TEALS Classroom Plan 2018-2019:

Lab Support Model

[INSERT SCHOOL NAME]

Classroom Teacher: _________________

TEALS Volunteers: ____________________

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ContentsUsing the Classroom Plan......................................................................................................................................................3

The Lab Support Model.........................................................................................................................................................3

Team Contact Info.................................................................................................................................................................4

Shared Digital Archives......................................................................................................................................................4

Group Communication......................................................................................................................................................4

School Information................................................................................................................................................................5

Class Schedule...................................................................................................................................................................5

Key People.........................................................................................................................................................................6

Goals and Roles.....................................................................................................................................................................7

Teacher Learning Plan.......................................................................................................................................................8

Classroom layout and technology plan.................................................................................................................................9

Software Requirements.....................................................................................................................................................9

Teaching Schedule...............................................................................................................................................................10

Daily Handoff Plan...........................................................................................................................................................11

Weekly Team Sync..........................................................................................................................................................11

Classroom Procedures.........................................................................................................................................................12

In the Lab............................................................................................................................................................................15

Engaging Students...............................................................................................................................................................16

Connecting with Students...............................................................................................................................................16

Notebooks.......................................................................................................................................................................16

Raffle...............................................................................................................................................................................17

Engaging Parents/Guardians...............................................................................................................................................18

Pacing and Differentiated Instruction.................................................................................................................................19

Grading................................................................................................................................................................................20

Lesson Planning...................................................................................................................................................................22

CS Culture Days...................................................................................................................................................................24

Instructor Demo/Show and Tell......................................................................................................................................24

Recruiting Next Year’s Students..........................................................................................................................................25

Appendix.............................................................................................................................................................................27

Student Experiences Survey............................................................................................................................................27

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Why the Classroom Plan is Important and How Your Team Should Use ItThe Classroom Plan serves as a guide to organize your team to teach a year of computer science through the TEALS program. There should be one copy of this document per teaching team (classroom teacher + TEALS volunteers), with access available to all the members of the teaching team.

Throughout the summer, your team should meet regularly, once every week or two. During your team meetings:

Provide assistance to the classroom teacher on their preparation of the class curriculum Complete the sections of this guide Identify any questions or issues to raise with your TEALS Regional Manager

The concepts within the Classroom Plan relate to what you learn in TEALS Summer Training. You should reference the online training materials in Canvas if you need a reminder about an idea or reach out to your regional manager.

Sometimes, the Classroom Plan asks you to discuss a question as a team and make a decision about how you will run your class. The classroom teacher is the final arbiter of what happens in the classroom – after all, they are legally responsible for the wellbeing of the students. In each section, we provide a recommended default approach ( in gray text). You should adjust this approach based on local factors of your classroom (examples: age and background of the students, physical layout of the classroom, teacher’s comfort level with course content, etc). Even if you decide to keep our recommendation, you should discuss why as a group.

Throughout the school year, if something isn’t working in your class, revisit this plan and try modifying some of the decisions you made over the summer.

The Lab Support ModelThe TEALS Lab Support Model is designed to help teachers who are mostly ready to lead a computer science course, but seek additional support before they do so independently. As a rule of thumb, the classroom teacher should lead class at least 85% of the time, with volunteers providing occasional support during instruction and helping students with their assignments. The TEALS Implementation Guide contains an appendix that outlines a learning model for classroom teachers in this role.

As you work through the classroom plan, always keep an eye towards the goal of deepening the teacher’s CS knowledge and comfort level with the course.

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Team Contact InfoFor each member of your TEALS team, fill in your preferred methods of communication so that the whole team can easily get in touch with each other.

Role Name Preferred Email Preferred PhoneClassroom TeacherVolunteer Teacher/TAVolunteer Teacher/TA

Shared Digital ArchivesMost TEALS teams create a place to share files with each other. It could be a DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive folder, Microsoft Teams folder, or something else. Record the access information here:

http://___________________________________

Group CommunicationMany TEALS teams create an online group for easy communication, or as a central point of contact for students in the class. We’ve seen success with an email group as well as with GroupMe, Slack, or Microsoft Teams (if you have access to Office 365). Select ONE mode of communication that is comfortable for everyone on the team, including the classroom teacher. If you find your team isn’t communicating well, consider adjusting which tool you are using for communication.

Group Email: _____________@________._______

Microsoft Teams link:

Slack Channel:

GroupMe Group:

Other:

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School InformationFill in this information as soon as possible. The classroom teacher should help facilitate.

School name and Address

Example High School1234 Example StreetExemplar Town, Exemplivania 00000

School Website: http://www.examplehighschool.us/School’s Online Calendar: http://www.examplehighschool.us/calendar

Class ScheduleClass Meeting TimeSome classes meet every day at the same time. Other classes meet at different times on different days of the week. Some schools even have alternating schedules that don’t match the days of the week. Record your class meeting schedule here:

Example:Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:02 – 8:52Tuesday, Thursday: 8:02 – 8:42

Bells and Passing TimeDoes your school use a bell? A warning bell? A late bell? Describe:

Example: At the end of each period there is a warning bell 5 minutes before class ends, then a bell at the end of class, followed by 4 minutes of passing time, and a bell to begin the next class

InterruptionsWill there be morning announcements before, during or after your class? How much time?

Example: Morning announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance occur at 8:15 every morning, interrupting the 1st period class

Key DatesFirst teacher day of school:First student day of school: 1st semester holidays:Winter break:Last day of 1st semester:1st day of 2nd semester:2nd semester holidays: Spring break: Last day of 2nd semester:

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Key PeopleSchools are often tightly-knit communities. Volunteers will often need to interact with additional members of the school staff, and it’s helpful to know them ahead of time. In addition to filling in the contact info below, try to meet each of these people during a school visit before school starts.

Role Name Preferred Email Preferred PhonePrincipalTEALS Partnership Coordinator (usually Assistant Principal)TEALS District Contact (often CTE Director)IT CoordinatorFacilities StaffSecretary/Main OfficeGuidance CounselorOthers…?

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Goals and RolesTake a deep breath. TEALS is going to be a big commitment for everyone on the team, but hopefully a meaningful and impactful one.

Goals: Personal ReflectionAs a group, discuss what each of you hopes to get out of this experience (goals), what strengths you bring to the team, and what you are most worried about. Record the responses below:

Name Goals Strengths WorriesMr. Example Solidify my

knowledge of CS concepts.Be able to support my students.See the real-world impacts.

10 years of teaching experience.Dedication.

A few topics I don’t get, like recursion.Ensuring each student gets individualized support.

Classroom RolesBelow, we’ve listed several roles and responsibilities and who they are assigned to. Review these lists, adjust them as you see fit, and add in additional ones you can think of.

CLASSROOM TEACHER VOLUNTEER TEACHING ASSISTANTS Review the curriculum over the summer Assist the classroom teacher with curriculum questions

Create a course syllabus Help create the syllabusPrepare and teach at least 85% of the lessons

Give feedback to volunteers on their teaching and student interactions

Monitor students for understanding, support the lesson. Step in as needed for difficult topics, and with relevant personal anecdotes.

Give feedback to classroom teacher on student understanding level

Assist students with their work and track their understanding – shadow the volunteers as necessary

Assist students with their work and track their understanding

Grade student work, make final decisions about grades, enter grades into school records

Help grade student work

Regularly meet with the team to discuss student progress, pacing, and adjustments

Regularly meet with the team to discuss student progress, pacing, and adjustments

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Teacher Learning PlanThe main objective in the Lab Support Model is to strengthen the classroom teacher’s content knowledge and CS pedagogy skills to the point where they can teach completely independently. This includes mastery of all curriculum topics, as well as ability to field student questions during lesson and lab. As a group, formulate a strategy for how the teacher will progress towards this handoff. Use our example as a starting point.

Summer – Mrs. Example will review the lesson plans and assignments to identify topics where she needs support. Volunteers will help explain these topics and go over examples/assignments from the curriculum with her.

Semester 1 + 2 – Mrs. Example will lead class almost every day. During lab, Mrs. Example will aid students independently but call over volunteers when there is a question she isn’t comfortable answering.

Volunteers will support Mrs. Example by chiming in with clarifications and examples. They will lead lessons on the topics Mrs. Example identifies as the trickiest for her, approximately once per month.

Lessons identified as tricky:

-

-

-

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Classroom layout and technology planThe layout of your classroom and/or computer lab will play a big role in how your class functions.

Classroom PhotoTake a photo of the classroom(s) and/or lab(s) and paste it here, or draw a sketch:

Technology PlanNumber of students expected in the class: ___________

Number and type of computers available for students in the classroom: _________________________

Will you require any additional hardware for the course that must be ordered (missing or broken computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.): ________________________________________

How is the internet connection in the classroom when used simultaneously by all machines?

Software RequirementsRelay your technology needs to the school’s IT coordinator as soon as possible and get confirmation that your needs will be met. Ensure that any required websites can be reached through the school’s internet filter.

TEALS Intro CS (Semester 1: Snap!, Semester 2: Python)

AP CS P(Dependent on Curriculum Provider)

TEALS AP CS A (Java)

Snap! [browser-based]https://snap.berkeley.edu

Consult the curriculum materials from the provider of the AP CSP curriculum (ex: code.org, BJC, etc)

Java SDKInstallation instructions included in first unit of curriculum.

Python IDE, http://repl.it Java IDE (Eclipse Recommended)Installation instructions included in first unit of curriculum.Practice-It and CodingBat online practice problems

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Photo Here

For Remote Teaching Teams, look for a supplement to this page during the Remote Teaching Training Sessions.

Teaching ScheduleEach TEALS teaching team has the freedom to define their own teaching schedule. As a reminder, TEALS expects each volunteer to attend class approximately 50% of the time it meets (which usually means twice per week), so that on most days there is one volunteer present along with the classroom teacher.

Create a shared calendar (use the tool of your choice: Google, Outlook.com, etc). Make sure that each member of your team has access to the calendar.

Record the location of your shared calendar here: _______________________________________________

Add the important dates in your school’s calendar to the team calendar (which you listed earlier in this document). If your school uses a cycle, like A/B days, to determine when classes meet, put that in too.

Determine a regular teaching pattern that suits all members of the team. Continuity in the classroom day to day is very important. We do not recommend having a completely different set of instructors every class day.

Example:

M Tu W Th FTA1 TA2 TA2 None TA1

This schedule optimizes for continuity since each TA attends class on two consecutive class days. In this example, the teacher leads a shortened lab period on Thursdays. Another way to achieve continuity is to have volunteer teacher/TA alternate weeks.

It’s recommended that you use a schedule where each volunteer visits the classroom each week. Try to avoid a schedule where any individual has more than a week between classroom visits. It becomes hard to build and sustain relationships with the students.

Enter your teaching schedule into the shared calendar. We recommend adding each person as a recurring calendar event, so that you can make individual adjustments as necessary. You can also enter topics, lesson plans, or course materials as events in the calendar to aid in your planning, or in capturing what actually was taught after the fact.

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Daily Handoff PlanSince each volunteer is only present half the time, it’s important to create a plan for sharing what happened in class. Some teams use a shared Evernote or OneNote notebook with a page for each day or a shared Google Doc or Word Online document. Others send an email to the team email group after each class. Whatever your strategy, it is most effective when used consistently, and when you write down what happened in class as soon as possible. The update can be just a few sentences. Each report should capture:

Assessment of student mastery of the material (calling out individual students as necessary) Suggestion of content that does or does not need reinforcement or re-teaching What to expect tomorrow (or on the next class day) Note school goings-on (schedule changes, important events, etc.) Note student goings-on (notable student interactions that indicate trust or lack thereof, essential in creating a

culturally responsive supportive classroom)

Record your team’s handoff plan here:

Example: After each class, Mr. Example will send an email update to the whole team and post the update in a running Word Online document. The TA who attended on that day will reply with any additional notes about student progress they observed in class.

Weekly Team SyncCommunication is essential in any group endeavor, and you can only do so much through asynchronous communication like emails or chat messages. Each TEALS team should schedule a weekly sync where everyone is available at the same time. During the weekly sync, the classroom teacher should lead a discussion, including:

Feedback from the previous week Student progress and how to adjust pacing:

o Do any lessons/topics need to be retaught?o Do individuals or groups of students need individual help or differentiation?

Teaching schedule and lessons for the upcoming weeko Are we creating culturally relevant lessons?

High-level challenges or problems that have emergedo Are we creating a collaborative environment that supports and includes all our students, especially

those from different cultures than our own? o Are any of our students experiencing “Amygdala Hijacking” in class?

Questions or issues for your TEALS Regional Manager

Record the plan for your Weekly Sync here:

Example: The team will meet on Skype each Sunday evening at 6:00pm.

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Classroom ProceduresProcedures automate your classroom, allowing your students to spend more time focused on mastering content and less time in transitions or off task. As a rule, you should use classroom procedures for scenarios where they can save the most time, either because the task in question occurs frequently or is particularly time consuming.

A classroom procedure is a series of steps that students should follow. It should include a clear entry cue, and a clear conclusion. Procedures are specific and well-defined. As the captain of the TEALS teaching team and the individual who will be present every day of the class, the classroom teacher should be the driving force behind these procedures.

Be sure to incorporate culturally responsive teaching strategies to increase the participation and achievement of students from underrepresented groups. When thinking about your classroom, think about how your team will incorporate the following strategies:

1. Build authentic relationships. They are the on-ramp to engagement and learning.2. Use the brain’s memory systems for deeper learning. Connecting new content through music, movement,

and visuals strengthens the neural pathways for comprehension.3. Acknowledge diverse students’ stress response from everyday micro-aggressions and help calm the brain.4. Use ritual, recitation, repetition, and rhythm as content processing power tools.5. Create a community of learners by building on students’ values of collaboration and connection to create

intellectual safety and reduce stereotype threat.

Record existing procedures or develop new procedures for the following common scenarios. Then add additional procedures for other scenarios that you think will be common in your class. Throughout the year, add to this list when you encounter a situation that could be improved with a procedure. Remember that classroom procedures need to be taught and rehearsed by your students in order to actually save time and focus.

Entering the Classroomstart when: entering the classroom before class startsaction steps:

Example: Volunteer Rachel will greet students at the door with a smile and a welcoming comment. Mr. Sample will have a “Do Now” section of the whiteboard to use for instructions for entry assignments.

Example 2: Students will collect and power on their computers when first entering the classroom [useful if the computers take a long time to boot up].

Transitioning from Lesson to Labstart when:action steps:

Example: We will have monitors closed/turned off during instruction to avoid distraction and help to separate lab and instructional time. Because many students shared that they are interested in Lil Wayne’s music, we’ve created a ritual using one of his song lyrics. When instructors call out “Hello, Brooklyn” students call back “How you do?” and may open their computer and/or turn on their monitor. We will use music during lab to help students focus and further the distinction.

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Example 2: Students will line up at the door and walk as a class to the computer lab. Once in lab, instructions will be reviewed.

Submitting Assignmentsstart when:action steps:

Example: We have imported our class materials into Google Classroom and plan to have students submit assignments through Google Classroom.

Example 2: Volunteers David and Desiree will create custom forms students can use to submit their work.

Example 3: Student assignments are backed up to a private folder on the school network. Students will save their final work using the format FIRST_LAST_FINAL and we will all be able to access it.

Non-Example: Do NOT collect assignments through email.

End of class periodstart when:action steps:

Example: We plan to use an exit ticket to wrap up class. We plan to have it be a daily activity we do with 5 minutes of class left.

Example 2: During lab, the classroom lights will be flashed with 5 minutes left in class to signal they should start to wrap up their work and save. Students will be reminded to power down/put away their computers.

Example 3: We plan to have students reflect on what they have learned by writing, creating a picture, a graph, or a table in their online portfolio. We plan to have it be a daily activity we do with 5 minutes of class left.

When Students Are Off Taskstart when:action steps:

Example: Volunteers in a matter-of-fact tone and supportive body language (smile) should remind the student of their strong skills or project, and ask “how are you tackling this lab?” Let the student know that you believe that they can complete the task within the time allotted and you are available to them if they need help identifying their next step. If students remain off task, discretely notify Mr. Sample about the student and Mr. Sample will intervene.

Custom Procedure 1Example: Attention Grabber: TEALS High School uses the phrase ‘eyes and ears on me’ to indicate that attention should be on the speaker. We will use this in our class.

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Example: Written Work: Mr. Sample will have two paper organizers on his desk, one labeled “Turn-In” and one labeled “Returned Assignments.” We will instruct students to check these at the beginning or end of class.

Custom Procedure 2

Custom Procedure 3

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In the Lab Most of the time, students will be working on projects and lab assignments. Describe how you will address the following challenges in lab. If the classroom teacher already has established systems in place, record them here, otherwise discuss and make decisions below.

Atmosphere for Focus and CollaborationHow will you provide an atmosphere in the classroom that encourages focus and collaboration?Example: We will play music preselected by the team during lab and give the students the option to dim the lights.

Example 2: Students will be able to earn the privilege of selecting music that is class appropriate as one of our raffle prizes.

Getting HelpHow should students seek help in your classroom?

Example: Students will have “question flags” on the side of their monitors that they can raise when they have a question.

Example 2: We will use the “C2B4Me” policy. Students will be expected to ask two of their fellow classmates for content related questions before seeking the help of one of us.

Example 3: Students can add their name to the “question queue” for help. Team members will erase the name of each student as they complete their interaction.

Tracking Student ProgressHow will you ensure that each student receives attention from an instructor (ideally twice), and that the team knows how each student is progressing in their learning?

Example: We are going to designate areas of the room for each team member. Team members will track their visits on a printed class roster.

Example: We will have a shared document that all team members have access to that we can update in real time with visits and notes.

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Engaging StudentsBelow are a couple of strategies for encouraging student engagement. As a team, discuss how you plan to use the following participation strategies in your classroom.

Connecting with StudentsHow will we avoid the “Amygdala Hijacking” of our students?

Example: Volunteers will read student responses to the “Student Experience” survey (if the classroom teacher offers such a survey).

Example: When a student seems hijacked we will listen with empathy and validate the student’s perspective. We will provide choices to allow the student to feel a sense of control.

How will we build authentic relationships with students? Example: We will ensure that we pronounce all students’ names correctly,

asking students to say their names, restating it right then, and practicing after we’ve heard it correctly.

Example: We will represent the various student identities (backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, languages, etc.) in the classroom by decorating the room with computer scientists (both male and female) and sayings from their respective cultures as derived by student responses to the “Student Experience” survey.

Example: We will take note of our students’ important events and life happenings (e.g., birthdays, playoffs, festivals, mother’s surgery, etc.) and ask about these happenings throughout the year.

Example: We will design lessons that recognize our students’ backgrounds, learning styles and interests by using the responses from the “Student Experience” survey.

NotebooksTaking notes on paper results in better learning outcomes for students on average. In computer science, notebooks can be used to record definitions, syntax, programming patterns and idioms, examples, and diagrams. Students can also record their reflections on the work they are doing, and use the notebook as a scratch space to plan out their approach to problems before implementation. Notebooks help make learning more explicit and help students to organize and process new information. Many students may not know how to take good notes. You may need to model it for them.

When should students use their notebooks in your class?

Example: We will expect notebooks during every class period to be used for taking notes and as reference during projects and labs. To encourage notebook use, students will be rewarded tickets for passing notebook checks and students will be able to use their notebooks on quizzes.

How often will you check the notebooks? Is there a grade associated with notebook completeness?

Example: We will be doing notebook checks every two weeks. Notebooks are not allowed to be part of student grades at TEALS High School so Mr. Sample is going to work with us to use incentives for proper notebook completeness.

When can and should students refer to their notes (during lab? On quizzes? On tests?)

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Example: Students may use their notebooks during lab, on quizzes, and during project work. Students may not use notebooks for tests unless specifically instructed to do so.

What should students do about notes when they miss class?

Example: We will have a copy of the notes available at the end of each class that will be available through either OneDrive digitally or as a hard copy collected from Mr. Sample’s desk.

RaffleTEALS provides classes in the Lab Support model with a raffle kit containing tickets, a collection box, and a variety of small and medium prizes. It’s up to each teaching team to determine how to use the raffle in your class, in accordance with any relevant school policies.

When will you explain the rules?

Example: We will explain the raffle when we go over the syllabus during the first days of class. We’ll briefly repeat the rules each class when we begin to give out raffle tickets over the first two weeks (or at the start/end of each period for the first few days or weeks as needed).

How will you distribute tickets?

Example: Students will receive tickets for turning in assignments, classroom participation, and for helping other students with relevant classroom material. Each team member will carry tickets and tickets will be attached to assignments.

How will you select the winners and when?

Example: We plan to do a weekly raffle on Fridays with students only being able to win once within a month.

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Engaging Parents/GuardiansInvolve parents and guardians by using take-home letters that open the door to parent participation. Parents can provide cultural context, and act as the main educators in many cultures. It’s also a great opportunity to share the personal background of each team member, and help reinforce why computer science is important for students.

TEALS has a sample take-home letter. Modify this template as a group to apply to your class. We’ve highlighted passages that you need to customize for your class.

When will you send the take-home letter to parents and guardians?

Example: We will send the take-home letter home with students on the second day of class, along with the course syllabus, because we don’t want it to get lost with too many other first-day materials.

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Pacing and Differentiated InstructionThe pace of learning will vary student to student and day to day. Differentiated instruction is a teaching strategy in which instruction is modified to best reach each student. Save valuable classroom time by consistently evaluating the pace of the class and planning strategies ahead of time for both advanced and struggling students.

PacingWhen will your team evaluate the pacing of your class?

Example: During our weekly sync meeting, we will discuss the pacing of the week to see if any changes need to be made.

What tools will you use to inform your pacing decisions?

Example: We will go over the results of an end of week exit ticket as well as our students’ notes from the week, and our notes on their progress during lab.

How will your team identify students that may need differentiated instruction?

Example: Mr. Sample will be responsible for calling attention to students that need differentiated instruction during our weekly sync.

Example: We will track differentiation notes through end of class emails to our team email account.

Advanced StudentsWhat do you plan to do with students who are flying ahead? Be specific: who on the team will be responsible?

Examples: extra credit assignments (check if this is allowed), give opportunities for advanced students to assist other students, complete additional work on online course or extension, extra textbook, work quietly on other subjects.

Example: Jane Volunteer will work on advanced assignments and have 1-2 ready each week. Students consistently ahead of this schedule will meet with Mr. Sample to determine if a more advanced class is a better fit/available.

StragglersWhat do you do with students that are falling behind?

Examples: split the class, get help from another student, classroom teacher intervention, online resources

Example: At the start of every lab, one team member will host a review session for students that feel they could use extra help. Students can opt-in to attend the review session, and we can gently suggest to individual students that they should consider attending.

Example: We will use “helping trios” where each student presents something they are working on and gets help/feedback from fellow classmates.

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GradingThe classroom teacher has the final say in what grades students receive and is responsible for putting the grades into the school’s grading system. Methods and standards for grading vary greatly from school to school and teacher to teacher. In most TEALS partner classes, volunteers assist the teacher with grading student work. The teaching team should calibrate their grading by first all grading the same submission and adjusting the difference in grades to a set standard. In the following questions, be sure to align with the school’s and teacher’s overarching policies.

What will be the breakdown of criteria in students’ grades for the course?

Example 1: We will follow TEALS’ recommended breakdown for the intro class: 40% Projects 40% Class Participation / Labs / Notebooks 20% Quizzes and Tests

Example 2: We will follow TEALS’ recommended breakdown for AP classes: 40% Tests and Quizzes 40% Projects / Large Labs / Performance Tasks 20% Class Participation / Homework / Daily Labs / Notebooks

What is your policy on late work?

Example 1: Large assignments are accepted up to 10 class days before the end of the semester in which it was assigned. Late work will be scaled to 80% of the score it receives. Small assignments may be turned in up to 1 day late for full credit.

Example 2: Assignments may be submitted late but will lose 10% of their value for each calendar day late they are received.

Will students be allowed to submit corrections to tests and/or revisions to projects?

Example: Students may always resubmit projects with revisions up to the end of the semester in which the work was assigned. The project will be re-graded and the student will receive half of the difference between the old grade and the new grade (for instance, if the project originally scored 18/40 and the revised project scored 34/40, the student will receive a final grade of 26/40). After major tests, we may choose to give all students an opportunity to correct their work to receive up to half of the points they missed.

What is your policy on academic dishonesty (i.e. cheating)? What constitutes cheating, and what are the consequences?

Example: When collaboration is not allowed on an assignment or test, any sharing of code, or discussion of the details of a problem is cheating. When collaboration is allowed, students should avoid giving each other code. Students must add code comments to *cite sources* when they received help, whether online or from another student.

At TEALS High School, all instances of cheating require a conversation with the academic dean who then determines a grade and/or disciplinary penalty.

How will you share the details of your academic dishonesty policy with students and regularly reinforce it?

Example: The policy will be provided to students in written form on their syllabus. We will discuss the policy and do a class activity around evaluating

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scenarios of cheating during September. Each time we assign a major project we will discuss specific examples of what does or does not constitute cheating.

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Lesson PlanningTEALS teaching teams have unique challenges and opportunities when planning lessons. You can (and should) take advantage of the individual strengths and experiences of all team members, but you must also make sure that roles and responsibilities are well-defined. In addition, you’ll need to be aware of all the standard factors when planning a lesson, including student needs (both academic and cultural), classroom setup, and scheduling, among others.

In the Lab Support model, the classroom teacher is responsible for planning each lesson. It’s important for the classroom teacher to share out plans ahead of time so volunteers know what to prepare. Additionally, the volunteers can be a great resource to share their knowledge of how each student is doing in the course, and to help the classroom teacher interpret and adapt the lesson plans based on the needs of the students. Volunteers tend to have great suggestions for additional/alternative examples and problems, especially ones based on their real-world experiences.

The worksheet below can be a useful discussion guide for planning out each lesson throughout the year.

LogisticsCurriculum unit/lesson number:

Date(s) of lesson:

TA in class for lesson:

Teaching Team ReflectionClassroom teacher: Overall, how comfortable are you with the topics and learning objectives in this lesson?

1 – Not at all 2 – Slightly 3 – Somewhat 4 – Mostly 5 – Entirely

Are there any computer science concepts that the Volunteers can help to clarify?

Student ContextWhich previous lessons are required to have been completed before this lesson?

Which students may not be prepared for this lesson? Look back over your student progress notes from the lessons you identified a required.

What additional scaffolding will you provide for students who may not be prepared for this lesson?

Which aspects of the lesson do you think students are most likely to struggle with? How will you help them be successful with these parts of the lesson?

PedagogyWhat is the hook for this lesson? How will you ensure that the hook is relevant and accessible to your students? (Modify the curriculum suggestions if necessary.)

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What examples and lab problems are used in this lesson? How will you ensure the examples you use are accessible and relevant to your students? (Modify the curriculum suggestions if necessary.)

Division of RolesWhat role will each other member of the teaching team play during this lesson? (Be specific. The co-teaching formats explained in TEALS training may be a helpful starting point: One Teach, One Support; Team Teaching; Parallel Teaching; Station Teaching; Alternative Teaching)

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CS Culture DaysIt’s important to connect the academic course content to real world applications, and a taste of the world of software engineering. TEALS encourages classes to implement CS Culture Days, taking a break from normal lessons and activities. TEALS provides several general lesson plans to illustrate how to run a culture day. Generally, they can include “show and tell” by the instructors, or topics researched and presented by students. Discuss culture day ideas with other teams on the TEALS discussion forum.

How often will your team hold culture days?

Example: We will use culture days to wrap up units and during days when we have technical difficulties.

Instructor Demo/Show and TellWhat are some topics you would like to share with your class?

Example:

Ashley Volunteer – demo of the new web app I am working on at work, my senior project from college, website my friends and I created for fun in high school.

Alejandro Volunteer – bring my boss in from work to talk about working at TECHMAZING Company, demo a new phone app I am working on to help me find my keys.

Preeti Volunteer - talk about what it is like to work at a tech company from the perspective of being a woman or person of color and initiatives at my company that support me as a professional with my background.

Mr. Sample – show off some of the work I have done for TEALS over the summer, show students some of my errors to encourage perseverance.

Based on what you collectively know about your students, what topics might they want to learn about?

Example: The incoming sophomores in our class have a range of interests including health care, video games, and cyber security. We can bring in current event topics about security. Joe Volunteer can talk about his former role at Health Incorporated.

Student Research and PresentWill you assign a research and presentation project to the students? If so, when in the year will you assign it, and what will it entail?

Example: During the first month of school, we’ll assign students to research and prepare a 5-minute presentation on a CS-related topic of their choice. Students will be allowed to choose a topic from a list we present or propose a topic which the instructors must approve. We will randomly assign students a presentation date (two students presenting each Friday).

Current EventsHow will you tie current events in computer science into your classroom?

Example: Every other Friday we will spend 10 minutes discussing a relevant article from the previous week. Students will be able to submit articles for extra credit.

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Recruiting Next Year’s StudentsTargeted recruitment efforts of students lead to growing enrollment, and help ensure that the diversity of students in your school’s CS classes reflects the overall diversity of your school. While enrolling students is the responsibility of the school, the whole teaching team can work together to create a cohesive plan and volunteers may find ways they can contribute to the process.

EnrollmentHow do students enroll in your class, and who controls the schedules?

Example: At TEALS High School, any student may elect to take Intro to CS, although the scheduling of the class is most conducive to Freshmen and Sophomore students. A dedicated scheduler, Ms. Management, creates course schedules with help from the 4 Guidance Counselors.

When are course schedules programmed at your school?

Example: At TEALS High School, students complete a Course Preference Form in March. Preliminary schedules are completed by May, and students receive their draft schedule before the school year ends. Students receive a final class schedule when they return to school in September.

Which groups of students at your school are currently under-represented in computer science? What are the best ways to reach those students?

Example: Our computer science class at TEALS High School is only 35% female while the school’s population is 51% female. The school has a large minority of Hispanic/Latinx students (52%), but only 20% of the students in our CS class. Our school’s guidance counselors can help us reach a more diverse group of students.

Recruitment ActivitiesDiscuss the following activities to aid in recruiting students and decide which of them would be most helpful at your school. For those activities that you want to organize, select a time frame, and outline who will take on what responsibilities for the activity.

Activity Timeframe ResponsibilitiesHour Of CodeAn awareness activity where students complete a 1 hour tutorial involving programming or other CS concepts. Often embedded within math or science classes for maximum reach.

Example: We’ll encourage math classes to run Hour of Code during CS Ed Week in December. Students from our class will visit math classes to serve as guides.

Volunteers Juan and Jane will help select appropriate tutorials from the Hour of Code website. Ms. Sample will coordinate with the math department to schedule and run the activity.

Student ShowcaseAn event (assembly, at lunch, or after school) where your students show off the amazing work they’ve done in class to their peers outside the class.

Example: We’ll host a showcase at lunch at the end of each semester. We’ll also showcase student work on the daily video announcements once per month.

Ms. Sample will organize the activity. Volunteers Juan and Jane will attend and speak with interested students.

Back To School / Parent NightMany parents may not be familiar with CS or with your school’s

Example: Back To School Night is in late September. We’ll do a 5

Ms. Sample will arrange for the presentation to happen with Principal

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programs. Host a special presentation for parents.

minute presentation during the opening remarks in the auditorium.

Awesome. Volunteers Juan and Jane will prepare example projects to show parents.

Your Other Ideas

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AppendixIf the classroom teacher doesn’t have one, this student experiences survey will help you understand your students’ background and learning styles.

Student Experiences SurveyAdapted from “Culturally Relevant Teaching & The Brain” by Zaretta Hammond

Student name:

What do you think learning computer science is going to be like?

What are your favorite things you do with technology? (examples: playing with phone apps, Xbox games, designing visuals/art online)

What are your favorite subjects?

What is an example of something you learned that you will always remember? Why was it so memorable to you? What did you like about how it was taught?

What hobbies, sports, other interests, or social causes do you care about?

What is a saying, metaphor, analogy, or parable you remember hearing from your parents or guardians, grandparents, aunts and uncles? And what do you think it means?

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