Welcome! Please introduce yourself

Greetings!
My name is Amy Reese, and I am the Coordinator of Elementary Science for Howard County Public Schools. Our system does Hour of Code and has a partnership with Code.org, so I felt this was my opportunity to learn more and be more prepared with what is available :slight_smile:
I am responsible for 41 elementary schools, PreK-5 in the areas of Science, Engineering, STEM, and Environmental Literacy.

Good morning, afternoon, or evening everyone,

My name is Carl and I am new to teaching computer science I am super excited about it. I am transitioning from Dell Field Technician to teaching IT Tech services/Business Education at a local High School named Langston Hughes High School (Go Panthers). I am looking forward to learning a lot about coding and to interact with some or all of you in this community. If anyone is the Atlanta, Douglasville area in GA feel free to reach out. You can reach on facebook.com/mrcarl007 and @MrCarl007 on twitter and instagram. I love meeting new people and learning about them so let’s talk. Tell me about you all and what you do and how much you love what you.

My favorite ice cream brand and flavor is Talenti Caramel Apple Pie. If you get me that i’ll be your slave. lol. If you’ve never had it then you’re missing your entire life I tell ya!. Try it and let me know what you think.

Hello! My name is Erin Russell and I am a K-2 Resource teacher at Holly Grove Elementary in Holly Springs, North Carolina. I’m interested in being part of the Code.org community because I want to bring coding to my school and educate teachers on how to use it in their general education classrooms as well as enhance the resource students’ learning in my room.

You can find me on Twitter: @RussellK_2nd

Carl,

Welcome! Check out Exploring Computer Science for an introductory HS curriculum and keep an eye out for PD opportunities upcoming from Code.org! And now I’m off to hunt down that Ice Cream flavor… I’m testing out the saying that you can get anything in NYC…

Brad

Erin,

Welcome! Check out the Computer Science Fundamentals and the “Unplugged Lessons” if access to devices is an issue. Also check out CSUnplugged.org as an additional resource and fair warning… you’re going to get hooked!

Brad

Hi,
My name is Lissa. I’m a technology and math intervention teacher for grades K-5 in a Maryland public school. This is my first year teaching technology and I’m on a steep (and enjoyable) learning curve. I’m taking Code.org’s online, self-paced Computer Science Fundamentals course so that I can learn more about coding and step-up my ability to teach it. I anticipate that the PLC will be a great resource.

And my favorite ice cream flavor is mint chip.

Hi my name is Helena Foust-Mantel. I am a Media Center Specialist at Burr Elementary in the Utica Community School district in Michigan. I have been involved with Hour of Code/Code.org for 4 years. My students and I are always looking for learning adventures, I’m thankful to be part of this community.

Hello, my name is Gabriel Gonzalez and I am currently retiring from the Army where I did teach for a number of years and I help my wife homeschool our kids (currently 3 of 5). We are in Fairbanks, AK but will be moving this summer after I retire to the southern Wisconsin area. I do more of the physical fitness, science and whatever else needs to be caught up on with the kids and she does the lion’s share, which I will fully give her credit for because she has a lot on her plate.

The thing that got me interested in using Code.org as part of our curriculum was my oldest son (10) and I play a game called Kerbal Space Program, which allows you to build fairly realistic rockets and other space craft and then fly them from launch through mission completion using two-body Newtonian physics. I definitely like the science aspect to the game and allows for conversations that lead to greater learning in many areas.

The game also boasts a large mod community and one of those mods is called Kerbal Operating System. It uses a programming language called Kerboscript and allows you to build anything from launch to landing and everything else in between. He is really interested in becoming an aerospace engineer and I don’t want him to miss out on any opportunity which may increase his chances of fulfilling his dream. I also recognize the value of coding as a way to teach logic, decision making and critical thinking which I’d teach all my kids.

I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say in how they are implementing coding into their classrooms, both traditional and non-traditional.

Cheers!
Gabriel Gonzalez

My name is Beth Grady, I live in Sydney, Australia and work at a private school. I currently teach Kinder to year 2.

Heard so much about coding from students and colleagues so keen to get some more info.

Hi, my name is Dimitar Topalov and I am a software developer from Bulgaria. Teaching kids to code is something that I have wanted to do since long time.

I have experience with teaching programming to university students and now I am preparing a curriculum for teaching coding to kits. I feel Code.org will be very helpful for me in this direction.

Best regards,
Dimitar

Hi i’m David Lee from a state school in Perth, Western Australia. I’ve been interested in computing with our primary school kids for years and am now putting my eggs in the code.org basket to see where it leads me.

Hello Wonderful Coders !

My name is Andrew Nelson and I have been a teacher-programmer for the last 21 years. I love programming or coding as it is more popularly called now. I work with an International School in Jakarta, Indonesia. I teach Primary as well as Secondary.

I have been involved in introducing programming in many of the schools I’ve worked in - be it Logo or Basic (yes QBasic and GWBasic - I’m ancient ;-)) and more recently Java and Visual Basic. I’ve been involved in HOCs but I’m planning to add Code Studio into my Computing curriculum and hence I’m here !

I have 2 wonderful boys and a pretty wife who is also a teacher. I am also an Apple Distinguished Educator and a Certified Google Educator.

Happy to connect here and learn from all of you !

Connect with me on Twitter : edtechNelson

Cheers !!

Andrew

Hi, all. My name is Teresa, and I’m actually a youth librarian at a public library in New Albany, IN. I’m doing a one-time coding program at my library this summer and considering having a coding club that meets regularly staring in the fall.

I’ve only done a little bit with coding before, mostly in grad school, and I’m excited to learn how to teach the basics to kids.

Hi, everyone! My name is Caroline Tolentino. I am a kindergarten teacher from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am currently serving as our school’s afterschool program liaison, which allows me to work with other students from Pre-K to 5th grade. I love technology and I support technology integration in the classroom. I have been meaning to learn and teach coding to elementary grade students and hopefully, with the help of Code.org and conversations with you all, these will be possible.

Hi! My name is Kirstin, I am an elementary librarian in Springfield, MA. I have been in the library area of education for the last 4 years, after a long maternity leave to raise my two girls until they began kindergarten. Previous to becoming a certified school librarian, I was a classroom teacher for 13 years. As, I see education shifting into the digital age, I feel it is important to keep myself involved in media and the changing world. Many of the students in my district come from extremely impoverished environments and hopefully I can inspire a love of technology that will catapult them onto a path for future success in life.

I have used a few of the code tutorials with classes from 2nd -5th. Usually I use the classic maze tutorial and then some of my students go to town on choosing others to self teach.
BTW- My favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate PB swirl!!

My name is Tania Driskill and I teach HS science. I’m going through this course and plan to use it in the graduate level PD I offer for teachers! You can follow me @Taniadriskill on Twitter. Check out my site if you are interested in taking graduate courses for movement on your salary schedule (only $100 per grad credit).

https://sites.google.com/site/driskillinnovationsineducation/

Hi! My name is Lisa Rivera, and I am a secondary teacher and technology coordinator for our small district in northern Michigan. I am interested in this course because we have a teacher retiring this year who has taught elementary computers for the past 20 years, and I would like to revamp the program for his upcoming replacement. I teach computers to high school students, and I would like to see a more rigorous curriculum to better prepare younger students for upper level courses.

Hi!

My name is Margaret Reece and I am a special education teacher that works in a self-contained high school CSS (autism) unit in Jacksonville, FL. I had heard of “hour of code” in our district, and began exploring the curriculum for use in my job skills class. So far - so good! But I need to sharpen my skills if I want to keep up with my students. Here’s one of my favorite pictures that represents the full life I hope for all my students

Hello Everyone!

I’m new to the world of teaching coding; however, I’m excited to begin this journey!

My name is Kimberly Roberson, currently residing in Maryland by way of North Carolina. (I’ve lived in both states almost an equal amount of time). I’m currently an Instructional Technology Specialist for a large urban school district bordering Washington, DC. My daily work involves working with administrators, teachers, support staff and occasionally students to integrate technology into learning and expand their use of technology for professional productivity. Prior to my current position, I taught elementary aged scholars - grades 3, 4, 5 and 6th grade.

For the last two years, I’ve invited the schools that I support to participate in a Day of Code. I’ve also exposed my schools and my son to Scratch. Personally, I’ve tinkered but never really took the time to learn to teach it.

Other fun facts about me:

  • I’m obsessed with GSuite (Google Apps) and recently became a Google for Education Certified Trainer.
  • I’m a Twitter lurker but will emerge if I think I have something beneficial to say. So connect with me here.
  • I’m passionate about digital equity and improving the learning environment for students through sound pedagogy.

Side note: I love that I’m able to see a little of the code along with a preview of the final version as I’m typing this intro! Awesome!

Hi, I’m Jane Scudder. I live about thirty miles south of Kansas City, Missouri and work in Belton, Missouri. I teach 4th graders, which is my favorite grade to teach. I’ve just started a graduate class called “Coding as Literacy” and have no coding background other than having my class participate in the Hour of Code for the last two years. My plan is to work through the Code Studio online course to educate myself in hopes to educate my students about coding. My hope is to learn a lot through reading the posts, as well as the frequently asked questions.