Greetings Coders!
I’m a twenty-year veteran teacher in upstate NY. If I told you all the positions I’ve held, I’d sound like I’ve been around. So let’s leave it at “experienced”. My teaching background in coding is limited to The Hour of Code last year and the Mind Storm Lego program. As I prepare to teach coding for summer school (in 3 days!), I am trying to do this as a crash course. My students will be young (K-4th) so I’m struggling with bringing it down to that level. In the fall, I’ll be back to doing an after-school program in the middle school.
One thing I’ve learned is that most students will figure it out if I leave them to it, and others do better when paired with another student. This is THEIR language and I am learning to use it.
I’m looking forward to learning from the community here. What a great idea!
I am Sandy Summerlin from Kannapolis, NC. I have taught grades 1 and 2, but now teach in our school’s STEM lab for grades K-4. I am hoping to use Code.org in my lab either during regular school hours or as an after school activity. Our school is over 85% poverty and coding is definitely a way to show our students they have options to change their lives.
My name is Paul LaGrange and I am very excited to join with all of you to help facilitate the next generation of learners. I am a high school teach with a great passion for opening doorways to success in an equitable fashion for kids. My district is planning on jumping in to the pool by having code.org specialists for each of our elementary schools and I have been given the opportunity help facilitate the process.
My name is Aaron Hollingshead. I teach K-8 technology at Imagine Charter School in Firestone (Colorado). This is my third year at this school, and I’ve taught coding principals mainly using Scratch and Processing. I love everything code.org is doing, and wanted something more consistent for my K-5 kids. Looking forward to learning more here.
Hi! My name is Michele Roberts and I am the Indiana K-5 affiliate, and am so excited to promote computational thinking here in the Hoosier state. I teach Computer Science at IUPUI (the Indianapolis regional campus of Purdue), and have been involved in K-12 outreach for many years now. It’s really wonderful to have something like the Code.org curriculum to utilize in outreach!!! I’m also a CS Principles pilot.
And sorry, you ice-creamers: There is simply no way to improve on Baskin Robbins chocolate chip ice cream. (Except perhaps to have it drone home-delivered)
My name is Jessica. I live and teach on Long Island. I will be teaching K-2 STEM in the fall.
I’m interested in this program because I believe in the importance of teaching kids computer programming. I am a beginner myself and would let to gain more knowledge so I can effectively guide my students on their journey.
Hi, I am Melissa Frisbee. I teach at a rural school in New York. I have taught Elementary students (k - 2 years, 2nd - 5 years,3rd - 5 years,4th - 1 year) since I began my career. This coming school year I will be teaching computers to PreK-4, robotics 5-8, photography 9-12. I hope to turn the Elementary Computer Lab into a STEM Lab, it is almost there already. I am interested in adding Coding to the curriculum and maybe even offer it to middle and high school students.
My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla, so that I can add whatever I am in the mood for…usually peanut butter and/or chocolate!
Lisa Anthony is the IT Administrator at The School of the Madeleine in Berkeley, California where she instructs students in grades K-5 and utilizes the Studio Code K-5 curriculum regularly. A colleague introduced the school to the Hour of Code nationwide challenge in 2013 and all K-5 students participated in 2013 and 2014. In addition to her weekly Technology Center classes, Anthony facilitates various STEM centered student learning opportunities including the Technology Team, Robotics Club, JavaMasters, RaspberryPi’s, LegoMasters, MadPadders, MadCoders, and CodeHS. She also coordinates student beta-testing sessions for pioneering technology, administers the network infrastructure to support the school’s learning environment, and hosts an afterschool Study Hall for the students in grades 5-8.
Anthony came to The Madeleine in 2010 after spending four years at St. Elizabeth’s in Oakland, CA as Technology Coordinator. Involved in classrooms since 1997, she taught K, 3, 4, 5, and worked as a Title One Reading Specialist prior to Computer Science. Anthony holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with authorizations in Math, English, and Social Science and graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Hayward. She is an Apple Certified Technical Coordinator, a member of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), Golden Gate Chapter, and the sole proprietor of Pia Pro-Technology Solutions.
Anthony.hopes to implement a Computer Science Principles Framework for K-5 students aligned with the College Board criteria for AP Computer Science Principles course set to officially launch in High Schools during 2016-2017 and is a participant in the 2015 CS Principles for High School (CSP4HS) and an attendee at the July 2015 Infusing Cooperative Learning into Computer Science Principles Courses to Promote Engagement and Diversity Workshop and the CSTA Conference in Dallas and the CODE.org 2015 Affiliate Summit in Chicago.
I am Mindy Ross from Downingtown, PA. I am new to teaching computer technology and I’m starting with a coding club this summer. Yay…sounds like a great time to me!
Starting in the Fall, I will be teaching Computer Tech to k-5 students in the Penn-Delco School District.
I am excited to be a part of this community to learn and grow in computer science teaching.
Hello Everyone!
My name is Ruth Villarreal and I’m a second grade teacher from Stafford, VA. I’m excited to introduce coding in my Lightbulb Lab (STEAM Lab in my classroom) this year. Since I’m new to coding, I’m trying to learn as much as I can before the school year begins.
Great Day to you all!
My name is… (deep breath)… Elizabeth A Contreras Barrientos. Yes, my name is pretty darn long and takes up two lines on facebook .
I am excited to be able to extend my skills to be able to serve teachers in our efforts to mediate students to take on the world. It is my belief that computer science skills are first and foremost cognitive skills applied. We will build cognitive capacity and those students will then be able to not only master computer science concepts but be better thinkers in life, problem solvers in and out of school, and most of all empathetic and service oriented to their fellow man.
Then after lunch we will be able to negotiate world peace Just kidding! (just about the timing but not about the goals ) We have a huge privilege and responsibility in shaping our world. I am honored to do my part and appreciate the opportunity for growth so that I may be a better servant leader.
I am Susan Reeves, a new Affiliate Trainer for Code.Org. I live in San Antonio, Texas and am an Educational Specialist, Digital Age Learning for the Education Service Center, Region 20. In that role I travel through south Central Texas working with schools and K-12 teachers on technology integration. Prior to joining the ESC, I was an Educational Technology Specialist in my former district and co-led the Elementary Robotics initiative for the district (which grew from 7 to over 40 clubs in two years).
I am also a Google for Education Certified Innovator (formerly known as Google Certified Teacher), an Edmodo Certified Trainer and in my spare time mom to 4! My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla, but I love to load it with fruit, chocolate and other toppings depending upon my mood at the moment.
Hi,
I’m Jodi Mahoney. I teach technology for K-8th graders at Carl Von Linne Elementary in Chicago. I’m excited to learn how other teachers are using code.org with their students. I started using it several years ago, but didn’t create student accounts or track student progress. Glad to know those features are available. My favorite ice cream flavor is Jamoca Almond Fudge.
Hey all! I thought it might be fun to create a quick map showing where everyone is from. Drop a pin on our community map to share your general location.
Search for your school or home address (feel free to choose a generic address in your town if you’d like to stay anonymous)
Click on the pin that appears and click “Add to map.”
Click on your pin again and click on the pencil icon to change the pin name to your name.
In the description, add any details you would like to have publicly available to other community members. Suggestions: your role, your Twitter handle or professional website, what you’re interested in, etc. You can also add a picture and change the style of your pin.
Click “save” to add your pin to the map
After you’ve added yourself, you can search around the map and look for others with similar interests to you.
Hi! My name is Nicole Garcia. I am a Chicago Public School teacher. I have taught for 8 years. 5 years, I taught in a self contained 4th grade classroom. Then I taught 2 years in a 5th/6th grade3 social studies middle school setting, and now I will be starting my 2nd year as our school’s technology coordinator and teacher. I have been at the same school from the start of my career. I am very excited to bring computer science into our classrooms this year!
My name is Jarkko Mylläri and I’m a Learning Environment Designer for the City of Kauniainen, Finland. I’ve a research and teacher training background at the University of Helsinki, Dept. of Teacher Ed. Oh, and GTAUK2010!
In Kauniainen we’ve been using code.org in our primary and secondary classes from grade 4, and now I’m checking in on the new teacher materials here - looks great already! Going to promote them both in Kauniainen and at the University.
I am UMIT from Antalya, TUEKEY. I am the Head of ENglish Department at my current school. I teach students aged from 8 to 16. At weekends I work as an ESP Teacher at a private Language School as well. I like participating in PD programs, learning and exploiting from them. It will be a pleasure to be a part of this program.
Hi everyone!
My name is April Thomas. I teach at Baucom Elementary, which is a K-5 school in Apex, North Carolina. I am also the Instructional Technology Facilitator at Baucom which allows me to train teachers on effective technology use in their classrooms. I completed an hour of code with all 925 students at Baucom last year for the first time. During the summer I work at CAML Academy where I teach Java code using Eclipse to modify Minecraft. I also use code.org in my Computer Science 101 Camp. You can find me on twitter @AprilSThomas . My favorite ice cream flavor is Chocolate I look forward to learning more about code here.
Hello! My name is Kelley Begley McCall. I’m from Wichita, Kansas. I am going to be a new principal this year in Hutchinson, but was teaching in the elementary setting for the past 10 years.
I’ve been using code.org with my 3rd graders since about January of this year. It just took off in my classroom and I love every thing about coding.
I’m excited that I am now an affiliate for code.org. I think this is going to be an exciting adventure helping make computer science the norm in every classroom and school across the country.
.
Just kidding! (just about the timing but not about the goals 
) We have a huge privilege and responsibility in shaping our world. I am honored to do my part and appreciate the opportunity for growth so that I may be a better servant leader.
I look forward to learning more about code here.