Coding and Kids

I did it.  I made the leap into robotics.  I was terrified to fail.  I kept putting it off-finding reasons that I couldn't make it work right now. But, the kids asked about when the robots were coming.  So, I jumped.  And I regret nothing.

I do not know how program or code.  At all.  But, the good thing is that code.org and sphero and other coding groups know this.  They have your back.  They have created lesson walkthroughs for the teacher, or you can just show the tutorials to the students and have them follow along.  I relied on that and the fearlessness of my students.  We had a blast as learners together.

Ok.  I am sure you know about the Hour of Code.  And I am sure some of you are on the bandwagon. But, I have an idea that some of you hear it and think--not one more thing.   I can't do one more thing. And I hear that.  I am a classroom teacher, but I promise once you try it, it will remind you why you became a teacher.

Do you Kahoot??

Ok, so this may be old hat to some of you early adopters out there, but Kahoot has added such a fun element to my classroom.  It is an educational version of adult pub trivia.  The students are asked a question--and need to answer that question in a hurry.  The faster they answer, the more points they get, but to get any points, the answer must be correct.  My students love it so much, they even chose Kahoot for a class party.
One great thing about Kahoot, is that there are zillions already made by other amazing educators.  For example, my district uses Wonders as their reading adoption.  Some amazing teachers have every grade level's weekly vocabulary already created.  Done and done.  But, it is also super easy to make your own. 
My favorite way to use it is in Team Mode.  I have the students work in pairs.  I love that it gives them time to chat before they answer.  And then, they have someone to high five.  Just be prepared, your classroom is going to become a noisy excited place!

Grit...

Our students need to learn a little perseverance.  And so do we.  As a teacher trainer as well as a classroom teacher, I find that teachers want to give up when they hit tech roadblocks--or they assume technology just isn't for them.

The first thing I say to them is that you will hit roadblocks.  We all hit roadblocks.  Even those of us that play on computers for fun.  The amazing modeling point for students is that we as teachers show we have grit as well.  We celebrate our failures and use them for learning.  I love to show this Disney video clip to my students, but I watch it myself from time to time when I have hit a particularly frustrating spot in my own journey.   Keep Moving Forward!!!

Why teach coding or programming?

So, if you are anything like me, you are overwhelmed.  The different ability levels in your classroom, the demands of testing, even the sheer number of students can make adding one more thing put a teacher over the edge.  But here is a secret...teaching programming is fun AND it hits quite a few standards of the common core.  Here, I will prove it.

4 REASONS TO START PROGRAMMING/CODING NOW:

1. It is fun and exciting!  We need more of that!
2. It teaches important future ready skills such as:   
1. Problem Analysis/Solving
2. Logic
3. Growth-Mindset
4. Experimentation/Creation
5. Team Work
6. Communication
3. It is a leveler--you don’t have to be “gifted” to be a gifted coder
4. 
   It could lead to an amazing job for students in the future.  Check out this inforgraphic.

How long has it been since you have Hopscotched?

The Hour Of Code (presented by code.org) has taken the world of education by storm.  But, there is a free app, that allows your students to take block programming to whatever level they are able.  It is a natural differentiator, which as teachers, we desperately need.  Hopscotch is also does not require a lot of reading, so it allows normally struggling students really shine.


It is also highly engaging.  I had several students, on their own time over a weekend, work together to create Pong.  Yes, that pong. The world-rocking video game of our youth.  10 year olds figured out how to block code it in two days.

The most amazing part about it is that as a teacher you do NOT need to know how to program or code.  The tutorials are built in---and students naturally start to figure things out.  They become the leaders of the classroom, while you get to sit back and learn from them.

Want to learn more about the FREE app?  Check out the Hopscotch Tutorials.

Hello fellow friends and followers,

So, I took quite a break from my blog.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  And am important lesson shows up--one that teaches about life balance.  I have been on that journey.  I have also felt in the past that I needed to do a dog a pony show for each blog entry, and that's a lot of pressure.  So, in being forced to look and prioritize, I have learned that teachers don't always want some huge new project.  Sometimes, they just need tips and tricks.  So, I am removing that pressure and sharing some tips and tricks--along with any major projects I do with my students.  I hope my successes and failures help you in your journey to technology integration.

Much love,
Jaime