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As the number of secondary CS teachers increases to meet the burgeoning course offerings in the U.S., teachers new to the discipline need additional supports beyond one-time workshops focused on particular curricula. To address this need, we implemented a year-long, equity-focused peer mentoring program with twenty-six teachers across one state. Participants met twice monthly to identify and work towards three goals related to the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers. Pilot data suggest that mentees increased in their teaching confidence but needed additional support to apply their learnings in their classrooms. We also identified several ways that our application process hampered our broadening participation goals by making it difficult for teachers working with rural, minoritized or low-income students to participate. In this poster, we will share lessons learned from our pilot and emerging findings from our second year of implementation.
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MENTORS in CS
As the number of CS teachers increases to meet the burgeoning course offerings in the U.S., teachers new to the discipline need additional supports beyond one-time workshops focused on particular curricula. To address this need, we developed a year-long, equity-focused peer mentoring program. Mentors are teachers with 5+ years of CS teaching experience, and mentees are teachers who are new to teaching CS. They are strategically matched in 1:1 partnerships based on context and goals. Across one academic year, they meet twice monthly to identify and work towards three goals related to the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers. Through individualized support through 1:1 mentorship, teachers will demonstrate increased confidence, pedagogical content knowledge, and use of equitable and inclusive teaching practices. In this presentation, we share resources and guide other CSTA Chapter Leaders in planning how they can create their own peer mentoring programs.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2031314
- PAR ID:
- 10444762
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2023 CSTA Chapter Leadership Summit
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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There is a burgeoning population of new CS teachers who are looking for additional support in their first few years of teaching, particularly around equitable and inclusive pedagogy. At the same time, there are a sizable number of teachers with multiple years of CS teaching experience who are looking for growth opportunities without taking on new courses. To address these needs, we are designing an innovative, equity-focused peer mentorship program for high school CS teachers. Mentors and mentees work together to support the mentee in identifying and achieving goals aligned to three of the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers: equity and inclusion, instructional design, and classroom practice. Mentors are provided with training and participate in a monthly community of practice focused on effective mentoring. The poster will share findings from our first year of implementation as well as examples of the materials we developed to support mentors and mentees.more » « less
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