Educator Spotlight – Michele Thompson

19 September, 2023

“Computer science can be found everywhere and in almost everything we do.” – Michele Thompson, Division K-2 Math Program Specialist, CS Ready Impact Team Lead, Portsmouth Public Schools

“From our clothes choice to the steps we take to brush our teeth or comb our hair, we make decisions and solve problems, from the time we wake up in the morning to the moment we lay down to go back to sleep.”

“Although not all our daily decisions need an extensive algorithm, they still require us to think and consider the consequences (outcomes) of that decision. This is why it is so critical that CS is introduced and embedded in the content of our everyday curriculum from an early age (PreK). Teachers and students need to see the correlations between CS and other content areas. When this happens it allows students to explore, discover and apply the content being taught and not just merely digest it and spit it back out. The goal should be for all students no matter their age, race, or economic standing to have the same opportunities for success. CS is a great gateway for doing exactly that!”

We couldn’t agree more, Michele. Thank you for your passion to excite educators and students about CS in Portsmouth elementary schools and for serving on not one, but two! CS Ready Schools Impact Teams!