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Volunteer FAQ

Find answers to your volunteer questions below.
General Information Roles and responsibilities Curriculum Training Remote teaching Application and placement

General Information

  • Yes. The TEALS (Technology Education and Learning Support) program is a Microsoft Philanthropies program. It is designed to be an industry-wide initiative, joining volunteers and companies across the US to help high schools build their capacity to teach equitable, inclusive computer science (CS). It is only through volunteer input and participation that we can effectively bring CS education to our partner high schools. We are technology and programming language agnostic in our approach, and work to bring the best CS curricula to our partner high schools.

    To see what volunteer opportunities may be available outside the US, please visit https://aka.ms/TEALSPartner.

  • Anyone who resides in the US with a computer science (CS) degree or equivalent industry experience who wants to give back to the community can apply. The TEALS program brings the tech community together to help high schools build their capacity to teach CS.

    If you are currently pursuing a CS degree or professional certificate, there may also be opportunities for you to participate in a teacher's assistant role.

  • No. We provide teaching support through our required summer training. You will also be working with an experienced classroom teacher to provide further guidance on interacting with students.

  • No. TEALS is designed for everyone. If you have a CS background and want to help high schools build their capacity for teaching equitable, inclusive computer science, then TEALS is for you. We are grateful for volunteers coming from all types of organizations and industries because this exposes students to the many ways technology impacts our world.

  • The TEALS Program does not reimburse volunteers, however schools are aware that they may need to reimburse costs such as background checks, fingerprints, mandatory vaccinations, parking fees or equipment related to remote volunteering. Volunteers should discuss requirements, anticipated costs, reimbursement procedures and lingering questions with administrators once they are paired with a school site.

Roles and responsibilities

  • There are two possible volunteer roles. Explore roles in our Volunteer Guide for more details.

  • The teaching team depends on the model being used in the classroom. The TEALS Program supports two models:

    1. In the Co-Teaching Model, a teaching team is typically made up of three to four volunteers and an experienced classroom teacher. In this model, the classroom teacher has limited expertise in computer science. Some of the volunteers will take the role of volunteer teacher and some will take the role of volunteer teacher's assistant. The classroom teacher will learn alongside the students while supporting the volunteer through classroom management and teaching expertise. 
    2. In the Lab Support Model, the teaching team includes two volunteers and an experienced classroom teacher. In this model, the classroom teacher will lead the lessons for the students and the volunteers have a teacher's assistant role.

    Learn more about teaching teams in our Volunteer Guide

  • The exact time commitment will vary based on the individual needs of your teacher and your role in the classroom, but you should expect to attend class one to three hours a week and to spend a few more hours a week prepping or assisting your teacher outside of class.

    You will also be asked to complete up to 10 hours of training during the summer, with additional supplemental training available. This training is a mix of synchronous sessions, asynchronous homework, and teaching team planning meetings.

  • Our partner schools offer their TEALS CS course early in the day, typically during first period. School schedules can vary, but we aim for courses to be taught between 7:30 AM and 9:30 AM in the local time zone. We designed this because most employers allow volunteers to adjust their work schedule a few mornings a week. That said, if you are open to remote volunteering, varying time zones can help us best fit TEALS into your preferred availability.

  • TEALS works with schools to increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in their computer science classrooms, with a focus on serving students that have historically been excluded from CS. As a TEALS volunteer, you will be asked to join and support the school in their journey towards equitable access to CS education for all students by creating an inclusive learning space and providing inclusive instruction. TEALS will provide resources to you over the summer and support your team throughout the school year.

Curriculum

  • The TEALS Program partners with a variety of vetted curriculum providers to support four types of Computer Science courses:

    • Introduction to Computer Science: A semester or full-year course that explores a variety of basic computational thinking and programming concepts through a project-based learning environment. Full stack developers, you might consider this course.
    • AP Computer Science Principles: AP CSP introduces students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns and computing impacts. It gives students the opportunity to use technology to address real-world problems and build relevant solutions. About a third of this course is programming. Systems engineers and IT Pros, you might consider this course.
    • AP Computer Science A: Introduces students to computer science using the industry-standard Java programming language and covers fundamental topics that include problem solving. The course is equivalent to a first-semester, college-level course in computer science for CS majors. The daily student-centered lesson plans emphasize practice through working on problems, group activities, and projects that help integrate the learning objectives. Object-oriented developers, you might consider this course.
    • Cybersecurity A full-year course that explores the fundamental concepts or applied skills of cybersecurity and may involve project-based labs in a secure environment or virtual range.
    • Data Science/Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence A full-year course that explores the fundamental concepts or applied skills of data science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence.

  • The volunteer application allows you to provide your preferences for placement. A TEALS Regional Manager will discuss these preferences and what opportunities are available for you at your interview. You will then be tentatively placed based on your preferences and what positions are open and can choose whether to accept the placement.

Training

  • The summer is a critical time to assemble your teaching team and learn how to be an effective instructor of computer science. Training is mandatory for first-time TEALS volunteers and consists of roughly 10 hours of training during the summer, with additional supplemental training available.

    We'll teach you about the curriculum, classroom management strategies, pedagogical techniques, and the nuts and bolts needed to run a great CS class. Along with your teaching team, you'll create a classroom plan and use our curriculum materials to plan your year. 

  • The distinct advantage of being paired with an experienced teacher is the opportunity to obtain support on teaching techniques and strategies on a as needed basis.  Our volunteers are also coaching their teacher on computer science, so that each party is giving and receiving feedback.

    Most teaching teams will receive at least one visit from their TEALS Regional Manager, who will also provide feedback and ongoing support. If you have a TEALS-related question or problem, your Regional Manager can help you.

    In addition, classroom teachers and other volunteers answer questions and share wisdom, advice, anecdotes, and more within our community. TEALS facilitates regular community connections and events on various teaching topics to foster the network of TEALS volunteers and teachers.

Remote teaching

  • There are thousands of high schools in areas without a local group of CS professionals. Some are in rural areas, while others are in urban locations that are difficult for volunteers to commute to.

    We offer these schools a remote teaching team who can participate through a virtual classroom hosted by the school. In this remote environment, volunteers interact with students synchronously just like they would in an in-person classroom.

    We encourage our schools to maintain a lower student-to-instructor ratio in remote classes to ensure you can connect with the students even though you will not be physically present.

  • We ask that you have a headset with a microphone and a web cam. We recommend a second monitor as tracking the classroom and what you are presenting is easier this way, but that is not required.

  • The TEALS program has been teaching remotely since 2012. We have built up many best practices for teaching remotely that we will pass onto you through our summer training.

Application and placement

  • All individuals interested in volunteering with TEALS must submit a volunteer application to be considered for placement at a school. Contact us if you’re interested in volunteering with TEALS and want to inquire as to whether there is a need in your area.

    Watch an info-session to help make your decision

    Learn about the different volunteer roles in our volunteer guide

  • We ask for contact information, academic and professional background info, and teaching preferences (i.e., remote, co-teaching, etc.).

  • Yes. The TEALS Regional Manager in your area conducts an interview that typically lasts 15–20 minutes. In the interview, we won't ask you how many windows are in New York City, or how to move a mountain 15 feet to the left, but we might ask you to explain the difference between a do loop and a while loop as if you were explaining it to 15-year-old student with no programming experience.

    Dress code is informal – we will use our time to get to know you and determine the right volunteer experience. Interview may be virtual or in person.

  • The timeline varies by region, as some schools start as early as July while others do not start until mid-September. In general, TEALS conducts most volunteer interviews in April and May so that accepted volunteers can begin summer training in June.

    We encourage you to submit an application or contact us regardless of the time of year as we sometimes have unexpected volunteer openings throughout the cycle.

  • Contact us if the application is closed. Occasionally we have positions open throughout the school year and would love to connect with you.

  • Our biggest need is for volunteer instructors, but we understand that the large commitment isn't for everybody. If that's you, here are some other ways you can get involved with TEALS:

    Contact us if you you'd like to get involved with TEALS

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