Ready to Hear the Buzz in the Hallways?
Teacher Interview: Back to Teaching in the Classroom
Meet Brad DeFauw, a CodeHS Teacher Trainer & Certified Educator teaching at Oak Park & River Forest High School in Chicago, Illinois! This year, Brad is teaching Creative Computing & Mobile Apps. We chatted with Brad to learn how he’ll be handling the transition back to in-person teaching, and this is what he shared with us.
Hey, Brad! Let’s start with you telling us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Brad and this is my tenth year as a teacher. I started out as a middle school math teacher in Washington, D.C., then moved to high school math in Chicago, and now teach math and computer science in OPRF just outside of Chicago. In addition to all of that, I have coached various levels of basketball and soccer at my schools and am also co-founding my current school’s first ever computer science club, the Huskie Hackers!
How do you plan to successfully transition back to the classroom with students after a year of virtual/hybrid teaching?
It’s going to be more important this year than any other to prioritize relationship and community building in the classroom. For many of my students, this will be their first time back into a classroom in well over a year. I’m looking forward to welcoming my students back with positivity and warmth, combined with the high expectations necessary for their academic and personal success.
How do you cultivate a positive learning environment for all students?
Ownership of the material is paramount. Students need to feel that the work that they’re doing is important, relevant, and their own. Additionally, it’s important for students to have multiple outlets when they get stuck in their work. They need to know that they can turn to me for help, as well as other students, but maybe most importantly, they need to learn how to self-advocate and search out solutions on their own. Persevering through these challenges empowers students and, in my experience, makes them much more likely to help other students in the class who may also get stuck.
What’s the biggest challenge you are facing this upcoming school year?
I know that I’m going to have kids coming in at all sorts of different levels this year. While this is true in a “normal” year, I know that this will be more pronounced than normal, as remote/hybrid learning in COVID has had success on a wide spectrum for students.
What CodeHS tools and resources are you looking forward to using for your live lessons?
I love pointing students to the docs and conversation features. Troubleshooting and debugging are the most fun parts of teaching CS and these features really help the classes pinpoint specific concerns.
What are you most excited about for the 2021–22 school year?
I can’t wait to see all of my students in person and to hear the buzz of the hallways again! I love using the CodeHS platform and also can’t wait to see what my students create this year.
