Initially stepping on to the teaching scene in 1999, Mr. Walsh, the president of Bellmore-Merrick United Secondary Teachers and an active computer science teacher, joined me to discuss himself, the computer science market, and the future.
Firstly, Mr. Walsh informed me that he has taught Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Precalculus, Intro to Computer Science (Java Mobile Apps), AP Computer Science A, and AP Computer Science Principles since first joining the Mepham faculty. “Holy Toledo,” Mr. Walsh stated while recalling the various courses he has taught. Following this, I asked Mr. Walsh what led to him becoming a math and computer science teacher in the first place. “That is a really good question,” he replied, “Two things: I really liked my math and computer science teachers in high school. Additionally, I watched lots of folks not like math, and I figured I could help those who were struggling with the subject figure it out more…we take steps to solve our problems by breaking them into smaller pieces and answering them one at a time. I am naturally good at breaking things down.”
Next, we took a dive into the specifics of STEAM and the computer science market. “In comparing contemporary times to pre-COVID times, have you seen a change in STEAM students’ morales? If so, have student attitudes been altered for the better or worse?” I asked. “The pandemic definitely changed things, but in an interesting way,” Mr. Walsh responded, “It basically gave us a crash course in how technology can transform education overnight. Take Google Classroom – what was once a neat tool became our digital headquarters. Students today don’t even think twice about using it for everything from submitting assignments to accessing resources. Did it change STEAM students’ morale? Well, it showed them firsthand just how powerful technology can be in reshaping our world. If anything, it opened their eyes to the countless opportunities in computer science and technology fields.”
Continuing the computer science discussion, I cited an article posted on “Threads” in October 2024 declaring that plenty of computer science majors are stressed out over the possibility that they will not be able to find jobs out of college. Of course, I asked Mr. Walsh about his thoughts on this article and how it made him feel as a computer science teacher. “Good question. At the moment, the U.S. has nearly 400,000 new computer science jobs every year, yet colleges graduate just 80,000 computer science majors a year. Those in the cybersecurity field say that there are 700,000 new cybersecurity jobs every year and we can fill only about 500,000. I think there will be plenty of computer science job opportunities for years to come. That being said, there are reasons to be concerned. Artificial intelligence seemingly gets more and more capable by the day. There will be jobs, not just computer science jobs, lost to artificial intelligence. This is historically true of every leap of technological know-how. What I will say for the near future is that I do not think that people will lose their job to artificial intelligence as much as the people who do not know how to use artificial intelligence as a tool will lose their job.” Quickly following up on his mention of artificial intelligence, I asked if he believes it is rational for students seeking steam-related jobs to fear the growth of artificial intelligence. He answered, “I would not say they should fear it, but they should go into the field with their eyes wide open. Students should enter the field understanding that artificial intelligence has the potential to radically alter the job market and our economic future. This could lead to positive changes and negative changes to our world. I encourage those who are interested to jump in and make sure those changes are as positive for humankind as they can be.”
Finally, I decided to end the interview off by placing emphasis on the future in general. “What do you think Mepham could do to attract more students to computer-related classes in the future?” I inquired. “Alex, you ask a very good question here,” Mr. Walsh replied, “I am not sure. We used to sell the course because we had the only classroom in the building with air conditioning, but that is out the window. Word of mouth is always a great way for younger students to hear about how much fun we have in our computer science classes and how applicable it is to their future. As we are ‘talking’ – one cool way to attract more students to computer related courses is to make some sort of app that is useful for the students, an application that helps them manage their day, their assignments, etc.”
Moving to a more lighthearted tone, I asked Mr. Walsh a question about Mepham specifically: “If you could change one thing about Mepham, what would it be?” With little hesitation, Mr. Walsh answered, “The steepness of the stairs to the third floor. I’ve been climbing them since 1999 and they still tucker me out.” Inspired by this comment evaluating the past, I then asked the teacher and president where he sees himself in ten years. “Living in a cabin on a lake in the mountains.” Fair enough, Mr. Walsh! To conclude, I asked, “Where do you see Mepham in ten years?” “Continuing to be the best place on the planet for students to learn and for teachers to teach,” Mr. Walsh replied.