Introduce Coding to Your Classroom

  • Learn to code and transfer your knowledge to students. Why? Coding emphasizes problem solving, supports advanced thinking and reasoning skills, and can help a child’s developing brain see the relationship between an action and an outcome. Coding is empowering. Coding is rewarding. Coding is fun! Gain coding skills and evaluate coding programs and resources available for students. Confidently introduce coding to your students in order to stimulate and nourish creativity, impart knowledge of how all-things-digital work, and, perhaps, open a door to your students’ futures. It is also a way to become a certified technology teacher.

    Coding develops critical thinking skills

    Coding can be challenging. Coding is a process of inputting instructions into a computing device that results in an action, or output. Success brings the coder a feeling of satisfaction and pride. If the result is flawed or needs revision, troubleshooting by trial and error engages critical thinking skills. Coding offers students a challenging, exciting, fulfilling and productive look into what makes digital sound and motion take place. We know not all students are not going to become computer programmers. So why should every child learn about coding? Because, every profession today and in the future relies at some level on coding.  

    Coding is a language. It is a set of instructions. Code tells a device what to do. Most every device that operates by a form of power uses code. Coding, professionally known as computer programming, is nothing brand new. The most basic form of coding began in 1842!  

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    This century’s explosion of devices that run on code has brought to the forefront a movement to introduce coding to students from 5 to adult.  

    So how does a teacher approach coding in the classroom?

    For starters, take a coding class that teaches you, the teacher, the fundamentals. After that, you can apply that knowledge to eager students. Even Barack Obama got excited about coding, although he had to be taught by school kids. Those could be your kids.  

    There are ways for teachers to develop the resources and activities that will help them understand the world of computer coding at a beginner’s level. Coding is similar to learning a new language. The coder must learn a language of code.  

    5 ways teachers get started

    • Teachers must learn that coding is a set of instructions that computers use to complete a task.
    • Teachers must understand the educational and career concepts that support students learning to code.
    • Practice some simple coding using free online resources.
    • Research and report on coding programs and resources available for varied skill levels and goals.
    • Evaluate this new knowledge of coding and plan to implement a coding program.  

    So here are some ways to get kids coding

    Start with these resources:
    An Hour of Code: An Introduction to Computer Programming
    Next, watch and listen to the videos found at Video: The Hour of Code 2015  

    More resources