
My journey with coding began like many as a curious teenager with ample time to waste tearing things apart and playing. Computer classes were different at school though. We studied the parts of a computer and maybe a few lines of code- even worse typing and word processing. We never solved real problems. Computers and coding became a hobby, and I never gave a thought to it as a career.
Fast forward to five years, I’m an post-college adult hunting for work. I had skills with computers, but never thought about coding as a career. I earned a few extra dollars doing freelance web design. Building custom Wordpress templates and configuring servers to host them. Meanwhile in my spare time I was learning Ruby on Rails and building headless Linux machines for fun.
Eventually my journey led me to education, but not in the way you might think. My first foray into the classroom was as an art teacher. I forgot to mention that I spent college getting a degree in painting and drawing — not exactly the most practical choice, but I learned a ton. It wasn’t until my first day in the classroom thatI realized that I was home. I had found my purpose.
After I had spent several years practicing being both a high school and an elementary art teacher, I was given an opportunity to teach coding to elementary students. My whole life I had spent my free time developing skills with coding and computers. I solved problems, challenged myself, and build things to satisfy my curiosity. I was past the point of making it my career, but this was my opportunity to give a student that option.
Two years later, I find myself in a high school classroom again teaching computer science foundations, coding, and AP CS Principles. My journey didn’t lead me to a coding career, but I feel it’s my place to open the door for my students. I don’t have it all figured out. I learn everyday, and I still struggle to avoid that overly academic experience I had as a student. That’s what makes it an adventure.
Why Teach Computer Science?
You also have an opportunity to open a student’s eyes to computers as a career. You may be like me and have always had an interest in building things with computers. Maybe you just see the need for students to have experience with computational thinking and technology in order to succeed in this increasingly digitized world. Whatever has brought you to this point, know that you don’t have to be an expert to help students see computer science and programming a future career.
Computer science and computational thinking has a place in every classroom no matter the subject or grade level. You don’t even necessarily need computers to start incorporating it into your classroom (CS Unplugged). CS teaches us to problem solve, think creatively, build fearlessly, and make the world a better place. It’s more than just binary codes and processors. More and more careers require expertise with computers in some way.
Students need you to open the door for them. Bring CS to your classroom, and help them see their future.
Where to start?
There are many resources out there. Check out my YouTube channel for ideas, insights, and tutorials on how to bring CS to your classroom.
Here are some resources to start you thinking:
For more subscribe to my YouTube channel.
