“Every Descent Leads to a Greater Ascent.”
Wise words, no?
After being forced by the DOE spending two weeks at 36K, teaching approximately 20 classes computer programming, I developed positive feelings towards the situation. Where would the computer programming lead to? Which program works best with which classes? Is code.org better than scratch? What about pencilcode, or the Foos? What about doing 3D design with tinkercad, and also photoshop? There was so much potential, and I needed to know what does a whole year of teaching coding actually look like.
It is not enough to just talk the talk – one must also “walk the walk.” So, I have been going back to 36K to teach four classes (3 standard, 1 alternate) once a week, working with the teacher who took over the computer lab after the DOE Covid deployment ended. It is the best of both worlds: I can teach four classes coding/design (modeling all the while, what a n effective lesson looks like), then debrief with the other teacher who is in the lab with me, and lastly, plan her programming lessons for the classes she will teach the four days of the week.
So far I have been introducing the students to robotics and code.org, and creating a 3d printing curriculum with the older students using tinkercad.
Stay tuned….
Occasional Observations of Traveling Technology Coach 