Should every student learn how to code?
“What most schools don’t teach”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKIu9yen5nc&feature=youtu.be
Someone recently sent me this video link and asked my opinion to the question “Should every student learn how to code?” My quick answer is yes. Logically we all realize that the predominance of jobs in the future will require some knowledge of computers and learning to code is as valuable as learning to speak a world language. It also is a natural fit in our Middle School where every student has an ipad and participates in 21st century learning. The issue is how can we accomplish this during the school day? I think in order to answer that question we need to examine what the State requires us to teach. For example in our Middle School we still have the same curriculum as when I went to school. Home Economics changed its name to Family and Consumer Science but the curriculum hasn’t radically been altered. The same is true of Educational Technology (woodshop). I still use the skills I learned in middle school shop. While I see the value in both of those classes, are these topics essential knowledge for the next generation? I speak to many people that reminisce about his/her personal experiences in school and tell me “If it was good enough for me it’s good enough for my kids”. In some cases we need to ‘let go’ of content and subjects we enjoyed (or not) and make way for new topics and content that better prepare our youngsters for life after high school. The time is upon us to question some of our mandated State curriculum and question its relevance in preparing the next generation of students.
We are fortunate to have (and I am fortunate to work and have grown up in) a community that is so supportive of the work we do in our music classes. I think it is great that now kids in the m.s. have more of an opportunity than ever to be involved in multiple music courses. And that both m.s. and h.s. students are willing to miss lunch to be involved in music, I think that speaks volumes!
I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a music teacher who thinks that there should be any fewer kids involved in the arts. Even if they think they don’t like it – we are passionate about changing their minds!
For what its worth – both NYSSMA and the National Art Education Association have released reports highlighting the incredible similarities between art/music education to the Common Core ELA and Math standards. The evidence is clear that while these subjects stand strong on their own two feet, they complement many things that happens in our schools.
http://www.arteducators.org/research/national-coalition-for-core-arts-standards
http://nyssma.org/files/193/crosswalk%20ccss%2Dmusic.doc
(Apologies for straying from the original post)
Pegeen
Thank you for getting the true meaning of my post and remembering the joy I had working with the Mineola students over the years. Aloha.
Bob Miller was definitely an inspiring, well loved teacher in my 4 years at MHS. Posting a comment that you may mean one way, may come across another way. (that is the debatable risk you take when commenting on a blog) As a Mineola grad, I do see what Mr. Miller meant by the “nasty academic neighborhood”. He did not say “nasty neighborhood”. He said “nasty academic neighborhood” And I get it. There is a bit of “unspoken tension” for the students of Mineola, and maybe it is because of where it is located. I have been asked many, many times living in Williston Park…Are you on the Herricks side or the Mineola side?
And ask any grad that had Mr. Miller…of course he cares, and he always will.
Back to the risk you take with commenting on a blog….I hope the music teachers get my point that some kids love it, but some just do not. And it is not like we do not have enough musicians in this district. Have you seen how packed the stages are for the concerts and plays. (I think we can spare a few. LOL) My daughter loves chorus so much, that last year she took it instead of lunch in 6th grade!) But…. I am a proud computer geek and think coding is the perfect fit for the middle school kid who is trying to find themselves and feel confident is a subject matter that is interesting to them. AND I would really like to read what some of our Computer teachers think!
Your references are autobiographical, Mr. Miller, and impossible to decode.
While we agree that Mineola is a wonderful community, so are our neighbors in Chaminade, Wheatley, Garden City, Roslyn, etc.
Back to the video about coding. We ignore communication technologies at our own peril, but I hope coding could be used within a subject area as a tool for deep engagement and critical thinking.
If coding could be taught in an interdisciplinary way, as a scaffold for organizing and analyzing information, that could be exciting.
Ms. Navara
Before calling someone out, I suggest you get your facts straight. I taught over thirty recognized, award winning years at MHS and have certainly earned the right to speak about the importance of technology education. I am sorry, however, that you did not get the reference to my “nasty academic neighborhood” comment. I was referring to the schools surrounding Mineola (Chaminade, Wheatley, Roslyn, Garden City etc.) that always seemed to put a cloud of academic pressure on our school district. Mineola was and continues to be a wonderful community and, with your permission, I will continue to care even 6,000 miles away.
I’ve been thinking greatly about the topic of this post (that is, the video about coding), and was about to post a response, but must call Mr. Miller out:
“…the nasty academic neighborhood in which you reside” ? That is quite a claim from Honolulu. Are you qualified to speak about our families, our schools, and our academic neighborhood after two years of employment a decade ago, and now 6000 miles away? And why do you care?
Dr. Nagler, please stop posting this poison from Mr. Miller.
Mike
Thank you for your response. When I saw that you characterized my post as “silly”, my first reaction was that I did it again. I got upset about an issue and responded emotionally without much thought. With significant trepidation, I immediately reread your first post and was somewhat relieved to find that my response was right on the mark and I stand by what I wrote. I did, however, huddle with my thesaurus to explore the possibility of using a word other than disdain. No luck. When you write, “…are these topics essential knowledge for the next generation and …we need to let go of content and subjects we enjoy (or not) and make way for new topics that better prepare our youngsters for life after high school?” I apologize for not being able to come up with a more suitable word, but I am working with the handicap of only having achieved the second highest degree possible.
In the decade since I left Mineola, I find that I am more involved in technology education than I have ever been in the past. The implication that I am unaware of the changes taking place in education because I left Mineola a decade ago is simply untrue. I am the lead teacher of a seven-member, 150-student engineering academy at the largest inner city school in Hawaii. Farrington is a Title 1 school presently under restructuring and, as such, the entire staff must deal with the expectations put forth by our outside consultants. Surprisingly, they are paying a great deal of attention to what I am doing in the building and construction classes I teach which grants both college and high school credit.
I am very aware of the changes that have come to pass in the trades, particularly plumbing. I worked as the maintenance mechanic for C&L Plumbing Supply in Lynbrook for 20 years. I also gave a recent lesson on a multi million-dollar lawsuit still active in Honolulu against the plumbing contractor who used improper PEC’s connectors that caused leaks requiring the entire luxury building to be refitted. Any trade worker who does not keep up with current trends is bound to find difficulty accomplishing the outcomes required and expected by paying customers.
When I took the ASVAB test prior to joining the Navy in the 60’s, there was no concern about passing the test. The job that you were assigned was based on the score that you achieved; high score, a good technical job with schooling, low score, chipping paint for four years. Today, all of the services require a minimum test score and there are additional weight and body fat requirements, tattoo restrictions and the ability to do a level physical training. When the Pearl Harbor Shipyard is looking for 100 workers, 3,000 apply and are required achieve a predetermined score before moving on to the next phase of the hiring process. A low score removes the applicant from any further consideration.
I am acutely aware of the changes taking place in the workplace and the preparation needed for our young people to achieve and be productive at all levels of our society. I will not bore you with my resume, but my “belt” has not been off for over 40 years. I feel a sense of great satisfaction and accomplishment to be able to pass on my experiences in the trades, both technical and academic, to those who will proudly go forth to continue to build this great country.
There is no doubt that you have the best interest of your students in mind and work very hard to achieve the goals and expectation of the community. I must admit that my goals are somewhat narrower than yours: what should I teach my 75 students in three 90-minute block-scheduled classes a day? How can I keep them engaged, interested and wanting to come back tomorrow? There is no higher order of business in our chosen profession. Please don’t let your tower view of the future be clouded by the nasty academic neighborhood in which you reside. Keep up the good fight for all the students of the Mineola School District.
I must say that I am very much enjoying this discussion. I would love to hear more.
What an opportunity for such an important discussion of priorities and values. I think we need to remember that all subjects strive to help students improve regardless of the talent level. Middle school is a key turning point in our students’ education. As a middle school chorus teacher I have spent many hours working with those students who seemingly refused to learn music through singing. There were always students in my choirs that were in fact embarrased to sing in front of an audience – the students who audience members and the students themselves thought they were devoid of talent. I work hard, as do all of my colleagues in the music department, to continue to encourage these students to believe in themselves and to not give up on developing their skills – and avoid the labels such as “not talented” or “a bad singer/instrumentalist” or “tone deaf” or anything else. Some of these very kids who believed themselves to be no good will stand up and sing as lead characters in next week in our production of “In The Heights.” That is what is inspiring about what we do here in Mineola.
To speak directly to the issue of coding, as a student of Meadow Drive I was introduced to coding in the most basic form of “Logo” when we had the Apple IIe computers. I loved going to computer classes and making that little turtle create something on the screen. It helped me to understand the idea of syntax and commands that would be applicable in future hobbies of mine that have included website design and computer building/repair.
Coding is about problem solving – as is wood-shop – other skills I use every day as both a homeowner and a Musical Director. In fact, music, art, woodshop, mathematics, coding and other problem solving areas are different only in end product. The skills required to successfully navigate the process of building a set, performing a piece of music, and coding a computer application are more similar than not.
One of the things that I love about the Mineola School District is the manner in which we maintain the foundations of the humanities while finding ways to integrate cutting edge concepts and technologies into our students’ lives. My continuing hope is that we always find ways to not count kids out of any particular area because of talents they do or do not show at early ages.
While I do really appreciate that my middle school age child is learning art, music, wood shop and family consumer science, middle school seems like the perfect time to introduce the first steps in coding a computer. Coding is an art, it is a language, it is math, it is science. It makes you think logically. It is what happens “behind the scenes” of what you are all doing right now…reading this blog. I have seen at the middle school concerts the dozen or so kids that are not even singing because they are bored or embarrassed, and I have heard that some kids just hold up their instruments and pretend to play. Not every child is musically inclined or artistic. Every child has different talents. Coding may be the perfect fit for those kids that have more of a creative thinking talent. And almost every career uses computers in one way or another, so whether we like it or not, it is reality that these kids will use computers in what ever career path they may take. The earlier you learn a language, the better you will be at speaking it.
Bob- to suggest I have a ‘disdain’ for any subject we teach is silly. The post was obviously more provocative then I meant it to be, I simply asked if the content we are teaching is properly preparing our students for life after High School. A lot has changed in the decade since you retired. The State’s new Regents Action Plan focuses on College and Career readiness as defined by ELA and Math scores. Our quest to prepare student properly for life after HS has become increasingly difficult since it is well documented that the jobs our children will hold haven’t been invented yet. Craftsman and women will always be necessary but they still need to read and write and be current in technology. When I apprenticed as a plumber I learned how to thread pipe using lead and lamp wick. I was quite adept at packing cast iron using Oakum and melted lead. Those skills gave way to Teflon tape and PVC glue. Today technology has PEC’s pipe and solder less crimping of copper pipe. I have worn “the belt” as well as obtain the highest degree college has to offer; so my view from the tower is perfectly clear. Advancements in technology change the products and skills but you still need the knowledge of the trade. As technical manuals get more complex and more trades rely on computers (look under the hood of any modern car) graduates need to be better prepared for life after HS.
Mathew B. Crawford is a philosopher and mechanic. He has a Ph.D. in political philosophy from the University of Chicago and served as a postdoctoral fellow on its Committee on Social Thought. Currently a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia, he owns and operates Shockoe Moto, an independent motorcycle repair shop in Richmond, Virginia. In his New York times bestselling book, Shop Class As Soulcraft, Crawford writes, “The satisfactions of manifesting oneself concretely in the world through manual competence have been known to make a man quiet and easy. They seem to relieve him of the felt need to offer chattering interpretations of himself to vindicate his worth. He can simply point: the building stands, the car now runs, the lights are on. Boasting is what a boy does, because he has no real effect in the world. But the tradesman must recon with the infallible judgment of reality, where one’s failures or shortcomings cannot be interpreted away. His well-founded pride is far from the gratuitous “self-esteem” that educators would impart to students, as though by magic.”
Some may still recognize my name and the significant contributions I made as a technology teacher and student advisor over a thirty-year career at Mineola High School. They were wonderful years filled with great memories that came from teaching machine shop and welding, carpentry, electricity and electronics, and small engine repair. Because the years at Mineola were very special to me, I have remained interested in the changes that have taken place both at the high school and the Mineola community in general. The computer is a wonderful thing.
I am presently employed as an instructor for the University of Hawaii, Honolulu Community College Construction Academy assigned to the largest inner city school in Hawaii. We enroll over 2600 students, with many from the 4 large housing projects that surround Farrington High School. The kids are great and appreciate the options we offer them. The program was started eight years ago with a five million dollar federal grant for the express purpose of training a young, capable workforce of new tradespeople. I am happy to say our program is thriving in 12 local high schools.
Jay Lewis once bravely announced at a Mineola commencement ceremony that we must accept the reality that not everyone must go on to college. It was refreshing to hear. The trades have served me well both in the classroom and in business. The very notion of replacing technical classes with more computer training is absolutely absurd and ill conceived. Of course computer knowledge is essential in the 21st century, but when is enough, enough. We need to build stuff again and we need to be able repair what we build. The Freedom Tower is being built by skilled workers in all the applied trades earning well more than the liberal arts graduate working at the local Starbucks waiting for that one big job opportunity. The time is indeed upon us to question future curriculum, but question decisions made by ivory tower administrators as well, who know little about the world of work.
Dr. Mike Nagler, I worked with you for less than two years and found your administrative style interesting. I’ve always appreciated straight talk and you did offer that up to the professional staff in large and sudden doses. I must admit that I found the awakening of some to be comically refreshing. I also found you to be somewhat provocative in what I imagined to be your way of shaking things up and letting people know that there was a new sheriff in town. I can only hope that your written disdain for technology education is just your way to shake things up to improve the curriculum and insure its relevancy to all Mineola students.
Bravo to Desiree Mohammadi! A very, very wise and insightful comment.
Yes, coding is beneficial but focusing on technology can lead to the loss of other factors needed for a successful future. I tutor middle schoolers at times and they constantly looks to their iPad for the answers- forgetting the use of the pencil and paper. I of all people would agree that technology is important- I began typing at the age of 4.. but there is a bigger factor to focus on and that is art. Creativity of the mind and learning how to have a creative edge unlike any other person will land a job for us. Coding will not be the solution if it is the only focus.
I think shop & FACS should forever be kept in placed. As we are hopeful that our children will become homeowners one day…I don’t see a ROSIE in our near future. They will have to hang a picture on the wall, measure to see if furniture will fit into a room & cook a meal for their families. Figuring out serving sizes & measuring, promote healthy eating since Childhood Obisity is a hugh concern. I feel art & music are also important to shaping our kids minds, keeping them off the computer for awhile & letting their creativity grow! I don’t want to this world to turn into the movie Wall-E…it’s a fear of mine, which we are creating. I think coding is a huge reality, but at what age?
Would we have to loose Family / Consumer Science & Shop to gain coding?
I did not attend a Middle School, so I was not exposed to either. Nor were they offered at the High School I attended. Though I did touch on coding in High School.
However, I think the skills offered in all three are beneficial.
There’s more to technology than coding and that’s creativity of the mind, which is why we have art classes. Yes, coding and computers are important but ART is the main aspect of every career available in the world. For example one of the biggest corporations: Disney. Creativity, design, art.. without these key factors in each career, there would be no career. Improving art classes are just as important as coding, if not more.
Did every student in your Middle School learn coding?
I learned coding in Middle School…started with tic-tac-toe in Basic. No home ec or woodshop. So, I agree, what’s good enough for me is good enough for my kids!