Computer Science
What We Teach
The GMS Computer Science curriculum provides a broad overview of concepts with an emphasis on programming skills and computational thinking. We address questions such as:
- How do computer hardware and software work together?
- How does the “design-code-test” cycle apply across different scenarios?
- How can we break down complex problems into basic building blocks?
GMS prepares students to identify which problems technology helps us solve and to express themselves through technological media. Through a variety of computer languages and tools, all students create effective and useful computer programs.
Why We Teach It
In today’s society, computer science is a language of power. We prepare GMS girls to sit at the table and be leaders in any field, and technology is no exception. We prepare them to identify which problems technology best helps us solve, to express themselves through technological media, and to design and implement these technologies. Students experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from controlling the computer and using it to devise new tools, while gaining the confidence to apply computer science in creative ways to other domains.
"Coding, it's an endless process of trial and error, of trying to get the right command in the right place, with sometimes just a semicolon making the difference between success and failure. Code breaks and then it falls apart, and it often takes many, many tries until that magical moment when what you're trying to build comes to life.”
- Reshma Saujani, Entrepreneur, Founder of Girls Who Code