This week was Computer Science Education Week in schools around the world. To celebrate, Mrs. Wolinsky came into our class to teach Hour of Code. Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science and programming, which many had in second grade.
Coding is such a foreign and very new topic for me. I have always been a bit anti-technology... GASP! I know I am probably in the minority here, especially for my generation. Today, it seems that people are almost entirely "connected", yet often struggle putting their devices down to have face-to-face conversations. I cringe when I go to a restaurant and see a table of four catching up on their social media accounts, rather than catching up with one another. Although this is true at times, it's hard to ignore the fact that technology has many positive impacts on our daily lives. It's a bit of a double-edged sword, if you ask me. While I could go on and on about this topic, it seems that I am veering off into uncharted territory.
The moral of the story is this: the Hour of Code activity showed me ALL of the positive aspects of technology and made me forget about the negative ones. To say I was impressed with these kiddos is an understatement! Mrs. Wolinsky began with a short video and introduction, then sent students off to try to code on their own! While I was nervous that a full hour on laptops would be a very individual activity, I quickly realized just how interactive it was. Students were working together, problem solving, and figuring out codes they swore they couldn’t figure out. This activity took lots of perseverance and determination. Check out the short video below. If you listen closely, you can hear some of my favorite quotes. I just wish I could have caught more on camera!
“Oh, I know what I need to do.”
"I can help you with that."
"Want to come sit with me?... Bring your computer!"
"I did it!"... "What do you mean you couldn't do it?"
Be sure to ask your child about their experience!
Happy Friday!
