Maya Williams-Thomas

How did you arrive at this point in your career as an ECS teacher, as an ECS facilitator?

I was walking in the hallway of the school I was working for and saw a familiar face. We talked and he told me that he was at the school talking to them about how ECS was becoming a requirement and providing information on how to get teachers at the school trained. He then told me that my name came up for the training. I have a Masters in Business with an endorsement in CS etc. I learned later that it really didn’t matter what my educational degree was in to teach the class. That understanding came about at my 1st day of training. I was extremely nervous because in all honesty, I had no real background in Computer Science, but I learned that I wasn’t alone. There were teachers in those trainings with all kinds of backgrounds. I went through the training and had a great mentor that would come to the school, offer advice, support, and even help with some of the content. I knew that one day, I wanted to pay it forward. I wanted to, one day, ease the mind of an upcoming teacher of the content and offer as much support as I could. That is when I asked if I could become a facilitator.

Thinking about your own PD experience, was there an aha moment or something that resonated with you?

There was the aha moment when we had to demonstrate a lesson. I was able to dive deep into the lesson and think about how I would teach it to my students. I was able to think how I would incorporate the 3 stands and the computational practices. It forced me to analyze the lesson and create an activity that aligns with the lesson, while learning about the content, and making it suitable for my students.

How has the facilitator experience affected your own personal and professional growth?

When I facilitate I learn something new all the time. Working with people who are teaching the same course allows for ideas and resources to be shared.

Is there something that you have learned about your fellow ECS teachers that you didn't know before?

I learned that we all use the curriculum as a guide, but we may alter it a bit so that it fits our particular student needs.

What would you tell a teacher considering participating in ECS summer PD?

I would tell them to take a deep breath, take it all in, familiarize yourself with the curriculum and know that it can be more fun than taxing,

What would you tell a new ECS teacher about teaching their first year of ECS?

Don’t worry about pacing so much. If you don’t get through all the units, it is o.k. Try new things and join a network of other teachers who are teaching the curriculum.

Is there something special you feel that you bring to the PD experience?

Maybe a sense of comfort. I try to introduce myself prior to the session’s beginning just to check how people are feeling. I try to exude a positive attitude with a smile and a warm welcoming.

What advice would you give to other teachers interested in becoming a facilitator?

I would say that teachers want to be heard. They don’t want to feel like it’s an evaluation or that they are doing something wrong. It is rewarding. It is just important to be more of a resource and/or support than a “teacher” of the curriculum.

Can you sum up your ECS philosophy, experience, or technique in 3 words or less?

Rewarding, Supportive, Community