The following was written by Hunter Alzate, a high school math teacher and DoW STEM Ambassador. DoW STEM Ambassadors work with the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) to advance STEM outreach for students who are underrepresented in STEM or military connected. Alzate was selected by UC San Diego CREATE, a DSEC partner, as its DoW STEM ambassador for the 2022-2023 school year.

Calling all teachers, administrators, and counsellors in California! Are you looking to offer more computer science (CS) opportunities for your students? Do you need some support starting a CS program? The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that CS jobs will grow a fast 21 percent between 2021 and 2031. Don’t let your students miss out on these future job openings; enroll in a free and sometimes even paid professional development opportunity offered by Seasons of CS.

Seasons of CS is a research-backed professional learning model for K-12 educators, administrators, and counselors who are interested in bringing computer science to their students. The goal is to expand systematic capacity for equitable, scalable, and sustainable CS education in California.

For example, in summer 2023, Seasons of CS is offering free workshops that will also pay participants $175 per day for their time. Depending on the workshop selected, these trainings last between one and seven days and may be in-person, hybrid, or fully remote. Below are some organizations that are offering workshops:

• Bootstrap (Algebra and Data Science)
• UC Davis C-STEM Center (Algebra, Computing, and Robotics)
• CS Awesome (AP Computer Science A)
• Code.org (CS Discoveries and AP CS Principles)
• Google CS First
• Elementary 4 CS
• Plus many more

In summer 2019 I participated in a Code.org professional learning workshop for AP CS principles. The curriculum is top-notch; it is accessible, equitable, and has many built-in teacher supports. I have even used Code.org modules to highlight interdisciplinary connections between math, statistics, and CS. I believe that all of the workshops offered by Seasons of CS are of high quality.

I know it may sound intimidating to try and learn a new skill! I am here to say that it is possible to add CS to your teaching toolkit—whether you are a teacher, administrator, or counselor from any education background. The summer 2019 training comprised 50 percent non-STEM-background teachers. A social science teacher told me they loved teaching CS because of the deeper learning opportunities for students navigating the effects of technology in modern society.

Our students deserve a modern education; without exposure to CS at the K-12 level, students are less likely to pursue these courses at the postsecondary level. Seasons of CS professional learning opportunities are fantastic sources for teachers, administrators, and counsellors to prepare themselves to offer their students the modern education they deserve. Please visit their website and enroll in a workshop that interests you and aligns best with your schedule so that you can expand your knowledge of CS.