Education Archives | Page 4 of 14

A Well-Managed Classroom for 21st-Century Educators

Posted on September 6, 2022October 4, 2023 by Beth

As a teacher, staying ahead of the curve is more important than ever and keeping your teaching skills sharp. To do that, you need to be flexible and adaptable to changes in technology and methodology. A well-managed classroom is also key – here are five tips to help create a positive learning environment that encourages student success!

1. Establish rules and procedures for your classroom and enforce them consistently.

A positive learning environment begins with clear expectations and a sense of order. Enforcing rules can be difficult, but it’s important to be consistent in your expectations. If students know what is expected of them, they are more likely to meet those expectations. Creating a set of procedures for various classroom activities will also help keep things running smoothly.

2. Create a positive learning environment that is conducive to student success.

The physical environment of your classroom can have a big impact on student learning. A well-organized and clean classroom will help create a positive learning environment. Make sure there is enough space for students to move around and that the furniture is arranged in a way that promotes collaboration.

Encouraging students to take responsibility for their learning is another way to create a positive learning environment. When students feel ownership over their education, they are more likely to be successful.

3. Encourage independent learning.

One of the best ways to promote student success is to encourage them to be independent learners. This means teaching them how to take responsibility for their learning. There are a few different ways you can do this:

– Encourage students to set their own goals and track their progress.

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– Teach students to use different resources,

such as the library or online databases.

– Help students develop time management and study skills.

Teaching students how to be independent learners can set them up for success inside and outside the classroom.

4. Flexibility in teaching methodology and technology.

As a 21st-century educator, it’s important to be flexible and adaptable to teaching methodology and technology changes. With new technological advances, there are always new ways to teach the material. Likewise, new research on how students learn can impact how you teach. By being open to change, you can ensure that your students are getting the best education possible.

5. Making Professional Development A Priority

Seeking professional development opportunities is a great way to stay up-to-date on teaching methodology and technology changes. Various professional development opportunities, such as workshops, conferences, and online courses, are available. By taking advantage of these opportunities, you can ensure that your teaching skills are sharp.

Connect2Work – Graduation of the first cohort

Posted on August 29, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

BSD is happy to announce the graduation of our first IBCP (Career-related Studies) connect2work cohort. We would like to wish them every success in their careers!

As stated in an article from the World Economic Forum, We asked young people about work and skills. Here’s what they told us, which polled 11,000 young people around the world, and where young people identified that building resilience and adaptability, relevance and transferability of their school learning, as well as opportunities to hone soft skills like active listening, are enablers of success. So, using Digital Skills to lead thematic learning, BSD developed the Connect2Work program, using digital skills to lead thematic learning, with students aged sixteen and above in mind to enable students to prepare for the future of work by balancing learning in practical skills, valuable soft skills, as well as instilling a strong entrepreneurial spirit in students through our CARE model (Curious, Adaptable, Resilient, and Empathetic).

We set out on a mission to create a Digital Skills program to create a learning environment for students to explore and discover areas of interest and develop impactful career-ready skills. The program was developed over three years, and we continue actively collaborating with schools, industry professionals, and experts to bring our students the most relevant and compelling learning experiences.

We identified core skill areas aligned with employers’ needs across industries and job roles. In this two-year program, students develop digital skills that will enable them to be prepared for success in their future careers. Students explore (digital) design, programming, data analysis, organization, and digital marketing topics. Students will apply skills within a range of industry themes and job activities to expand their understanding and opportunities of where their own greatest interests lie related to the world of work. Students can interact with industry professionals, and learning happens outside the typical classroom environment to provide an opportunity for students to practice taking charge and teamwork.

Some learning highlights include working with a seasoned Supply Chain Management (SCM) professional in the technology manufacturing industry to explore common SCM challenges and how we may potentially solve these through Blockchain technology collaborating with Food and Beverage and Environment experts in designing more efficient collaboration and communication with local farmers and restaurants to effectively sell surplus produces via an app.

As the instructor of our first cohort of students, I am constantly in awe of my students’ entrepreneurial nature and professionalism. With the level of creativity, I witnessed through each project, I remain hopeful and excited about how students will shape their futures.

An EdTech Checklist for New Teachers

Posted on August 23, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

It’s back-to-school time, so teachers are busy preparing their classrooms and lesson plans. While preparing your classroom, don’t forget to make the most of your technology! Here is a back-to-school EdTech checklist to help you get started.

1. Make sure your devices are charged and ready to go.

Before the first day of school, charge all your devices, including your laptop, tablet, and phone. This will ensure that you can use them throughout the day without worrying about running out of battery.

If you have a laptop or desktop computer, it’s also a good idea to ensure that it’s up-to-date with the latest software. This will help you avoid potential glitches or problems during the school year.

Finally, take some time to familiarize yourself with any new technology you’ll use in your classroom. Whether it’s a new app or website, spending a few minutes learning how it works will save you time and frustration.

2. Update your software and apps.

Now that you’ve charged your devices, it’s time to update your software and apps. This will help you avoid potential glitches or problems during the school year.

If you’re not sure how to update your software, don’t worry! The process is usually pretty simple. You can find the update option in the settings menu for most devices. Once you’ve located the updates, follow the prompts to install them.

If you’re using an app that needs to be updated, you’ll usually be notified when there’s a new version available. To update the app, simply go to your app store and search for the app name. Once you’ve found it, click “update,” and the new version will be downloaded to your device.

You can avoid any potential headaches down the road by taking a few minutes to update your software and apps.

3. Download new curricula and resources.

Now that your devices are all charged and up-to-date, it’s time to download any new curricula or resources you’ll be using in your classroom. This could include new textbooks to digital resources like eBooks or apps.

If you’re unsure where to find these resources, check with your school’s IT department. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

Once you’ve downloaded all of the new resources you need, take some time to familiarize yourself with them. This will help you hit the ground running on the first day of school!

This ensures you’re making the most of your technology this back-to-school season. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you can avoid any potential headaches and be ready to take on the new school year!

4. Set up your learning management system (LMS).

If you’re using a learning management system (LMS) in your classroom, now is the time to set it up. An LMS is a great way to keep track of your student’s progress, assign and grade assignments, and provide feedback.

There are many different LMS options, so take some time to research which one will work best for you and your students. Once you’ve chosen an LMS, create an account and start familiarizing yourself with how it works.

If you’re unsure where to start, check out our list of the best LMS options for busy teachers.

Setting up your LMS can make your life much easier during the school year. Trust us, it’s worth the effort!

These simple tips will help you make the most of your technology this back-to-school season. By taking a few minutes to prepare, you can avoid any potential headaches and be ready to take on the new school year!

5. Connect with other educators online.

One of the best ways to make the most of your technology is to connect with other educators online. There are tons of great online communities where you can share resources, ask questions, and get advice from your peers.

By connecting with other educators, you can ensure you’re always up-to-date on the latest technology trends. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about feeling alone in your journey as a busy teacher!

What are your favorite back-to-school tips? Share them in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.

Increasing Student Agency with Digital Skills

Posted on August 2, 2022October 4, 2023 by Beth

What do we mean by the term “student agency”? As students gain knowledge and skills in any subject, we think that students should have the freedom and flexibility to explore that knowledge in ways suitable to them and demonstrate their understanding of that knowledge in self-motivated ways. Ultimately it’s about a personalized approach to learning where students have a say in their learning and assessment. This does not mean that students should do what they want, but they should be guided by educators and facilitators toward learning critical and necessary skills/subjects/lessons.

One way to help students increase agency is to provide “voice and choice” for how students conduct their work and demonstrate their understanding. For example, imagine a social studies teacher teaching a unit on Ancient Civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, and has required that students learn how ancient civilizations responded to changes in the availability of resources.

To provide maximum agency, the teacher would give various learning resources such as books, videos, lectures, models, museum visits, etc. Then students would be free to choose how to share their learning, such as making dioramas, writing blogs, or 3D printing models. This is in contrast to traditional approaches where every student reads from textbooks and essays and then is assessed on a multiple-choice test. Which option would you prefer?

At BSD Education, we have helped teachers from every subject area increase student agency by providing digital projects that allow students to showcase their skills and display their learning. For example, imagine the above Social Studies scenario again and this time, imagine that a student wants to highlight a series of events that happened over time.

Our timeline project is perfect for that! Check out this related example. Along the way, students are learning how to build websites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the programming languages that run every website on the internet!

Our goal with increasing student agency isn’t just to help students learn valuable digital skills like programming with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s also showing digital skills help share ideas, create something, or display what you know or care about as an educator.

If you are a teacher and don’t know how to program in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, don’t worry! Our guided projects樂威壯 help students through a scaffolded approach where we slowly introduce coding steps and focus on the project’s content instead of the technical aspects. If students are interested in learning the technical aspects, we have projects for that too, because we believe in student agency!
To learn more about this, tune into our upcoming webinar on the topic. If you are reading this article after the date of the webinar, no problem! You can find all previously recorded webinars here on our website.

Back To School Strategies To Help Teachers Thrive

Posted on July 25, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

It is the first day of school. You are refreshed and ready to go, or you are scrambling to finalize everything before your students arrive. No matter how you feel when the first day of school comes, it is coming if you are ready or not.

Need some suggestions, tips, or words of “wisdom”? As a classroom teacher for over a decade, I was fortunate to see all the students throughout the year. The most students I ever had was 800 students a week for the whole school year! Yes, you read that correctly. I know that I am not the only one with a large student body, but throughout my time teaching, I have learned a few tricks along the way to stay on task (and keep my sanity) and have FUN!

Suggestion #1: Comfort

Teachers spend 8-10+ hours at school. Your students become your children, your colleagues become your family, and the school becomes your second home. So why not make it cozy and warm for all of you? Some simple adjustments or additions to your lighting, such as soft lite lamps or filters for your overhead lights to soften the room. You may even consider adding pillows or camping chairs for your quiet space or reading nook. Having tables or desks that students can quickly move to form new learning environments is also a significant change. Flexible seating is always a win with the students. They get to choose the learning space that will help them be active learners. Check out Steelcase for some great design resources.

Suggestion #2: Organization

If you are a veteran teacher, you probably have your organizational method already established. However, if you are new to teaching, you probably created a pretty binder with tabs and labels and created your organizational process that you “think” will work best. Note to new teachers; you will reorganize yourself a million times before you get the desired rhythm.

My cooperating teacher taught me some (now) “old fashion” tips that still work for me today. First, create a “Begining of the Year” folder (not a Google Folder, but a tangible folder) and place a copy of everything you use for the beginning of the school year (notes to parents, login information, welcome letters, first day activities, etc.). Then create an “End of the Year” folder, again, tangible. Place items relevant to the end of the year.

Another tip is to include the document’s location in your footer when you print a copy. This way, when you need to update that particular document, you know where to find it on your drive. She also taught me to create a folder with unplugged activities for when the internet is down and a folder with quick lessons when your time is cut short due to assemblies, field trips, or testing.

Helping the students be organized is another challenge. Encourage your students to use a planner. Many schools provide this, but if not, be sure to add it to your supply list for students to purchase. Start the year by checking the planner daily to ensure they write legibly and include all the details. After a few weeks, if the student is using the planner correctly, you can offer them “Planner Independence,” which means you no longer need to check the student’s planner.

Another helpful tip for teachers is to have a station dedicated to supplies. If a student breaks a pencil, needs a new highlighter, or needs paper, they can get the materials they need without having to ask and interrupt the lesson. I even know a teacher that created a “pencil graveyard.”

When the student used the pencil to the end, they would push it into a baking pan with soil. She made a graveyard sign that read “RIP Pencils.” They then turned it into a game/competition throughout the year to see who could guess how many pencils would end up in the graveyard and if they had more than last year’s class.

She found that pencils were not left on the floor at the end of the day. This same teacher also created a lost and found tote. If a pencil, eraser, hair tie, etc., were found on the floor, they would put it in the tote for the owner.

The traditional way to stay organized is to assign jobs. Many teachers believe this is suited only for an elementary class. However, I have seen this used in all grade levels. Not only will you teach responsibility to the students, but you will also have a clean and organized classroom. Jobs can include sweeping, organizing papers, checking homework, collecting student notes, or whatever your need may be.

Take this one step further, especially for little ones, and pay the student upon completion of their job. Send the students to the banker (another job) to collect their daily or weekly pay. The students can then use that money to pay for fringe benefits, like eating lunch with the teacher, having a pizza delivered to them for lunch, one free homework pass, etc.

Suggestion #3: Try Something New

My last suggestion is an important one. Teachers are often so focused on our structure that we forget to go out of the box. I challenge you to try something new every year. I set this challenge for myself and found it refreshing for my students and me.

For my classes, I always chose a new application or technology gadget. One year I brought in Cosmo and Vector, the following year, I brought in Mecconoid, and one year I tried coding with the students, which I added to my yearly curriculum. You can even start small by adding something new to an existing lesson.

For example, I worked with a wonderful, kind, and creative 4th-grade teacher specializing in social studies and science. She loved the revolutionary war and had a great lesson that she had done with the students for years—the students dressed in American Revolution costumes and put on a skit for the whole building. Upon our return to face-to-face teaching, many of the teacher’s costumes were put in storage, and she couldn’t access them. She came to me for some ideas. She was open to trying something new!

I found a virtual reality reenactment of the American Revolutionary War and a virtual tour of the museum. The students loved the VR tours, especially the reenactment. The ELA teachers heard about their experience and had the students write an opinion essay on which experience they enjoyed the most and why.

Tip: ASK 3 B4 ME

My #1 tip is – ASK 3 B4 ME.

When students work independently or in small groups, encourage the students to search three other resources before coming to you for a quick answer. I post this saying in my room. Then, when the student comes to me with a question, I ask them what their “3 B4 me” resources were. If I approve their efforts, I assist them. Otherwise, I send them back to search again. At the beginning of a project or an assignment, I remind the students about ASK 3 B4 ME, and we take 2-minutes to discuss possible sources they can use for help.

The last thing I want to leave teachers with eloquently said by Seymour Papert, “The goal is to teach in such a way as to produce the most learning from the least teaching.”

Keeping yourself and the students organized, comfortable for active learning, and the willingness to try something new will set a refresh for your classroom this year. So enjoy the journey, and good luck this school year!

How to Integrate Coding into Core Curriculum

Posted on July 19, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

Should coding be integrated into the core curriculum, or should it be an elective or a particular area class all on its own?

Segregation or Integration?

Integration is always the way to go speaking from personal experience.

I was a computer lab teacher (I prefer Digital Literacy Teacher). Students would come to my lab once a week for 35-minutes. After taking attendance, reviewing, and giving that day’s assignment, we were left with about 20-25 minutes. Three times a year, the lab would be used for 3-weeks to do assessment testing (which is a total of 9-weeks – plus a make-up week). So as you can see, I didn’t have much time with the students. I taught word processing, presentations, internet searching, coding, and keyboard skills. For six out of the seven years that I taught computers, our district was not 1:1, nor did the teachers have computer access unless they signed out the one computer cart housed in the media center.

So my class was segregated. The students received about 12 hours of instruction a year. ONLY in my room. When teachers did sign out the computer cart and worked on typing an essay or making a presentation slide deck, they would come to me and say:

“The students are not good at typing.”

“Some of my students don’t know their password.”

“Did you teach them how to do a presentation? They seem to have trouble.”

At first, I was upset with myself. Did I not teach effectively? Were my lessons not engaging? Then I blamed the students. “Why are they not retaining, and why can’t they use the skills from my class in their general education classroom?

After some reflection, I realized that segregating these skills harms the students. So I spoke to my principal and presented my “new” idea.

“I want to meet with the teachers, find out what topics they are covering and integrate them into my classroom.”

I started small and used simple topics. For example, fourth-grade students were learning about New York State geography. So I had my students use Google Earth to locate rivers and mountain ranges, then they used Google Search to gain insight into the history. Finally, they collected the information and created a Google Slide presentation for their teachers. Next, I wanted to take a more significant step. The fourth graders were also learning about the Iroquois Indians, so I had the students work in small groups, and they created an Iroquois village using Minecraft.

I wasn’t on an island anymore; I was part of the community!

So how does all that relate to our topic, “How to integrate coding into the core curriculum.” First, I want you to understand the importance of integrating subjects into your classroom versus segregating. Then, the students will see the value and how these skills apply to other areas of their life.

No matter where you teach or which grade level you teach, you hear the words computational thinking, problem-solving, and critical thinking to name just a few. These are vital skills that coding teaches students. Of course, all subject area teachers K-12 want their students to have these skills because they are essential for any job/career they may go into. However, teaching these skills can be challenging.

If I mention coding to a teacher, I instantly hear:

“Isn’t that for the tech teacher?”

“I don’t have time for that in my curriculum.”

“I don’t know how to code nor have time to learn.”

To solve these problems, check out this BSD Learn webinar, “How to Integrate Coding into Core Curriculum,”. You can find all previously recorded webinars here on our website.

Project Based Learning with Real World Experiences

Posted on June 9, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

As a Project Based Learning (PBL) coach, I help teachers design learning experiences with a project-first approach, as compared to traditional models that are standard/subject-first. The biggest obstacle I have encountered in my years of helping teachers is finding meaningful and purposeful projects. Therefore, I encourage teachers to consider “real-world” connections whenever possible. While that may be a vague term, I elaborate on the term by asking this follow-up question: “will I ever need this skill in the future?”. To me, that is what defines “real-world” learning. Students should feel that what they are learning has a purpose they will find helpful now or in the future that they can easily understand.

There are generally two ways to provide real-world experiences. You can provide a genuine experience or a simulation of an experience. An example would be an internship or a project that delivers tangible results or learning artifacts. A simulation can be just as powerful, but students should always be aware of the elements and why they are being simulated. For example, a science teacher might want to teach about volcanoes but doesn’t have easy access to any volcanoes, so students learn through models, videos, and examples.

Hydroponic Gardening Business (year-long project)

Plan

Starting with student strengths and core math content goals, The Harbour School Middle School Math teacher, Learning Extension Coordinator, and Foundry (maker space) teacher planned and organized the unit together. The group decided on an entrepreneurship focus that would provide application skills of algebra, geometry, and financial literacy content and a product development component that would use The Foundry and develop new skills in using tools.

Immerse

After a brainstorming session and an introduction to entrepreneurship lesson, students decided to co-create a business focusing on sustainability and gardening. For the project kick-off, students and teachers researched gardening in Hong Kong and discovered a local hydroponic growing company. Next, they organized a field trip to their facility to learn more about gardening, hydroponics, sustainability, and business practices. Through interviewing staff and interacting with the hydroponic system, students learned hands-on what it takes to garden with Hong Kong water and soil. They also learned best practices for organic gardening with hydroponic systems and about easy-to-grow plants for their business.

Teach and Reflect

Students developed a business plan and designed a schematic for a 6-tier hydroponic gardening system. With a solid business plan, the students were offered an investment from The Harbour School to acquire the materials and resources to start the business and build the hydroponic system. After students built the hydroponic gardening system, they tested through several iterations of growing different vegetables. They adjusted their business projections with each iteration, settling on a plan to maximize their profits. They also learned about business profit projections, investment interest rates, organic fertilizers, hydroponic substrates, and optimal growing conditions.

Delivery

Students settled on an online pop-up launch of their business, selling vegetables and herb packages to The Harbour School faculty and staff through a simple online ordering form. They marketed their packages with posters and word of mouth and ensured timely delivery to all customers. After selling out of stock, students earned enough money to repay production costs, purchase their next cycle of vegetables and herbs, and profit to pay themselves for their roles in the business. The students are planning their next business idea and looking for potential investors.

Outcome

The hydroponics gardening system will continue to operate at the school and serve as a community model for sustainable practices. The students that started the project will conduct a hand-off meeting with incoming students to explain how the system works and other transference of knowledge. The incoming students will be allowed to decide what to do with the system and how to proceed. One idea is to start a community gardening project for residents who live nearby without access to organic vegetables and produce.

Reflect

The Middle School Math teacher, the Learning Extension Coordinator, and the Foundry teacher mapped out how students met the learning objectives, wrote narratives for student portfolios, and documented the final details of the project for future use By using the Critical Friends protocol of criticizing the success of the project by stating “I like” and “I wonder” statements. This has demonstrated that a year-long project paid huge dividends for the students involved, which is sometimes difficult to adhere to. Students met their learning goals, earned real dollars, and are now interested in starting their businesses.

This example shows various ways to answer the question, “will I ever need this skill in the future?” If you are interested in learning more about Project Based Learning, here are some resources you can check out:

PBL Works

PBL Professional Development

My blog with several project examples

To learn more about this, tune into our upcoming webinar on the topic. If you are reading this article after the date of the webinar, no problem! All previously recorded webinars can be found here on our website.

Tap Into the Power of Play

Posted on May 13, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

As a child, I was always one of those kids with my pockets and backpack full of toys, games, rocks, and sometimes live animals! My Mom had to do a full security check before I left for school each morning, but I was always a step ahead with some clever way to hide my toys and sneak them to school. Later my Mom would find out when my teachers would turn over the confiscated items to her when I was picked up. Even today, I carry at least a couple of things to play with in my bag.

I learned from these early childhood experiences that there seemed to be some war on play and fun. At the time, I didn’t understand the big deal, but now as an educator, I can see how traditional education systems that are hyper-focused on test results don’t have space for play. When I was teaching in public school classrooms, I became one of those teachers that asked students to put their toys away, or they would be confiscated.

Today, a growing body of compelling research says playing is the natural state of being for a child and that playing can play an influential role in learning. Play has been an ongoing research topic since the 1980s and has been led by research groups at UNSESO, LEGO, Harvard, IDEO, and many others.

The LEGO Foundation has produced several research briefings and playbooks that summarize the characteristics and benefits of play.

5 Characteristics of play: Play is …

Meaningful
Joyful
Socially Interactive
Actively Engaging
Iterative

Play builds these five skills:

Physical
Social
Creative
Emotional
Cognitive

Tap Into the Power of Play

The World Economic Forum has released a report saying that “94% of businesses say they expect people to learn new skills on the job (as recently as 2018, only 65% said the same).” The skills they most want to see are critical thinking, problem-solving, active learning, resilience, stress tolerance, creativity, and flexibility. Coincidentally, these happen to be the same skills that play offers!

This research has developed practices, pedagogies, and tools to implement structured play in classrooms. These are slowly starting to be adopted all over the world.

Whether you want to add a bit of play to your current curriculum or you want to overhaul the entire system to be more playful, there are guides and best practices to follow

If you are looking for low-barrier entry points into playful learning, try these approaches:

Game-based learning
Gamified learning activities
Tinkering
Outdoor activities
Project-based learning

.
To learn more about this, tune into our upcoming webinar on the topic. If you are reading this article after the date of the webinar, no problem! All previously recorded webinars can be found here on our website.

Best Practices In Teaching Students To Code

Posted on April 4, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

Coding…Programming…Syntax

What do you think of when I mention those words?

Some teachers say:

“I have no experience, I could never teach coding/programming!”

“I teach science, not coding.”

“How can I teach something I know nothing about?”

My answers:

“You don’t need the experience to teach coding.”

“Science teachers, along with all core subject area teachers, can easily integrate coding into their curriculum.”

“Again, you don’t need the experience to teach coding.”

About eight years ago I started teaching coding. I was a “Computer Lab” teacher transitioned into “Introduction to Computers” again transitioned into “Computer Literacy” and lastly “Digital Literacy” teacher. Phew!!

It goes without saying that technology is ever-changing. Technology created yesterday will be outdated tomorrow. A new device, application, or website reveals their next best tool for learning this school year, and then next it is something else. My technology director always said to me, “Ask yourself, is it a new fad or is it engaging and purposeful across the board? Will the students learn and grow or will it be purely ‘fun’ with a one and done type scenario?”

When coding and programming became the main topic at a faculty meeting, I began to research.

I asked myself.

“Is it a new fad or is it engaging and purposeful across the board? Will the students learn and grow or will it be purely ‘fun’ with a one and done type scenario?”

I was instantly sold that this was a must-have in my classroom. We all know now the benefits of coding/programming.

Logical thinking
Problem-solving
Creativity
Perseverance
Resilience

However, how do I teach something I know nothing about? Everyone assumed since I was the “computer” teacher, I knew how to code. ABSOLUTELY, NOT!

I taught students K-5. I started with K-2 doing unplugged activities and for my 4th-5th we started with block coding. The unplugged activities were very easy to understand and I was able to easily create my own material. However, I didn’t know anything about block coding except the fact that you clicked and dragged blocks. What did the blocks mean, how did I order them, what is a ‘sprite’ – soda right?

When I announced to my upper elementary students that I was thinking about doing a unit on coding, the students immediately cheered. However, when the students found out that my idea of coding was block style the cheers turned into groans.

“Mrs. Renda, we do block coding all the time. We want to do more, like, create a video game or a website or an app!”

So we had a discussion based on what the students were interested in and what they already knew or wanted to know. We narrowed it down to HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

My brain: “What just happened? I was okay with block coding but I didn’t even know what HTML stood for until a student in the class told me. My brain reminded my lungs to breathe. How do I proceed?”

Rule #1: Learn with your students

I am a teacher, and no I don’t know everything. Say this to yourself in the mirror, and believe it! Yes, we are expected to know our content area but technology might not be your jam. That’s Okay! This is a great opportunity to teach a growth mindset, resilience, and perseverance. Be honest with the students.

“This is new to me, but I thought it would be exciting to learn it together. I am sure that some of you probably know more than me.”

This leads me to the next rule.

Rule #2: Lean on the experts

When I say ‘experts’, I mean the students. Yup!! Giving students the power to become the ‘teacher’ is a sure way to go. By having your advanced students help with FAQs or your questions that are very frequent, you have your own personal IT department to help you along the way. Give the students ownership of a bulletin board to display how-to demos or those FAQs. This technique works twofold, not only is the student helping others (and you), but they are taking a leadership role and feeling empowered.

So you are learning along with the students, have your experts picked out, but now what?

Rules #3: Interest drives the learning

Give the student the steering wheel! it’s okay, let go, give up control. Let the students figure out the gas pedal and how to control their speed. Letting them take the wheel sort of speaking will give them autonomy, ownership, empowerment, excitement, and the drive for hard play. You will love it when the students turn on their headlights and start driving on their own.

If you are interested in learning more, tune in to our upcoming webinar (or watch the recorded version) where we will share other practical tips and evidence-based methods for teaching students code. In the webinar, we will discuss the PRIMM method, Pair Programming, and how to use Worked Examples with code comments. All previously-recorded webinars can be found here on our website.

The Advantages Of Teaching Students How To Code

Posted on February 18, 2022November 2, 2022 by Beth

My journey with coding began as a 6-year-old in the 90s with Logo. At that time, the computers in my school were still not connected to the Internet, so our teacher wrote all the commands on the blackboard, and we followed the instructions.

One day a classmate & I got our hands on a library book and discovered we could change the screen color from dull black. It was a simple case of changing the RGB values. After a few minutes of playing around, the computer teacher happened to glance onto our screen, and oh boy, we were in for trouble. We got scolded for not following the instructions given in class. The logic was that we would not be ‘tested’ on this; hence it was pointless knowing it.

So, from the next class onwards, my friend and I would take the computer farthest away from the teacher’s desk and keep the monitor at an angle to block the teacher’s view. We did get into trouble, but we learned a lot more. I knew that RGB stood for Red, Blue, and Green and that the interior angles in a quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees. I figured that if the sides of a polygon are the same, the angles will be the same and vice versa. It was only about four years later that I learned that such a polygon is called a Regular Polygon, and someone called Euclid spoke about it years ago (becoming world-famous as the founder of geometry).

“Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. I think a lot of what people call intelligence boils down to curiosity.” -Aaron Swartz

This learning experience has left a long-lasting impression on me and continues to influence my work in education and technology. Here are a few things I have learned:

Learning to code is for everyone
We know for a fact that not everyone will become a programmer or developer, but everyone will interact and build with technology. Due to this latter part, it becomes imperative that young people today understand how technology works and is developed. For example, I’m not a programmer, but my understanding of how it works helps me guide curriculum, product, and even business decisions.

“Programming is not about typing; it’s about thinking.” – Rich Hickey.

Learning to code is about thinking and exploring.
Allen Downey, the professor of Computer Science at Olin College of Engineering, writes in this article for The Scientific American that “The ability to execute code makes programming a tool for thinking and exploring. When we express ideas as programs, we make them testable; when we debug programs, we also debug our brains.”
Learning to think (clearly, critically, and creatively) is essential for children. It is the foundation of their future selves. Only when they explore will they truly know what they enjoy and are good at, paving the way to discover their careers and, hopefully, passions!
Learning to code is about solving problems and being empathetic
Ultimately, the purpose of using code is to create tools that solve problems or enhance the human experience. To solve problems, no matter their complexity, one is required to think deeply and ask “why?” multiple times. So coding doesn’t only help develop problem-solving skills but also teaches us to be empathetic.
Coding makes you resilient.
“Bugs” have become a common term now. It refers to a problem with code or software. For example, while learning to code, all children (and even seasoned professionals) will make mistakes, resulting in bugs. To solve these problems, they will have to “debug” their code and find ways to fix it. So, debugging doesn’t just make you resilient it also helps one improve their attention to detail.
PS: Read about the world’s first computer bug here.
Coding is a medium of creativity!
I believe that creativity manifests diverse ideas bonding together in our minds. Coding helps people express their creativity by creating tools like websites, apps, online platforms, or experiences in VR/AR or showcase their mathematical creativity by storytelling with data visualizations or pushing the envelope of art. Check Google’s project called DevArt, a showcase of “people using technology as their canvas and code as their raw material.”

Now, you’ll be wondering how to dabble in code. We’ve got you covered with seven free projects on BSD Online! So do check them out here.

I’d love to hear your experience around teaching students to code, tips, and what tools you use to develop digital skills, including coding in your children.