tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post2646577759893249502..comments2024-03-27T15:13:24.764-04:00Comments on Computer Science Teacher: What Makes A Great High School Computer Science ProgramAlfred Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575057876858763822noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-20840470170335577302018-09-22T10:39:43.564-04:002018-09-22T10:39:43.564-04:00For a small school (150-160) with a teacher with a...For a small school (150-160) with a teacher with almost no formal training in CS I think we have a great program. I have determined this by the number of students that go on to college CS, complete the program and come back and tell me they were well prepared for the rigors of a college curriculum. We offer no APCS, no "advanced" courses, we just have some fun with CS. What we do is offer fundamentals and teach the kids how to think and problem solve. They really do not need more than that to succeed at college in any field. I wish we had the resources to offer a broader curriculum so the kids could see more of what CS entails but it just is not going to happen. Stay with the fundamentals and be sure the kids see the enjoyment in CS. It works.Garthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-70067857811466274422018-09-21T15:14:42.132-04:002018-09-21T15:14:42.132-04:00Just want to say that the large public magnet scho...Just want to say that the large public magnet schools didn't necessarily have an edge.<br /><br />I started the Stuy program - one of the schools you're alluding to. When I started there was pretty much nothing - just a math teacher who taught APCS because someone had to and a couple of teachers teaching "programming classes" as a way to basically not teach. <br /><br />I was the only guy with CS knowledge when I started and I had an administration that was not particularly supportive, kids with jam packed schedules, established departments vying for students (take AP Bio, take AP Chem,..) and entrenched interested (the old tech department). The creation of that program has been described as "hacking the school." It can be an easy road with the right people in place and a supportive administration but without that, big or small school, magnet or not, it's a tough road and a long road.<br /><br /><br /><br />I can't speak for the other large public magnet school.<br /><br />Mike Zamanskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15069276938781711576noreply@blogger.com