So You Were Asked to Teach a CS Class - Now What?

Being asked to teach something you have little to no experience in can be a scary and overwhelming experience. To take it a step further, being asked to teach something that very few people have taught, is terrifying. But this is what many of us are being asked to do.

I've taught CS in middle and high school classrooms for 14 years, 13 of those in a small district where I was the only "computer" teacher. For years, the "computer teacher" taught keyboarding and digital applications. Now, we're being asked to teach required computer science classes that must address artificial intelligence (AI), programming, and data.

Gone are the days of creating brochures in Microsoft Publisher of your dream vacation and hello to Python, iterations, and selection statements.

14 years ago when my principal asked me to teach computer science, I had no idea where to start. Now, there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started - especially in programming. What I don't see much are resources dedicated to help teachers get started as a CS teacher. This is where I come in.

I put together a quick resource for you of questions to consider as you move into your first CS classroom - you can find it in the Resource section of the website. This is a basic, top-level view of items that you will have to address before Day 1. This resource will not answer all of your questions, but it will help you know what questions to ask. This is a great place to start as you begin your journey as a computer science teacher. If you need anything, feel free to reach out at brett@csonadime.com

~ Brett