Episode 152: High School CS with Quincy Tennyson
Join Sean and Kelly as they interview Quincy Tennyson, a high school computer science teacher from Fern Creek High School in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Quincy shares his journey from Marine Corps IT specialist to network engineer to passionate CS educator, and discusses his innovative curriculum that emphasizes computational thinking, mindset change, and real-world project-based learning. The conversation explores how to effectively teach Python at the high school level, the importance of setting high expectations while providing strong support, and strategies for preparing students for both college and careers in tech.
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Show Notes
In this episode, we sit down with Quincy Tennyson, who teaches an impressive four-year computer science pathway at Fern Creek High School. Quincy's background in the Marine Corps and as a network engineer brings a unique perspective to CS education. He discusses his curriculum progression from introductory courses through AP Computer Science Principles (heavily inspired by UC Berkeley's CS61A), AP Computer Science A (Java), and a culminating Project-Based Programming course. We dive deep into his philosophy of being a "warm demander" - setting high expectations while providing intensive coaching and support.
The conversation touches on several compelling topics including teaching agile methodology to high school students, the importance of transparency about failure, and how behavioral economics concepts (from thinkers like Daniel Kahneman) inform his approach to helping students understand their own thinking processes. Quincy also shares insights on supporting underserved students, running a successful Girls Who Code chapter, and navigating the integration of AI tools in the classroom. His students' enthusiasm at PyCon 2024 was infectious, and this episode reveals the thoughtful pedagogy behind their success.
Key resources mentioned include CS61A from UC Berkeley, CodeHS, Code.org, Sandra McGuire's book "Teach Students How to Learn," Eric Matthes' Python Crash Course, and Al Sweigart's educational resources including his new Buttonpad library for Tkinter.
Special Guest: Quincy Tennyson.