Conversations for Change

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States. Thank you to all the teachers involved with CSTA for bringing computer science to students!

First, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week in the United States. CSTA is a community of teachers, formed by teachers and designed for teachers. Thank you to all the teachers involved with CSTA for bringing computer science to students!

I thought I would highlight a free professional development opportunity teachers might be interested in, but also want to acknowledge that not everyone has time or capacity to join right now. Usually, in mid-May, I am at the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)Summit – the best professional development specifically about equity in computing I have ever attended!

This year, NCWIT is hosting a series of virtual events, Conversations for Change. All events are free and open to anyone who would like to engage in learning, understanding, and discussing how we can further computer science for everyone. We are all on a journey to explore and challenge ourselves to learn more about equity in computer science and this opportunity is one that has been a key part of my journey.

Here are some of the sessions that I thought might be of interest to CSTA teachers:

Different Kinds of Minds
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 | 5:00 – 6:00 PM MDT
Temple Grandin, author of Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism, will share more about how her mind works. According to the CDC, about 1 in 54 children in the US has been identified with autism spectrum disorder so a typical teacher may have several students in their courses every day. The neurodiversity students bring to the classroom can help us see new patterns or ways of thinking about CS.

Learning About Intersectionality: Videos That Spark Discussion
Monday, May 11th, 2020 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm MDT
Colleen Lewis, creator of the popular CSTeachingTips.org website and resources will help attendees learn to talk about different dimensions of identity. If you have not participated in one of Colleen’s workshops before, be prepared for high energy and contagious excitement!

A Conversation with Tommy Orange
Wednesday, May 13th, 2020 | A Conversation with Tommy Orange
Did you know that 90% of American Indian/Alaska Native students attend public schools (National Indian Education Association)? In this conversation, the author of There, There, Tommy Orange, will share more about experiences of urban Native Americans. I had the opportunity to hear him speak last fall and it was very insightful!

NCWIT has even more sessions throughout May, check out the schedule at ncwit.org/ConversationsAgenda and make sure to register soon!

Jennifer Rosato
Board Chair