Ms. Tanzosh: Architect of the NEST+m Computer Science Division

By Louis Cal '19 and Nikhil Gosh '19

Despite teaching five classes full of eager computer science students, Ms. Tanzosh is still unknown to many students at NEST+m. Some have limited schedules and need to pursue other electives, leading them to bypass a Computer Science course taught by Ms. Tanzosh. Even those who have her as a teacher may not know of her devotion to her subject, her craft, or how she is an upstanding individual. This article provides insight into Ms. Tanzosh, her life, and her work.

When Margaret Tanzosh was growing up, no websites or online learning institutions for computer programming existed. She had to work with the minimal technology she had. At Stony Brook University, she became an Applied Math major. She had a passion for problem solving, which she put to use in her first job as a computer programmer. She enjoyed the algorithmic challenges of her job, and later worked at various companies in Washington D.C. and New York.

As a child, Ms. Tanzosh enjoyed helping others with schoolwork and thought she would love teaching, but it was not until she became a parent that she seriously considered this career. “When I had my two daughters, I became involved in their schoolwork,” she said. She eventually began working on the PTA of her children’s school, and her love of teaching came back to her. She went to teaching school and became a math teacher for several years, before eventually becoming a Computer Science teacher.

One of her favorite aspects of being a teacher is “when you see [a student’s] lightbulb as they go ‘I get it.’” She also loves introducing students to the field of Computer Science. She finds it intellectually challenging, and hopes to give the same kind of enjoyment to her students that she feels is reflected in her curriculum.

“When I started looking for curriculums, I looked for a curriculum that offered level extensions - different levels of challenge,”Ms. Tanzosh said. She eventually chose the CS50 curriculum, which was created by Harvard and was beginning to be used in high schools. “The Harvard folks were very nice and responsive, and we were one of the first [high schools to use the curriculum]. We had more students that first year [150] than any school.” Today, her course mainly consists of several main problem sets for the general class to solve and special problem sets for those more experienced in computer science, which allows everybody to learn and be challenged.

Some may know of her from posters about events she hosts, such as the Hackathon, CS50 fair, and Puzzle Day. She began hosting these events to open computer science to beginners, and to allow those versed in computer science to challenge themselves. “I like these opportunities to have fun and celebrate and solve problems and collaborate and to enjoy and [I felt] this is something I want to do. Just to make it a fun experience.” As a result, she decided to bring these events to NEST+m. At the Hackathon students create projects, at Puzzle Day students solve challenging puzzles using logic and the internet, and at the CS50 Fair, students show off their final projects.

The passion Ms. Tanzosh has for problem solving showcases itself in the events she hosts, which are open to all students interested in Computer Science. Today, her classes are the most popular electives schoolwide. Students who take her class admire her dedication, compassion, and ability to challenge and support all her students.