The Computer Science Department is on a pathway to success as Emerson High School welcomes new teacher, Treyvontae Clark, as he plans to present a new future for the course. He intends to bring forth a mind of music, a world of creativity, and a hint of reality.
As the department continues to grow, Clark was excited for the opportunity at EHS as he said the course does indeed “have a place and seems to be flourishing” on our campus.
He revealed for there to be no Computer Science class in his own high school, but rather simply in the Career and Technical Education Center, or CTE as Emerson’s students may be familiar with. As he pursued the field, Clark’s initial careers actually did not take place in this department. As a matter of interest, Clark has two degrees in music.
“I have a bachelors in Music Education from the University of Kentucky and a masters in Music Performance at Sam Houston State. Eat em up Kats!”, Clark said. “When the school first opened, I actually worked here at Emerson with the Band staff, in addition to Liberty High School.”
His eight years of teaching music were not seen as waste as he transitioned to Computer Science, but rather viewed as beneficial and an asset.
“For one, I am used to large classroom sizes and able to manage that”, Clark said. “However, it focuses on the creativity of the student. Yes, Computer Science is very factual, but you might ask for one thing and have 30 different iterations of the same thing. I am able to get the creative side out of things.”
While he may not be teaching kids how to play instruments in Computer Science, Clark is able to apply the factor of creativity rather than the course to be seen as mundane. In addition to this, he believes students should be prepared to go out into the world with the comfort of knowledge.
“I plan to bring, like every other teacher, a wealth of knowledge,” Clark said. “Everyone who comes in who is asking or trying to learn and pursue a career in computer science, I bring with me the knowledge for them to be able to pursue that. The department is giving the students real world projects and applications so that when they go out into the real world they have these things to fall back on.”
However, his knowledge of the content is not all he has to offer. As he adapts the curriculum to Emerson’s new model of project based learning, PBL, he is able to provide projects where students can attain specific abilities to apply to their future. During these projects, his ability to connect with his students flourishes as he teaches.
“While I am teaching the curriculum, I try my best to be two steps ahead,” Clark said. “During this, I shoot for my students to view me as helpful, but also engaging and caring. For myself, I would say I tend to be creative, very goal oriented, and consistent. As a person with siblings between 14 and 20, I can understand how teenagers think and what’s trending…allowing me to connect a little bit more on a deeper level versus name and what class they are in.”
Clark’s vision for the Computer Science Department can be considered a reflection of what he aspires to be as a teacher at Emerson High School. As he creates an impact for the department of EHS, he takes his own students into consideration as his passion for the subject will result in a fascinating outcome for the school itself.
“It takes a special type of teacher to prepare you to do your thing outside the classroom”, Clark said.
