Interactions

I develop relationships with my students by interacting with them every day. This may be something simple like asking them how their weekend was, how they fared on that extra hard test they were studying for in another class, or congratulating them on a job well done being inducted into the National Honors Society (I also asked them to sign program pamphlet, so when they achieve fame I already have their signature). But I make an effort go beyond this.

• I've learned some basic Chinese to interact with my international students.
• I've helped several students build gaming computers.
• I answer emails quickly and with personalized communication
• I create code review videos for each of my students
• I use the (sometimes ridiculous) lingo the kids pick up... recent examples include:
  • No cap
  • OK Boomer
  • Big brain
  • Yeet
  • It be like that

The lingo may seem a bit excessive, but one teacher, James Callahan, went so far as to create a spreadsheet of current phrases to, wait for it, "make a connection with them on a personal level" (Brown, 2019). Callahan is later quoted, "The typical teacher-student dynamic involves a rigid power structure, but in my experience, I've found that students are more engaged and perform better if I am able to reach them where they are." Callahan even had his students help him make the list.

Researching the Urban Dictionary asides, a very easy method for kicking off the year or semester is to have students fill out a Google Form asking what students are interested in. This can be done quickly and can be reviewed after class, though if you are looking for more of an interactive approach, Padlet is also a great resource for displaying answers in real-time. My memory needs a little work though, so I prefer the form method so I can review the answers at a later time.

Celebrate the Wins

Most of this content applies to any and all students regardless of course (or advisory, as it the case with my freshmen homeroom). But as promised, these pages are dedicated to computer science. Here's the thing, computer science is a weird and difficult subject with lots of "aha!" moments throughout the classes. Those are moments of victory and should be celebrated as such. I give my students high-fives and throw my arms in the air in absolute success. Because win my students are being successful, it means I'm being successful. Like many of the interactions listed on this page, it's important to revel in them and I can't recommend enough that you do.