Coding on Scratch

 We live in Issaquah, Washington.  It's home to Microsoft, Amazon, and Space X.  All around me I find people who work in the computer industry, many of whom code in some capacity.  My students hear mom and dad talk about coding, the latest round of lay offs at Microsoft, see mom and dad work until late at night and push to develop the latest update.  They are around computers, computer science, robotics and engineering daily.

We embrace the coding and work to have the kids figure out ways to integrate it into their learning.  One of the platforms we use is called Scratch and it's a program that was developed by MIT a while back.  Students can code video games, videos, informational platforms and use simple blocks to learn so much.  

The beautiful part about coding is that it fits well into a growth mindset, as students often make mistakes while coding, have to debug their ideas, learn from others and even research ways to get around their problems on the computer.  My students learn at a rapid pace and also are available to help others.  Scratch translates well to coding robotics later- we use EV3s, Microbits, and also Lego WeDo kits with other block coding programs.

Today I watched as a class of 8 and 9 year olds were transfixed and enchanted as they watched witches glide across the screen, build mazes, and try and retry calculators that were built by the scratch platform.  

I am going to develop some lesson plans around scratch and math at some point.  Any ideas around how I can integrate the two components?  

Maybe Not Math.... But Creative Writing in SAGE

 I watched as K. colored her backdrop to her play in a multitude of colliding colors.  Her brain mixed and mashed the colors that splashed out slowly and deliberately onto the butcher paper.  P., her partner, sat under the table with her fox ears on, and golden red eyes focused on editing the play they created on a  screen.  Her legs were folded and she was intensely reading and rereading the script.

The topic was a science fiction play originally set on a corn farm but moved to an outer space little-known planet.  It involved talking dogs and cats and a lack of carbon dioxide, a queen named Shinoka, with a patch of white blond hair and the survival of alien species hanging on by a thread.  

The girls work bit by bit, a little moment of focused intense concentration followed by stories in their heads and ideas about scenes and backdrops and future plays.  The girls negotiated every line, every event, and every act with passion and purpose.  Heated debates ensue, but the script goes on and the play unfolds. 

"No, I am Shinoka's character and I get to decide what she says, " states K.

"But don't you think it would move the story along if she replied with a "woof?" replied P.

"Maybe...."

I view my role as facilitator in the adventure of script writing. I show a video about character arcs, explain archetypes and symbolism, and lean into problem and solution.  I try to step back a lot though so my students have freedom to create, collaborate and come up with their own product free from adult neurotypical ideas.

By May, a semi-edited script is complete. Characters are being created and backdrops are forming.  Relationships are being built and a new idea comes to life in the classroom.  Friendships and forming and the small moments of compromise and promise occur.  

The process takes time and is slow.  I remind myself that I am one small step in the long journey of life and will do my best to help my students find and keep their authentic voice and creative ideas.

The Book "The Anxious Generation" and Teaching Project Based Learning

 I packed up my white bag with my planner, heavy laptop, water bottle and favorite pen and headed to the door, ready to blast my Audiobook again.  I have been listening to The Anxious Generation nightly and have been soaking up each and every word.  The basic premise of the book is that our kids and students are becoming more depressed and riddled with anxiety due to our smart phone culture and a lack of in person play.  It's not the most uplifting book, but I definitely recommend it if you are a parent.

The idea that students are struggling more socially and emotionally now than ever before resonated with me, as it is something I have witnessed in my own home and also in the classroom.  Students seem to need more coaching on collaboration and teamwork today than they have in the past.  Some are arguing about small things, reluctant to settle disputes independently without adult guidance, and need more help when working with others than ever before.  Are the kids not getting along because they have not spent enough hours playing?  Did they spend too many minutes on a device or studying for test or studying alone for a math competition?

I watch as my two sons play their video games between their nightly baseball games and practices and wonder... did I provide enough time for the kids to go out and explore?  Are they making friends in the real world?  Is there a way to change their activities so they can play more and have more free time to experiment outside, test their limits, and learn who they are?  These are critical moments for my sons to develop their personalities, and I wonder if I am blowing it with too many scheduled activities. 

Ah, parenting is difficult.  There is no manual and life today is vastly different from yesterday.  I think life without the smart phone might have been easier, less distracting, and going back to basics seems like a logical solution to some of these problems.  The Anxious Generation discusses how more time is needed without adult supervision so kids can work through problems, find their identity, and make lasting friendships in a confident manner.  If adults constantly intervene when problems arise on the playground or in the streets, children do not learn to solve problems for themselves and grow their autonomy. 

This idea of play can take a different form in the classroom.  Rather than worksheets, strict rules and independent work, we can incorporate more Project Based Learning and Problem Solving and open ended exploration.  In my classroom, we already focus on Project Based Learning time, as it has been shown to help gifted kids develop social and emotional skills needed in the work force and it encourages them to think deeper about problems.  I will continue to implement this time within my schedule and additionally, I will ask my students to reflect on how their collaboration time went.  

I am reminded how important it is for students to be able to work together in the job force as well.  I can not think of many jobs that are conducted in complete isolation, and  the give and take needed in the work force is a skill that must be developed, just as logical thinking and number sense must be developed.  My students need to be able to work together to be considered for a promotion in the future, interview well for a top job, or gain happiness in a close net social circle. 

The longer I teach, the more certain I am that social skills and collaboration skills are equally, if not more important, than intelligence.