The following are excerpts from presentations archived at http://cstapestry.wikidot.com/slides. I have selected them based in part on diversity of approach, in part on how easily they stand without explanation by the presenter, and in part on the fact I was tired and probably missed some things.
Many (almost all) mentioned something about being nice to other teachers, to random students in the halls, etc.
Some mentioned the need to establish a reputation as one who supports struggling students.
Most mentioned some kind of club.
Many mention girls-only after-school clubs; some didn’t feel good with girls-only but still tailored them to girls’ interests.
A few mentioned joining other clubs to get to know the people there (knitting clubs, LGTBQ clubs, honor societies, etc.) whether or not they cared about the club content personally.
Many have suggested part of their success was preparing several 20–60 second pitches. Example audiences they’ve mentioned include
Sending letters or post-cards to current or potential students were a common thread. Dan Tra shared the test of his:
Hello «FirstName» «LastName»,
My name is Mr. Tra and I will be the Computer Science teacher at Falls Church High School. I am writing this letter to a few select students. According to your PSAT score, the AP Potential program identified you as a student who is ready for the challenge of computer science. You were recommended as someone who has great potential in the field of mathematics. I would like to congratulate you for being recognized as an excellent achiever with great potential for success in mathematics and its related fields of study.
Computer science is the science of problem solving. Problem solving requires precision, creativity, and careful reasoning. You will design solutions and verify that they are correct. Almost every discipline, including art, engineering, and business, can use computer science to effectively solve problems. Most importantly, computer science is fun. (Don’t forget that computer scientists make a lot of money and have numerous interesting career opportunities.)
We will program in Java. Java is a popular object-oriented and open-source programming language that is in demand by employers. It is used to create all Android apps.
Please review the enclosed brochure and see me if you have any questions. This will be an exciting year in computer science and I hope you choose to be a part of this energizing opportunity in September.
Have a wonderful week.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Many mentioned the hype value of challenge-style (as opposed to head-to-head-style) contests; the two mentioned the most often were Masters of the Mainframe and Cyber Patriots.
Some mentioned raised-visibility strategies such as
Many had some kind of identifying clothing, emphasizing no inside info and student design.
Most had some posters and/or videos made and placed in public places.
Generally, those in recruiting events were the most… peculiar. For example:
Most includes some level of explicitly sending students to recruit, such as
Among other ideas were