Welcome to the CSTA Volunteer Spotlight series, where we celebrate the incredible individuals who dedicate their time and passion to making a difference in the CSTA community. Join us in recognizing and appreciating the extraordinary efforts of Dan in their role as Reflective Teachers Committee Member.
What inspired you to volunteer your time with CSTA? How has this experience impacted you?
As a district administrator supporting computer science, I have the responsibility to make sure there are opportunities for teachers to collaborate and find resources to support their teaching. Volunteering on the CSTA Board, Reflective Teachers Work Group, and supporting the Awards and Conference committees as a reviewer allows me to help make sure we are highlighting the fantastic teachers and students.
How long have you been involved with CSTA, and what motivated you to join?
When I started with my current district, four of the officer team for DFW CSTA were in my district. I was encouraged to join the chapter and CSTA. That was eight years ago. I have appreciated the work CSTA has accomplished in pushing for opportunities for all students to learn in safe and inclusive classrooms.
Can you share any memorable experiences or highlights from your involvement with CSTA?
For six years, I led the DFW CSTA chapter as the chapter president. I have met so many of our members and have had the opportunity to help grow our chapter membership and finances.
Five years ago, I joined the CSTA Board. Over that time, I had the honor of being elected to lead CSTA as Board Chair. This has been an amazing journey. Our diverse board brings lots of ideas and perspectives to the work we do. I am proud to have traveled all over the United States to represent our members. I have made lots of friendships because of my CSTA involvement. I have grown my understanding of the field of computer science through these experiences.
How has CSTA impacted your teaching career and professional development?
From leading professional learning and participating in sessions around the country, my knowledge of many aspects of computer science and teaching pedagogy has grown and evolved for the better. Being able to speak and collaborate with others from different cultures and backgrounds has grown me as a person.
In what ways do you see CSTA shaping the future of computer science education?
CSTA is the leader in computer science education. We have developed some great programs beyond the CSTA Annual Conference, which allows CSTA to be a resource for teachers. From the CSTA CS Standards for CS Teachers and CSTA K-12 CS Standards to the Equity Follows opportunities, CSTA is an amazing organization that helps grow our teachers to better support our CS students.
Are there any specific initiatives or projects within CSTA that you’ve been particularly passionate about?
The CSTA Standards for CS Teachers project has been a wonderful opportunity. The Reflective Teachers Work Group has developed a number of resources to help teachers to reflect on their teaching pedagogy and content knowledge. Having led a number of workshop sessions with these resources has been an exciting way to support teachers across CSTA.
What does the future of CSTA look like?
The future of CSTA looks bright. Between the CSTA Equity Fellows, the work of our member committees, Board committees, and the make up of membership, CSTA engages members in so many ways that no matter where they live, these members can engage through our online communities, chapters, conferences and summits, and other workshops.