Teaching Children Programming

Todd Nathan todd.nospamski. at palomablanca.net
Thu Nov 18 00:39:38 UTC 1999


A very good and wealthy salesman shared with me that instead of  
telling or showing,
let them experience.  The trick is to create curiosity, that is  
after all what killed
the cat, and then get them to try it.  This has worked for me, as we  
only remember
7-10% after seeing/hearing something on a first time basis.  So  
trying to converse to
them the 'idea' of Squeak is a futile exercise in S&M (squeaking and  
mousing) 8>).

 Instead, install it, a quick pony show like Dan at OOPSLA
(well, okay a bit shorter than 2 hours).  Then get their curiosity  
up by having them either
be challenged by whatever it is that interests them and how they  
could solve it with
this 'toy turning into weapon of choice'.  Like a car, you know  
pretty much when you
test drive it if you like it.  Squeak needs to get to that point,  
where we the salemen
out in the world just hand the keys to the lovely customer-to-be  
[imagine if you will
selling junk on a corner to folks, sample some, they love it, they  
come back with
Granny's wallet (say goodbye life savings)] and they come back with  
a wad of cash.
Time and people work also.   This is a movement, a re|convolution,  
where we need all
three to experience real success in a business sense IMHO, this is  
how I propose the
Squeakiness of it All.  See not all of us make $$$ by  
creating/implementing  the Squeak Factor,
us average Joe Blow's need to create a market so we can make money  
with the SF.
Then the DWI folks can come and teach seminars for big bucks, and  
make our jobs
even easier and more lucrative.

Best of luck, it is worth it.  Save the planet from mediocracy (okay  
Alan, after Wed until
12:00 you got me into thinking and doing things right, we hope ;')   
Sumo-buns upon BG.

\t

PS.  Persistance beats resistance.  It works.  My soap has run out!


> From: "david o'loughlin" <oloughli at mindspring.com>
> Date: 1999-11-17 17:27:53 -0700
> To: squeak at cs.uiuc.edu
> Subject: Re: Teaching Children Programming
>
> Hi,
> 	I have approached a local elementary school about using Smalltalk 
> as a tool in teaching some of it's subjects (perhaps music or  
math). I have
> yet to wow them with the available tools. I haven't tried showing the 
> school's media specialist Squeak yet but I would love to talk to  
anyone out
> there who has similar interests or experience in introducing  
programming,
> particularly Smalltalk to children.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
> >At 12:10 AM +0000 11/12/99, Tom Ayerst wrote:
> >
> >>I'm sure this is a FAQ but is there any info on using squeak to teach 
> >>children about programming?
> >
> >Not much right now, I'm afraid.
> >
> >You see, we're not completely happy with things as they are.
> >We've been building and testing some content based on the EToy
> >scripting system, but we're dissatisfied in two opposite directions: 
> >
> >  1. it isn't powerful and self-extensible enough, and
> >  2. it isn't simple enough for the first-time user.
> >
> >Seems like a contradiction, but we always try to have
> >our cake and eat it, too.
> >
> >Is this a research interest, or do you know some kids
> >that you want to turn on to programming?
> >
> >	-- John
>
>
>
>





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