Have students pair program to increase their interactions with one another, promote retention of female students, and maximize resources.
Give students guided notes (i.e., partially-completed notes that students complete) to help them stay engaged and learn from lectures or readings. It may be especially helpful to include vocabulary lists.
In preparing for class, set up at least one lab computer with all the software you expect to use and complete assignments and labs yourself right before your students do them. This lets you see any problems that might arise.
If your school lacks the resources necessary to hold a practice exam, consider talking to a local college or university for help.
If your CS course requires supplemental resources, consider applying for a grant from the government or from interested businesses.
In AP CS courses, encourage students to pay attention to examples provided in problem statements, as these often illustrate special cases and can help elucidate the correct approach.
To prepare students for the AP CS A exam, make in-class assessments as similar to the final AP exam as possible.
To introduce recursion, try reading The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, or “Martin and the Dragon,” to make the topic more engaging.