Bridging the Gap: How OSLN’s Computer Science Training Enhanced My STEM Classroom

No matter the grade level, Ohio teachers can get support to inspire students, connect to relevant standards, and build life-changing skills. Applications are open now for Ohio teachers to start Computer Science Discoveries, Computer Science Principles, and Computer Science A courses. Elementary educators may apply for the Ohio STEM Learning Network’s Computer Science K-5 Program.

Here’s a letter from Christine Horne at St. Gabriel School. She wrote to us back in late Fall 2023, partway through her cohort experience. Christine recently completed the Computer Science K-5 Program:

I have been a Catholic school teacher for 21 years. During my career, I have worked with students as young as 4th through 8th grade. The last 6 years have been spent in a STEM and Technology classroom. With the combination of my years of experience as a classroom teacher and my passion to integrate technology into the classroom, STEM was a great extension of my teaching career.

During the summer of 2023, I was fortunate to attend Battelle’s 2023-2024 Professional Learning Program for Computer Science K-5 Program. Through this week-long program I was able to receive hands-on training from teachers who implement this curriculum in their classrooms. The level of expertise and knowledge of curriculum were tremendous. But even better than that was the collaboration during the week. Each day of our training, time was devoted to connecting the Code.org curriculum across the curriculum.

Our cohort has a variety of teachers from different districts, disciplines, and socio-economic backgrounds. We all have different needs in the cohort, but through collaboration and sharing sessions, we are all able to get what we need to meet our students’ needs.

One of the best parts of the cohort model is the continuing support that the trainers and other members offer while we are apart. I am able to access the Padlet with websites and materials bookmarked from each day of our week long training. I have accessed this information often when teaching in my classroom to start this school year.

I’ve been using the Code.org Computer Science K-5 in my classroom for 5 weeks now. I had never used the unplugged activities in the Tech class before, but they have been a welcome surprise. The kids are excited to come in each day and add to what they learned the previous day or learn something new. I have been especially impressed with the relatable content and the easy ways I can connect what we are doing in a coding lesson with what the students are learning in their general education classes. I am excited to learn more and help other teachers integrate the content and vocabulary into their classrooms and schools. In the future, I hope to expand my training to the CS Discoveries for grades 6-8.

Christine Horne

St. Gabriel School, Technology Teacher