The CS Classroom

Distributing devices, such as laptops, tablets, robots and other equipment should be established early on and practiced. The smoother this process goes the more time students have to work and allows the teacher to troubleshoot. It is also important to be prepared with additional materials, especially for unplugged activities. Identifying classroom helpers or student jobs can help mitigate the process and build student responsibility. Additional procedures may include identifying how long students should be working on an activity, signals to log in & out and time to save work. Have the login information readily available and log off when it is time to log off. Many times students will just quit or shut down without logging off or saving work. Different applications will require students to know if and when they need to save work. Finally, when an assignment or project is finished how will students submit their work.

A computer science classroom can sometimes be very quiet or noisy, it all depends on the lesson. When students are engaged and collaborating, they may be talking and moving around. This is not only great it should be encouraged. Using attention signals to help establish classroom management that keeps students working but also lets them know when to transition to another activity.

Teaching computer science is the perfect opportunity to transition students from viewing computers not only as a station in the back of the room but as a part of everyday learning. Learning centers and stations are a great start for getting students into the CS mindset but it is also important to consider seating arrangements when using laptops and tablets.

Make computer science part of the classroom culture. Computer science content can be a part of word walls, bulletin boards and other classroom displays. During morning news or announcements have shout outs, certificates and display them on a wall of fame. Teachers can even integrate the use of QR codes, a class newsletter and characters or sprites from different applications.

One of the most important aspects of the computer science classroom culture is the participation of all students. Using strategies such as pair programming allows students to be the driver and the navigator, fully experiencing the activity. Teachers should make sure student interests are a part of the design process and problem solving. The more students’ feel that computer science is for them the more invested they are in the work.

Always keep it fun and always allow joy in the classroom!