Learning to Code

During my time as a teacher and also as a continuous learner, I have realized how incredibly important teaching our students how to program is and will be for the future. I conducted extensive research on the importance of computer science along with the best ways to implement programming/coding lessons within a short period at a school. Likewise, I tested out multiple “hours of code” and online learning platforms to see which would be the most captivating and create a yearning to learn more. With that, I chose code.org. From there, I knew that I needed to have the foundational skills that I was trying to teach outside of code.org and so I took a course for HTML and CSS to be better prepared for any questions students may have and to guide them to create their own functional websites. During the first week, I gathered feedback regarding their creation interests, many included building video games and then compiled a list of free and age-appropriate online resources for students to continue the learning process at home. These tools were inserted in a parent letter and sent home to encourage students and parents to take advantage of these free resources. For the first three weeks, the lessons comprised of a lot of teacher-led instruction, modeling of steps, and them practicing. Our lessons took place twice a week for thirty-minute durations. Once they began to get the hang of the text editor and HTML tags, students had the chance to get creative and continue building their websites for the remaining three weeks. The students would take advantage of the tools, such as code.org’s hour of code, and would practice at home. By the end of the six weeks, students had created their websites, and one student took it upon himself to compile all of them to share with parents during their project exhibition night. Overall, the students enjoyed having the time to learn and practice technical skills that they previously assumed were out of their league. By providing them access to learn how to code and build a real website they began to build a curiosity for other “cool things” they could build. Providing access was the first step and initiating a want to learn more was the second step. These students now have an awareness of the importance of computer science and how programming can lead to a successful and creative career.  

 

Mathematics Enrichment

I understand how crucial being successful at mathematics is for critical thinking and problem-solving skills in and outside of the classroom. When I first started at Ampersand, I gave the elementary students a baseline assessment to determine their strengths and areas for improvement. After watching them struggle to complete the assessment and upon grading their answers it was evident that they needed help with foundational skills. Students are broken up into pods, consisting of students in different grade levels grouped together. The pods are elementary (primary), middle school (transition), and high school (prep). Due to the pod format, students learn math as a whole group. Given the special needs of the students, I realized that rather than having intervention type lessons with individual students, I could reach more students by providing them access to a learning opportunity that would meet their specific needs by adapting to their math levels. With that, I had students begin using Front Row for the first twenty minutes of their math/science block. I would monitor the progress and assist any students who were having trouble with a particular type of question. Front Row allowed students who were different ages, in different grades, and with different needs to practice their math skills on a fun learning platform. Had Front Row not been introduced, these students would have continued to slip by without having a solid foundation of math skills and without being challenged beyond what was being taught in the classroom to the wide array of students. Parents also were aware of Front Row and some students reported practicing at home which demonstrates that they were taking advantage of the program. Providing enrichment and intervention through the use of technology at school and at home to students at Ampersand opened the gateway for true mastery of skills and a greater confidence of being a mathematician. 

 

Guest Speaker

Another opportunity presented to the students at Ampersand consisted of inviting, Mr. Logan Arnett, a computer science mentor to be a guest speaker. Although not all the students were involved in the coding class, I thought it would be vital for them all to have access to the information that the speaker had to share. Most importantly to share the changes that are rapidly taking place in technology, which many teachers and parents are unaware of, and the different avenues that programming can take you along with viable college alternatives. First, I connected with Mr. Arnett through Code.org, who is a Lead Software Engineer with a strong background in programming.  Through email correspondence, I shared with him what students had been learning so far in our coding classes and that I wanted him to share his experience as well as provide demonstrations of the different projects he has worked on that utilizes the skills they have begun learning. During the presentation, I helped guide Mr. Arnett with questions that I knew would be substantial for students to understand, such as “what are education pathways someone can take to land a high-paying job in the tech industry?” and “how important is learning to program important now and for the future?”  I knew that learning about alternate paths for education would be extremely valuable and of interest to them, especially since a lot of students have struggled at former traditional schools. Students were impressed with the projects that Mr. Arnett shared, such as his work with Google, the NHL, and even the game he made specifically for them. During the presentation, I had students record facts and what they liked most and least about the presentation as a segway to a reflection of what they had learned. From our previous conversation, he knew they were interested in gaming and offered a gaming resource for them to start learning online. All of the students attended this session, from 1st grade to 11th, because I wanted to make sure that they all had some access to learning about the different things you can do and build knowing how to program. Even the teacher who sat in on the presentation was asking questions as he was learning about this topic for the first time, too. From the students and the teacher’s reactions, this opportunity was indeed an access to an impactful experience that they would not have had had I not started implementing the coding classes and began the dialogue around the importance of computer science.

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For this particular school that provides an alternative learning experience to the traditional school setting, access to outside opportunities is highly encouraged but limited. By volunteering at this school, I was able to bring in programs such as Front Row, Coding, and a guest speaker that they would not have had access to otherwise. Access is about opening up minds to new information and experiences to broaden horizons. Learning the basics of coding, the types of jobs available in programming, and utilizing Front Row offered students the chance to take what they learned and choose to continue learning at their pace. Having the opportunity to learn about these topics, especially computer science and the importance of it, creates new possibilities for creative ventures and future career decisions.