Courses Taught

This course is designed for 10th grade students to experience a variety of computer science topics through engaging and collaborative projects. Taking up an entire school year (and, for students, counting as either a mathematics or science credit), the curriculum guides students through fundamentals, problem solving skills, website building, programming, robotics, and more. "The goal of Exploring Computer Science is to develop in students the computational practices of algorithm development, problem solving and programming within the context of problems that are relevant to the lives of today’s students" (University of Oregon, 2019).

The course follows the official Exploring Computer Science curriculum, of which I taught two units: Web Design and Introduction to Programming. Each unit takes a project-based approach where students have the ability to play with the material and learn through making mistakes. This is something that I have routinely emphasized with my students and something that I have seem play out several times. In class, my primary role is not a lecturer but a guide, answering individual / group questions and pushing students past their preconceived limits to achieve some truly amazing work.

As the course description suggests, it is designed not necessarily to teach the content, but to build up core skills that are applicable, yes in the computer science field, but in a much broader context. Students learn through working through processes and failing along the way. They learn through asking questions and working collaboratively in pairs or small teams. They are able to express themselves through their projects, which tend to be very open-ended and designed for creative freedom. Because of the project-based nature of the course, students have a more personal connection with their work and, as a result, are better able to explain the concepts and ideas they are working with when asked. Of the courses that I taught, this is the one that explored the most advanced computer science topics.

I piloted a robotics course at the end of my practicum as a "proof of concept" going into next year using LEGO SPIKE Prime kits and associated software. There are still several bugs to be ironed out, but it was an amazing experience to be able to put together curriculum ideas from scratch. Matching the MA Standards was made easy with LEGO's lesson plans and the SPIKE Prime App had so many built-in features such as building instructions, example code, videos, and more that the lessons were easy to administer because the students had them right on their screens. I supplemented the built-in lessons with presentations from Prime Lessons (2020) to teach more specific or detailed concepts (for example, how to configure movement or program the distance sensor).

This course allowed for students to engage with their curiosity as they completed challenges that I put in front of them. Intentionally designed to be open-ended and project-based, students learn more from individual / team exploration, failure, and ambition than they do from lecturing. Though the course was still ongoing when my practicum was finished, I feel confident that it is a solid base that can easily be transformed into a more established course moving into the next academic year. The "experiment," if you will, was a success.

This 7th grade course is centered around learning to use the Google suite (Docs, Slides, Sheets, etc.) to create media, a skill that students will need to have going into high school. However, we did cover other topics such as digital citizenship and 3D printing. This course is project-based; students work through assignments to create a variety of documents, presentations, and even an animation. Due to this, similar to our other courses, it lends itself well to student expression and creativity.

One unique aspect of this course, compared to the high school courses, is the daily starter or, rather, the daily typing. My mentor teacher identified that incoming 7th grade students were exhibiting typing speeds around 10-20 words-per-minute (WPM) despite the recommendation that, by 7th grade, students be able to type around 35 WPM (five times their grade level). Due to this, we incorporated a five-minute block at the start of every class where students work through lessons on Typing.com to practice their skills with the goal of reaching 35 WPM by the end of the quarter. For those who put in the effort, that time has proven to be very successful and beneficial to their later academic career.

The 8th grade computer technology course is very different from its 7th grade counterpart. It dives a bit deeper into more computer science concepts, getting students working with computer hardware, algorithms, game development, robotics, programming, 3D printing, and more. It is a very fun and engaging course that takes the students' technology education to the next level by introducing them to the world of computer science. Just like all prior courses, this one also has a project-based approach and is designed to let students make mistakes and learn as they work through problems either individually or collaboratively.

A core focus of Claremont Academy during my practicum was having students practice their writing skills, which is why we begin this class with a "question of the day." These are low-stakes, short writing prompts that ask a question relevant to the material that, often, requires students to connect their personal lived experiences to the topic. I really enjoy asking these questions and hearing / reading through the responses because I get to develop a deeper understanding of my students and develop a better relationship with them as a class.

Seshan, S., & Seshan, A. (2020). Scratch Programming Lessons. Prime Lessons. https://primelessons.org/

University of Oregon. (2019). Exploring Computer Science. https://www.exploringcs.org/curriculum