Hello! My name is Tatiana. I am a rising senior at Tulane University studying Chemistry and Computer Science. This summer I will be a teaching assistant for the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program in Miami (link to GWC: https://girlswhocode.com ). Girls Who Code is a national non-profit organization dedicated to closin
g the gender gap in technology. The summer immersion program is 7 weeks long and completely free to high school girls interested in computer science and coding. My specific responsibilities as a teaching assistant will be: assisting the teacher in leading a classroom of 20 high school girls, providing updates to the GWC staff, developing a community within the GWC program, and serving as a mentor and role model for the students.
NCI and Girls Who Code have very similar missions: educating and providing opportunities to women. I am really excited to be a part of this amazing community of women whose focus is to empower and learn from each other. GWC and NCI are bold organizations. They see the gender gap problem in our professional world and give a call to action for those who want to stand with them. I want to be a part of the solution to close the gender gap in technology, and I think GWC is a great place to start. Knowing that there is an organization out there that sees that there is a problem and does not ignore it gives me hope that the technology world and education system can change through powerful, inspiring women seeking change.
To get the most out of this experience, I have 5 goals for this summer: 1. Be able to effectively teach python in all professional fields to high school students 2. Learn how to manage a classroom 3. Develop a community with the students
and my fellow teachers 4. Be able to give professional reports on the status of the class to my supervisors 5. Deal with problems or accidents in the classroom smoothly
and professionally.
To prepare for this internship, I have been brushing up on my python coding skills by working through problems and projects. I started working through some simple projects and then walk through it as if I were teaching a student.
Here is the link to some mini projects: https://knightlab.northwestern.edu/2014/06/05/five-mini-programming-projects-for-the-python-beginner/. In a couple of weeks, I will be going to Atlanta for training. In training, we will prepare for the classroom setting by going over the summer schedule and going over rules and problems that may occur.
I am really excited to be in Miami this summer with GWC. Mostly, I cannot wait to start teaching. I really enjoy seeing others love what I love to do. The community of girls and the other teachers will be inspiring and fun. I know it will be an unforgettable experience.