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INNOVATING

SUMMER 2018 CEA ADVISOR 19

TEACHERS TALK ABOUT THE ‘T’ IN STEM Bringing computer science to more Connecticut classrooms

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School educator Paula Gaudet is bringing real-world problems into her classroom for students to solve with technology. “We want students to engineer houses for the homeless. We want them to create bioplastics to biodegrade. We want them to figure out how to use a city’s runoff water,” said Gaudet. “Basically, we ask this: Can we look at these problems and solve them with technology? And can we take what we learn and turn it into an app?” The STEM teacher, who has an engineering background, wants lessons that are grounded in reality and capitalize on technology. “It’s real-world problem solving— it’s about ideas,” she said of helping students envision ways of using technology to bring about change in the world. Gaudet was one of 235 educators at the CS4CT Summit hosted by the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association (CTCSTA) this spring at Cromwell’s Radisson

Hotel. The computer science conference attracted teachers from more than 70 school districts who want to advance computer science education in grades K-12. A core focus of the summit was equity in computer learning: ensuring that all students across our state have access to computer science education. Workshops explored ways of teaching computer science at different grade levels, how various districts have implemented computer science programs, increasing participation of underrepresented minorities and females in the computer sciences, and improving knowledge of computer science resources. They also encouraged networking among computer science educators and advocates. Graduation requirements are changing within the state, with the class of 2023 required to complete 25 credits for graduation, of which nine must be in STEM courses. Included in STEM are computer science classes. The upcoming challenge is to get those classes in the curriculum at schools throughout the state, expanding offerings to prepare students for college and

hands-on Round “Recursive” Robin portion of the conference. “Using resources like this helps build critical thinking and community collaboration skills, and it puts students in the role of creator, not passive learner.” Daphne Miller, a STEM educator at East Haddam Elementary School, agrees that hands- on experience is crucial to “It’s the element of discovery and problem-solving,” she said. Connecticut published a position technology education.

William McDonough of Masuk High School in Monroe discusses the VEX Robotics program at his high school and how it meets the Next Gen standards.

means incorporating computer science into classrooms in the early grades and integrating technology into problem-solving. Behind the scenes, behind the screens While screen time is on the rise among young people, educators point out that use of technology is not synonymous with a conceptual understanding of how it works. “We need to introduce the principles of computer science at an early age to show students how and why things work,” said Aaron Czarnecki, a teacher at Mark T. Sheehan High School in Wallingford. “All kids study life science, physical science, and chemistry to understand their world, so why not computer science?” asked Ben Moon, a teacher at STEAMMagnet School in Groton. “Everyone is using social media, and we can teach about the algorithms that explain what you are seeing.” Hope Mulholland, technology integration teacher at Moriarty and Wequonnoc schools in Norwich, demonstrated coding with a building app by the game system Osmo in a “I tell teachers that it’s very important to be a part of CEA and their local, the BEA, so that they can stay up-to-date on what is going on in their profession. CEA keeps us informed on everything that is going on politically, and our local Association keeps us informed about what’s going on in our district. We have to make sure we know what our rights are and what’s available to us as union members.” CEA recognizes building reps around the state for their dedication to their colleagues and their willingness to devote time out of their busy schedules to this important job. Know a building rep you’d like to nominate to be our next superhero? Drop us a line and let us know about him or her!

statement on computer science education for all K-12 students in 2016 and adopted K-12 computer science standards in 2018. Many teachers acknowledge that’s a good start but believe that more needs to be done. “Computer science is an equity issue when we look at education in our state,” says CREC Montessori Magnet School’s Heather Sutkowski, who teaches computer science. “It’s a subject that only select students are being given the opportunity to learn, and it needs to be taught in every district so that we do not further widen the achievement gap. I have been personally advocating for this for several years along with my colleagues. The CS4CT Summit was planned by our Connecticut chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association, a group whose members are, by a large majority, also CEA members. We held this summit to try to engage more districts in our state in order to provide a more equitable education for all of our students.”

careers in computer science. Only three percent of the state’s high school graduates pursue a degree in computer science, despite demand being so high that many Connecticut companies seek employees for tech fields from other states. “We are working for three percent,” said Lee Ann DeLyser of CSforALL, a consortium that focuses on computer science education. “We are missing 97 percent.” Conference panelists talked about how reaching a larger percentage of graduates

Dana Kinel, of Sunset Ridge School in East Hartford, demonstrates an mBot robot.

FOR BRIDGEPORT BUILDING REP, HISTORY IS THE BEST TEACHER

actually did,” the kindergarten teacher says. “We have the advantage of having prep periods, and pay, and collective bargaining, and all of that, and some teachers today don’t know where that came from. They don’t realize what was going on back before 1978, and that those things had to be fought for.” The Bridgeport Strike was a defining moment for teachers in Connecticut, and its lessons about the importance of teachers sticking together still hold true today. “If we don’t fight back against attacks on our profession, then others are just going to tear down teaching,” Broad says. “We need to encourage everyone to really get involved and stick together.” As a building rep, Broad sees firsthand the many ways that union membership benefits teachers.

When Amy Broad, a building rep at Bridgeport’s Winthrop School, talks about union membership with teachers at her school, she puts it in a historical context. Without the sacrifice of the Bridgeport Education Association (BEA) members who went on strike in 1978, many of whom went to jail, teachers would not have the wages, benefits, and working conditions they enjoy today. “A lot of people who are teaching now aren’t aware of what the strikers

Bridgeport building rep Amy Broad says it’s important to remember that Connecticut teachers’ salaries, prep periods, and collective bargaining are the result of a strong union.