Day 1
01 Opener 02 Barriers & Challenges 03 Break 04 Model Lesson 05 Lunch 06 Async Prep 07 Teaching Practices 08 Focus on Equity 09 Break 10 Lesson Planning 11 Wrap Up

Session 7: CS Teaching Practices

35 minutes

discussion-based

Purpose

The purpose of this session is for participants to dive deeper into the CS Fundamentals teaching practices, as well as the student practices in order to successfully sustain inclusive CS Fundamentals courses in their classrooms.

Objectives

  • Participants will explain how various learning modalities within the curriculum establish and sustain learning CS in inclusive ways.
  • Participants will explain how the curriculum and CS teaching practices establish and sustain students developing student practices.

Supplies & Prep

Facilitator Supplies:

Teacher Materials:

Agenda

Learner Profiles: Part I (35 minutes)

Facilitation Guide

Learner Profiles: Part I (35 minutes)

(15 minutes) Learner Profiles: Part I

Remarks

During this session, we determine how the curriculum and our role as the teacher supports various learners with learning CS and developing student practices. Throughout our discussions, let’s identify how the curriculum also supports active CS teaching practices which establish and sustain learning CS in inclusive ways.

(1 minute) Review Learner Profiles

  • Learner A: enjoys getting information through visuals such as graphics with meaningful symbols such as arrows.
    • Note: May not always respond to pictures or videos to get information.
  • Learner B: listens attentively when getting information and enjoys discussing ideas with others.
  • Learner C: enjoys reading and writing to both get and share information.
  • Learner D: enjoys actively getting information, using all of their senses.

(2 minutes) Individual Reflection

Participants share individual responses to the prompt on the designated slides.

  • Prompt:
    • How do the lessons support various learner profiles?
      • Example response:
        • Lessons support Learner A, by providing videos, symbols, and icons to get and share information.

Participants read each other’s responses from the previous prompt.

(5 minutes) Breakout Rooms

Participants discuss the following prompts in breakout rooms with small groups of 3-4 people.

  • Prompt:
    • How does supporting various learner profiles establish and sustain inclusive CS Fundamentals lessons?
      • Example response:
        • Supporting various learner profiles is welcoming and reflective of all students differences, abilities, and perspectives. In addition, Code.org videos provide a representation of a variety of people across different races, backgrounds, and ethnicities.

Transition: Remind participants the designated slides include prompts for the breakout room discussion. Share that each group needs a presenter. The presenter will share key takeaways from the discussion with the whole group.

Producers: Send groups of 3-4 participants to breakout rooms for six minutes. Then bring participants back to the main room.

Circulate: Circulate the breakout rooms and provide support as needed.

(5 minutes) Whole Group Share Out

Presenters from each group share key takeaways from breakout room discussions.

(20 minutes) CS Student and Teaching Practices

Remarks

Next, let’s focus on student practices. CS Fundamentals student practices are skills and qualities that support students in learning CS. In addition to lessons supporting various learner profiles, lessons also support students in developing CS student practices.

(1 minute) Review Student Practices

  • Problem Solving
    • Breaking down larger problems into smaller components
  • Persistence
    • Value and expect mistakes
  • Creativity
    • Students’ interests and ideas are incorporated into their work
  • Collaboration
    • Actively contribute to lessons and projects
  • Communication
    • Provide and give feedback

Remarks

Lastly, we review CS teaching practices which also support student practices. The CS teaching practices discussed here stem from the pedagogical approach to the curriculum values. The pedagogical approach to the curriculum values is intended to construct an equitable and engaging learning environment. The pedagogical approach helps us identify what CS teaching practices might look and sound like in the classroom to support students learning CS in inclusive ways. We will focus on the following CS teaching practices:

  • Role of the Teacher
  • Discovery and Inquiry
  • Classroom Community

(2 minutes) Review CS Teaching Practices

  • The Role of the Teacher means CS teaching practices in which:

    • Teachers support all students in first engaging with concepts through lesson activities rather than first providing explanations or lectures.
      • For example, the teacher might say, “I may not know the answer, but I know that together we can find out.”
    • Teachers engage in active teaching.
      • For example, engaging all students and supporting the pacing of the curriculum.

  • Discovery and Inquiry means CS teaching practices in which:

    • Teachers support all students in exploring concepts and building their own understanding of concepts.
    • Teachers support all students with building and strengthening their debugging skills individually.

  • The Classroom Community means CS teaching practices in which:

    • Teachers support all students in engaging in active learning.
      • For example, providing opportunities for students to communicate or create with other students.
    • Teachers support all students in engaging with pair programming.
      • Teachers use classroom data when making decisions about how to pair students.
    • Teachers support all students in building and strengthening their understanding of debugging as a process.
    • Teachers and all students engage in an inclusive CS learning environment.

(6 minutes) Breakout Rooms

Participants discuss the following prompts in breakout rooms with small groups of 3-4 people.

Discussion Goal

The goal of this discussion is to help participants make connections between using CS teaching practices in support of students developing student practices.

  • For example, the Role of the Teacher can support students in developing the student practice of persistence by establishing an active learning community that values and welcomes mistakes as part of the learning process.

Invite participants to share responses to each of the prompts.

Prompts:

  • How do lessons support students in developing student practices?
  • How do the CS teaching practices support students in developing student practices?

Transition: Remind participants the designated slides include prompts for the breakout room discussion. Share that each group needs a presenter and notetaker. The presenter will share key takeaways from the discussion with the whole group.

Producers: Send groups of 3-4 participants to breakout rooms for six minutes. Then bring participants back to the main room.

Circulate: Circulate the breakout rooms and provide support as needed.

(5 minutes) Whole Group Share Out

Presenters from each group share key takeaways from breakout room discussions.

(6 minutes) Next Steps

(1 minute) Journal Prompt

Participants individually respond to the journal prompt.

  • Prompt:
    • What is my role during lessons to support students in developing student practices?

(5 minutes) Whole Group Share Out

Discussion Goal

The goal of this discussion is to help participants to recognize that CS teaching practices support active teaching during lessons, which in turn support students in developing student practices.

Participants share responses to the journal prompt with the whole group.