The MC Byte

In your internet exploration, you’ve come across a course that you wish you had at your school. Your passion is gaming, and you’ve always wanted to try your hand at game design. 

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But, how can you enact a change this grand? Follow the steps below to inspire your school to partner with Mastery Coding. 

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Assemble a group of interested students.

The first step to adding curriculum to your school is finding enough student interest. When your school uses their funds on a new program, they want to make sure there’s at least enough interest to fill a class. Before advocating for a new course, ask around your school. Keep a list of all the people that would be interested in the courses or electives you’d like available. 

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Once you have a list of a decent size, select the most passionate of the group and assemble a task force. A small team of 4 or 5 will be able to split up work, so you won’t have to do it all on your own. If possible, select peers that have a wide range of talents. You’ll benefit from students that are good at presenting, good at investigation, and are already in good academic standing. 

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Work together to figure out what courses you’d like

After assembling a team, the next step is to get together and decide which courses your school could benefit from. Navigate to Mastery Coding’s Course Catalog or the Pathway Esports Page to get started. Pick out the courses that work best for your grade level and look interesting to your team. Once you’ve selected your list of courses, you’ll be ready to identify what benefits they can bring to your school!

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Get involved with your student body leaders

When you know there’s significant interest in adding a computer science or esports course to your school, the next step is to look to your student body president and cabinet. These students, who are often tasked with minor operations within your campus, will be a great help in gathering additional support and pointing you in the right direction. 

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Find a teacher or trusted adult to support you

After collecting a solid group of students, the next step is to get support from an adult. Finding someone who knows the school system, like a teacher or involved parent, will prove to be incredibly helpful. You’ll be able to gain valuable insight on setting up meetings, preparing presentations, and figuring out who to talk to!

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Identify how it will benefit you, your classmates, and your school

To successfully implement a new course or program into your school, you’ll need to develop a solid argument for it. 

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To start, check out this article on the Benefits of Partnering with Mastery Coding. This article lists ways that different courses can benefit the entire school community.

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Once you have the general benefits down, think about your local community. What specific needs do your school, your teachers, or your peers have? If you’re not certain, this is a great time to ask teachers, parents, and other adults that are involved in your school. They’ll likely have insight as to why a computer science or esports course would have a positive impact.

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Present information to your school leaders/PTA meetings

Once you have chosen a course or program and are aware of the benefits it can bring to your school, you’re ready to present! Reach out to your school’s PTA or directly to your principal and school administration. 

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If these leaders agree with your reasoning and decide to move forward, your work is done. Pass off your information and pat yourself on the back! 

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If the administration or parents decide against the addition, consider their reasoning. Are they concerned about funding? Do they not see the value of esports or coding? Record their concerns, retreat, and spend time with your team to address these concerns. If you approach them again at a later time with new information, you might just be able to convince them one day.

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Interested in Learning More?

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Our blog, the MC Byte, is chock-full of informative content! From career exploration to healthy gaming practices, to coding exercises, we have you covered! 

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Want to Learn More About Mastery Coding?

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We’d love to hear your questions! Fill out our Contact Form to get in contact with one of our specialists. We’d love to help you bring Mastery Coding to your school!

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