On our first Teacher Highlight, we showcase our very on Chapter Secretary, Mark Godinez. Mark teaches AP computer science Principles, VR Unity coding, and Work Experience at South Dade Senior High School. Learn how he earned the South Florida NCWIT Affiliate Educator of the Year Award.
Mark is certified in Business, ESOL and Exceptional Student Education. He teaches AP computer science Principles, VR Unity coding, Work Experience, and tutors 2nd and 3rd grade after school. He is also the grade book manager for his school. With the encouragement of CS teachers like Jamie Gant from Ronald W. Reagan/Doral Sr. High School, Mark started getting interested in computer science with the Code.org fundamentals course, and on the summer of 2018, Mark attended the Code.org AP Computer Science Principles course training. Mark started teaching CS classes during the next school year.
"This first year has been incredible, I won the South Florida NCWIT Affiliate Educator of the Year Award, for my work recruiting female students into computer science and STEM courses. I feel motivated to do more to encourage female students into computer science." Mark.
Mark encourages his 2nd and 3rd grade students by exposing them to innovative technologies. Mark says he was scared to learn something new, but he is happy to have taken the step forward to learn. Now he has become an advocate for computer science in his school and community. Mark's goals are to spread computer science to more students, and to grow the Miami network of teachers with Miami CSTA. "I am not alone and now have a network of computer science teachers that help me grow professionally for my students."
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