Oh Where, oh where is my coding?
When we hear the word coding, some people start to think about computer science, long lines of text, and dark dank computer labs. It is technical, detailed, and overwhelming. However, where we are in our profession, and (most likely) our level of understanding on the topic – we would not be in the same realm as this image that we have in our heads. Our students would rebel if we attempted to teach to this level from the beginning. Yet, we are still paralyzed by this idea that coding is so complicated that we are extremely hesitant to include coding in our classrooms. However, it does not have to be this way.
No one expects teachers to know and teach about JavaScript and Python (unless they are paying for that level of expertise). These are specialized languages. Just like any other language, you are never expected to be a native speaker until you have spent years learning the ins and outs of these languages. And yet, we never look at an adult learner of a new language, and expect them to be a native speaker or answer advanced grammar questions. We need to check our expectations and change our approach. How do you learn a new language? Start from the beginning and build a foundation. When you start learning French you don’t start with the subjontif (unless you are having an immersion nightmare), you start with saying “Hi” and “How are you?”. It is the same concept as coding. There are many programs which allow you and your students to build a solid foundation and some confidence with basic (very basic) coding. These programs are like those really tasty recipes you use to hide vegetables from your kids. They have so many entertaining aspects that you don’t even realize you are learning coding skills.
I know that I was just as hesitant to bring coding into my classroom the first time. I had just been given my computer cart as a connected educator, and I was eager to implement as much as I could that first year. We used Scratch to program Microbits and used (I forget the name of the program now) a 3d building program to print 3d images on the Vice Principal’s 3d printer. I learned a LOT from these experiences. I learned that some students automatically think in step-by-step processes and can problem-solve when they find an issue. I also learned (very quickly) that some students are like bulls in a china shop. They run through everything as fast as possible because they want to get to the end step and play with the programmed Microbit or 3d image. The coding process did not go well for these students. They were the ones who benefitted the most from these experiences. This is because they wanted to get to the end, but had to learn how to slow down and work through each step to get there. This is great advice for them with their studies as well.
After these experiences, I got more bold and started to work on bringing Arduinos into my class. However, COVID hit, and that stopped my crusade of bringing Coding into my classroom. It was too hard to bring in these pieces of technology and wander the classroom to help all of the students with their tech problems. I hit pause and was unable to reintroduce this concept because I ended up leaving on maternity leave. Now, I am mainly trying to survive being reincorporated into the staff (in a brand new building) and attempting to balance being a mom, wife, grad student, and teacher. I am looking forward to the future when I can revisit the idea of introducing coding in my classroom again.
When I started my adventures in coding in the classroom, I would say that I was not the most “techie” person. I am good at working with computer programs and figuring out tech issues. If I can’t figure something out, my husband is usually my go-to for any questions regarding computers because he is an electronics systems engineer. He can answer most of my technology questions. I would have never said I was competent enough to teach a room full of teenagers how to code when I started. In all honesty, if you had told me I would do this when I was in university, I would have laughed. A lot. Loudly. I am not coding savvy. At all. It was the PD I received with my division and the support the Ed-tech coordinators showed that gave me the confidence to attempt to bring this into my classroom (in my 2nd year of teaching, nonetheless). But you better believe that I told my students that we were learning together. I would attempt to solve any issues they had, but they had to be patient because the solution might not be immediate. Honestly, I found my students were just thankful I was being enthusiastic about something other than grammar, so they were patient and helpful. I think they also liked seeing a teacher learn with and from them.
In the end, this was a valuable learning experience for both myself and my students. I would not change my decision in the slightest. I pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone, learned new skills, and introduced a new world to my students. What more could you ask for? Well… Maybe not having a global pandemic interrupt my coding journey. I guess I could ask for that.