FAQs

Who can apply?

Any Alameda County teacher who will be teaching in a secondary classroom next year in any content area.

Who should apply?

Any teacher who wants to incorporate Computer Science Principles into their classes, especially those who teach traditionally underserved populations.

When do I need to apply by?

Deadline is June 30th. The application can be found here: http://goo.gl/56g4pK

When will we be notified?

We will notify all applicants by the middle of July. If you would like to pull your application please contact us (see below) and let us know you are will not be able to participate.

What is my time commitment?

Two hours per month of in-person meetings and two hours of homework in between sessions. The homework will involve taking part in a MOOC (an online course) where you will get to delve deeper into the material covered in the workshops.

Do I have to learn a computer language?

The course is not designed to teach you a particular language on top of all the material we will be covering. However, we will definitely encourage you to embark on this journey and will facilitate this process for you. You will be exposed to a few languages as part of the class, and you should pick one to focus on as a personal challenge. Realize that learning a computer language will vastly deepen your understanding of the concepts we cover in our course and will make you a stronger teacher in the end.

Do I receive any units for taking the course?

We definitely think you should, but we currently do not offer any units for taking CSP4T. We are working towards this goal. We will post information soon.

Do I need to have any prior computer science knowledge?

You do not need to have any previous computer science experience to participate. A strong sense of curiosity and a growth mindset is all you need, along with a commitment to fulfill the course requirements — just what you would expect your students to have when they learn material out of their comfort zone.

When do you plan to meet?

The sessions will be held from 4:30 -6:30, on the third Tuesday, starting August 18, 2015, except for the last session, which will take place on February 23rd, 2016.

What do I get?

Besides being prepared to teach AP Computer Science Principles should your school decide to offer it, you will learn how to integrate computer science into your content area. You will also receive an $800 stipend, upon successful completion of the course.

Will you feed us?

We realize hungry students don't learn very well, which is why we have budgeted for dinner at each of our eight sessions. We will break bread while we learn and grow.