Learn by teaching someone else
May 28, 2020 No Comments
If you’re teaching yourself to code, you might often encounter confusion. Also, if you are an expert programmer, you can encounter confusing bugs. So what
Learn with Mike Mossey
Enjoy learning to code with a patient Caltech alum.
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About me
Thank you for taking the time to consider me as your tutor.
From a young age I loved computer science, and since college I’ve enjoyed teaching others anything I knew, whether it was computer science, construction of audio equipment, or playing trombone.
After getting my degree from Caltech in computer science, I worked in several industry jobs before landing at NASA in Pasadena as a programmer. I worked there for 16 years.
At NASA, I enjoyed teaching the scientists how to code in Python. I also programmed in Java, HTML/CSS, and the functional language Haskell.
I gradually got more and more private clients, both students in school and professionals. I discovered that teaching computer science was a natural fit for my technical knowledge and my interest in how people learn.
I now give computer science lessons full-time.
In my spare time I practice piano and compose music in classical and modern styles.
My qualifications
My computer science degree from Caltech is only part of what makes me a good teacher. I’ve been interested my whole life in teaching, in particular developing the soft skills of patience and the ability to see things from the perspective of a student.
- Degree in computer science from Caltech
- 19 years as a professional coder in five different languages, including 16 years at NASA
- 500 hours of training in mindfulness and learning strategies
- Lifelong interest in teaching strategies, in particular how to make the experience enjoyable for beginners
Tips for the AP Computer Science FRQs
May 9, 2020 No Comments
(Also check out my guide to studying computer science. I mention some additional important things there.) The Free Response Question (FRQ) section of the AP
Guide to Studying Computer Science
May 3, 2020 No Comments
This is a guide for students studying computer science. It covers some of the ideas I teach to my students every day. Here, I’m giving
Code with greater ease
April 16, 2020 No Comments
You can work through typical stumbling blocks with a greater sense of ease by using outside-the-box methods and “working smarter.” You can give yourself permission
The wisdom of tiny steps
April 12, 2020 No Comments
Tiny steps are a key part of my teaching. Why do tiny steps make things easier? It works like this. Any job you try to
Programming is problem solving
April 12, 2020 No Comments
Problem solving: Dealing with the unknown The central challenge in coding is problem solving. By “problem solving,” I mean working through a problem when you