Sacha Chua - tech evangelist, connector, geek
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On Reading

Among my friends, my appetite for books is well-known. They obligingly lend me all sorts of reading material - from philosophy to fiction, from children's books to encyclopedic references.

It surprises me how many people avow an earnest dislike of books. I suspect that is because they had to learn how to read in school and thereupon hated it simply because it was an imposition. On the other hand, I was fortunate enough to have a mother who took me in her arms and read me fairy tales until she grew hoarse from exhaustion.

I used to read my parents' books on parenting children. This made life somewhat strange. I felt somewhat cheated out of a genuine teenage crisis. I wondered when I would get to cry (with appropriate angst, of course) that universal teenage anthem, "You don't understand me at all!" Ah, no; I had read both the parent's side and the teenager's side, and found myself concurring with the former.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my mom who never tired of reading "The Three Little Pigs" to me even though she knew I could very well read it upside down.

On Holidays

I have come to the conclusion that a holiday should not be treated as a day to catch up on work - or sleep, for that matter. The hours seem to pass much faster during holidays. One hour blurs into the next and it is night before I notice. Little work is done. To top it all off, I feel guilty about spending the day indoors, cooped up, doing the same things I always do. It is a holiday, after all - a day meant for relaxation and celebration. Yet when I relax, I feel guilty about not working - such is the peril of setting aside a holiday for work!

I am of the firm belief that holidays should be memorable. They should be a refreshing break from the humdrum monotony of our everyday lives. A holiday's benefit, indeed, is that break from the everyday world (hints of Marcel?) and a chance to contemplate what matters. Recharged, then, I should be ready to tackle the challenges of the workplace with renewed vigor.

I resolve to live the next holiday. I shall use the day to get in touch with old friends or revive old hobbies. It will be a day to experiment, to reflect, to celebrate life. It will be a day to remember.

Why I Want To Learn How To Teach

I love computer science. I want to help other people learn as much about computer science as they can so that they can enjoy it as much as I do. I want them to not only learn the tools and techniques we teach in class, but also develop the discipline of thinking logically and the ability to learn on their own.

In order to do that, it is not enough to know the subject well. I also need to know how to teach effectively - how to engage and excite students, how to draw out their questions and guide them to answers. I want to be able to reach each student - not as a faceless, nameless crowd I teach to, but as individuals from whom I can learn and with whom I can share what I know.

It will not be easy. Not all my lessons will proceed according to plan. Not all the examples I use will be clear and understandable. But armed with a passiono for the field and a desire to help people learn effectively, I hope to do the best I can.

I believe that formal training in education - from formulating lesson plans to assessing student accomplishments - will help me become a more effective teacher. With its emphasis on Ignatian ideals such as "magis" and "cura personalis", an Atenean education will help me learn how to help prepare other people to be men and women for others.

Article draft for Crossroads issue on Computer Science Education: Making the Most of Tutorials

computer science education in small colleges constructivist learning mentoring women in computer science

Notes for submission: http://www.acm.org/crossroads/submit

Feature: 1500 ~ 6000 words Opinion columns: 800 ~ 3000 words

Audience: other students

motivation

Tutorials are an excellent way

as an organizer

original text

• Encourage students to come to tutorial sessions with a list of prepared questions. Tutorials are not mini-lectures, but rather opportunities for students to clarify things they don't fully understand.
• Help students prepare for the tutorial session by asking them to each divide a sheet of paper into three columns - "I know", "I want to know", and "I learned". Ask your students to fill the first two columns at the start of the tutoring session. At the end of the session, students can summarize what they learned in the third column.
• Attitude is as important as knowledge. As a tutor, your job is also to help students build confidence. Reassure your students that they can understand the material. Try to determine what's holding students back. How do students feel about the subject? Do students perceive it as irrelevant? Are students intimidated by the complexity of the material or by other classmates? Consider students' current attitude when tutoring, and help students develop a more positive attitude toward the subject.
• You're not there just to teach the language. You can also help students develop problem-solving skills and the ability to learn independently. Don't just demonstrate what you know, but talk about how you learned and share your strategies for learning.
• Particularly for programming: If students are having a hard time with writing programs, ask them to express their solutions in English first, and then help them translate it step-by-step.
• Try to link new topics to previous knowledge. Show how new concepts are related to old ones. Introduce new topics in a step-by-step manner, building on previous material. This helps students review past lessons. It also helps students build confidence because you proceed from something students are familiar with.
• Listen more than you speak. As much as possible, try to guide students to the right answer without dictating it.
• You may need to demonstrate the solution of a problem if students are stuck. However, do not let students passively listen. After demonstrating the solution, for example, you can hide your solution and ask students to do it from scratch. You can ask students to rephrase it in their own words. You can ask students to highlight important points and then solve a slightly different problem.
• Ask questions and give exercises. You need to test your students' understanding. Students may have a hard time estimating their understanding of a topic. They might understand something while you're explaining it, but when they're on their own, they get confused. Ask lots of questions and give exercises so that students practice what they learned.
• Make sure you have follow-up work or exercises so that students can continue practicing at home. If you're familiar with the textbook or have a bank of exercise ideas to draw on, you can quickly prepare a personalized study plan with suggested exercises and readings.
• Group sessions can be very effective, especially if you get the students to answer each other. I particularly like doing this, as it has a number of benefits. Students build confidence, make friends, and learn that they're not the only ones having problems. They can help review each other, too!
• Keep your eyes open for good examples, analogies, and exercises. Write your ideas down in a notebook or blog someplace. (Shameless plug: I put a lot on my blog, and I love swapping ideas with others.)
• Smile.
• Enjoy tutoring. You also gain a lot from tutoring. Tutoring develops patience and communication skills. It also forces you to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. From time to time, you'll also learn something new from your students. Plus, you get that incredibly warm and fuzzy feeling when your students understand something (or are at least get somewhat closer to feeling they can).

I'd love to hear about any questions, comments, suggestions or links that you might have. Your comments will not be posted on this website immediately, but will be e-mailed to me first. You can use this form to get in touch with me, or e-mail me at sacha@sachachua.com .