Although Alfred Thompson didn't always know he wanted to be a teacher, he truly loves his job. He taught high school computer science and was quickly promoted to schoolwide technology coordinator. For the last seven years, Thompson has also served as the K-12 computer science academic relations manager for Microsoft. He has written a variety of textbooks for teaching Visual Basic and C# in high school and middle school. Thompson also speaks at various conferences to advise teachers and administrators on how to best structure their computer science curriculums. Be sure to read his blog, Alfred Thompson's Thoughts and Information on Teaching Computer Science at the K-12 Level.  

Why did you decide to pursue a career as a teacher? Did you always know you wanted to teach?
I had thought about teaching for a while, but I was sort of pushed into it when I was laid off from a computer industry job. I took a part-time teaching job and found that I really loved it.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
I have a master's degree in computer science, which gave me deeply technical background. I also have 18 years of industry experience. However, I learned to teach on the fly, with mentorship from both great teachers and principals.

What types of classes and projects did you have to do in school?
I had to take a variety of courses related to the field. This field is constantly changing, so there are constantly new courses for new programming languages. For projects, I had to finish or create small to medium-sized programming tasks.

How did your education help you in your career?
Education gave me a background in core concepts, and more importantly, helped me learn how to learn. This is essential, as computer science is always changing.

What was your career path in this field? 
I started out as an entry-level programmer and gradually grew in experience up to a senior level. Then, I took a sideways move into education/teaching. This taught me a whole new level of communication and interpersonal skills, which made it possible to reach my current job. 

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position? 
Communication is the most important thing. The ability to take technical topics and present them in a clear and understandable way is critical. Of course, having the technical knowledge and the ability to learn new things quickly is also crucial.

What do you do on a typical workday?
On a typical day, I start with reviewing emails and technical blog posts. During the day, I will have several conference calls and reply to a lot of email. I will also be scheduling in-person visits for presentations, site visits, school field trips and travel to conferences. I will also spend some time working on presentations, student training materials or marketing information. No day is completely typical—which is one of the best things about my job.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? 
I really love what I am doing and plan on doing it for a while—at least several years more. After that, we'll see.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
Someone who is curious to learn new things and excited about sharing knowledge with others. You don't have to be outgoing and gregarious, but it helps. And, if you are not that type, you will have to fake it well!

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
Learn a lot about the subject. Learn to write well and to present well. Sharing your ideas is key!