Getting Experience in Computer Science Education - Guide to Teaching Computer Science: An Activity-Based Approach - page 243

will use other words. So, I stopped talking to myself, but still remembered the
lesson like a song.
When the university mentor asked her:
What exactly did you say in your head?
Gila answered:
I had no idea what they [the pupils] will say so I couldn't think about them.
Since not all learners face the same difficulties and since I was familiar only
with the difficulties I faced [as a learner], I could concentrate only on these
difficulties. Therefore, I could think only about what I will say in the class.
Then, Gila stated:
On the very first lesson someone teaches, it's not important what he [or
she] will say. The only important issue is that the teacher will not be afraid and
just talk about something. […] The first lesson that a new teacher teaches
does not contribute much to his pupils' learning; it is more important
that s/he himself [the teacher] will learn.
As in Activities 106 and 107, following the scenario presentation, a discus-
sion can take place in which the following topics, as well as others, may be
addressed:

1. Gila's last statement: Do the students in the MTCS course agree with this
statement? Do they disagree?
2. The preparation process of the first lesson that a novice teacher teaches.
3. Novice teachers' feeling before and after the first lesson they teach.

13.3 Computer Science Teacher Training Within

the Professional Development School
Collaboration Framework 4

13.3.1 General Description and Main Objectives

The PDS is a collaboration framework aims to assist teachers in taking their first
steps in their professional career. The rationale is to form innovative foundations
through partnerships between schools and professional education programs within
academic institutions (Clark 1999 ). The collaborative effort aims to improve the
initial preparation of prospective teachers in parallel to the enhancement of the pro-
fessional development of in-service classroom teachers. A PDS is a learning-cen-
tered community, and its partners are guided by a common vision of teaching and
learning that is grounded in research and practitioner knowledge. The objectives of
the PDS within a specific school are determined jointly by all partners: schools ad-

4 Based on Ragonis and Oster-Lewintz ( 2011 ), ﾩ 2011 ACM, Inc. Included here by permission.