This fall, Angela Kwon joined Castilleja’s Engineering and Computer Science department, teaching Introduction to Computer Science in Java, AT Computer Science and the inaugural AI and Machine Learning Honors course.
Kwon was first exposed to computer science in high school through a Girls Who Code program: “It was really eye-opening and exciting,” she said. Kwon explained how, at the time, she didn’t realize the significance of being a woman in such a male-dominated field.
However, not all of Kwon’s learning experiences were positive. She struggled in her high school AP Computer Science class, which she felt was “graded on vibes,” so she “wasn’t really sure how to improve.”
In a college course, however, she built the Enigma Machine, a cipher device from World War II. “That really opened my eyes to how interesting computer science can actually be instead of doing a bunch of practice problems that didn’t really resonate with me,” she said.
After working in tech for four years, Kwon received the opportunity to teach at her local high school. She joined Castilleja two years later, seeking to grow in her role as an educator: “Smaller settings were the best space for me to continue to become a better teacher.”
Taking on Castilleja’s entire computer science program is no easy task, but Kwon has a vision for how to improve the Java classes: “The biggest thing I’ve been reflecting on is the pacing of the classes. Especially for my Intro [to Java] class, it feels like it moves really quickly.”
She expressed the importance of deeply understanding foundational topics: “If we get through more content, but the understanding is really shallow for fundamental concepts, time could have been better spent.”
Kwon is also developing the new AI and Machine Learning Honors course curriculum. She said that the class is “being designed as we go along.” Kwon explained, “Part of starting the discussion [around AI] is that there are a lot of things in flux and so many things to teach.”
The class covers topics such as the history of AI, defining machine learning and the foundations of designing a machine. With the new course, Kwon said, “We’ve been running into a lot of technical issues, but even working through them has been helpful, or at least realistic to show.”
Kwon’s teaching philosophy prioritizes supporting students and simplifying complex topics. “CS and math are really hard for me, but I don’t think that they need to be that painful,” she said. Kwon said she seeks to make the process “a little less isolating.”
When asked about the future of computer science at Castilleja, Kwon said she wants to explore coding in a more interdisciplinary manner and to empower students to be excited about computer science.
“The work continues to be interesting because there are always new concepts that are introduced or new languages. [Computer science] education is a really new field,” Kwon said. “So [my goal is to] continue to make it more accessible by finding ways to bring in more people who maybe don’t see themselves as a programmer.”
