Why Coding Should Be Taught In Schools
Coding should be taught in schools.
Thanks for reading! … just kidding. But seriously, it’s a very simple concept that many schools are starting to catch on to, but so many others are not.
Having taught coding in schools myself, I find that teaching students how to code is very rewarding. You are teaching them a valuable life skill and problem solving capabilities, while making it easy on yourself because most of the learning is done on their own.
At the time of this posting, Computer Science Education Week, a worldwide initiative started by Code.org, happened very recently.
Initiatives like these are great to get teachers and students involved in coding programs that they may not have tried on their own. CSED offers free access to coding software, online problems to solve, and even non-computer based coding activities.
All students should share in opportunities like these because learning to code teaches them how to think. The great part is that the students (usually) have fun doing it and don’t realize they are learning. Critical thinking and problem solving abilities are well sought after at any school with any subject. Computer science and coding programs help to foster these skills within students.
When students learn to problem solve through code, their brains are rewired. We see that students enrolled in computer science or problem solving programs begin to perform better in their other classes, and not just science and math classes. English, history, social studies, and other humanities courses can benefit because now the student has become accustom to solving problems and thinking deeply about their subject matter.
Another great reason for students to code is… jobs. There is a large market availability within the computer science job market at the moment. So much so that the author decided to stop teaching and pursue a computer science career. (Outcome TBD).
With a few hundred dollars, one can pull one’s self up by their proverbial bootstraps by purchasing a computer and learning to code. It may take a while to going through YouTube tutorials and online code schools, but eventually enough can be learned that a company would hire a self taught programmer. There are also coding schools popping up all over the country which fast track budding programmers into great careers.
I’m not sure how many times I heard the 5'2" student tell me how he’s going to be an NBA star, or the shy girl in the back of the room wanting to become a fashionista. Students today simply don’t have a realistic view of what jobs are achievable. If the student has high hopes and dreams, great! Let’s foster those dreams and make them a reality. However, when said student is a senior in high school and has never played on a basketball team, maybe it’s time to start pursuing more realistic goals.
Coding is one of those careers. Starting salaries for entry level positions can range anywhere from the mid 40’s up to the 80’s. That’s really excellent for a relatively small investment up front to get into the industry. But this industry has a big dirty secret that many schools would not care to share, no college required.
That’s right. Even students with computer science degrees are now pursuing coding boot camps to get a foothold in the industry. What does that say about both the need for good computer scientists, as well as the higher education system.
Bottom line. Schools all across the country must start teaching students code they way they teach Math and English. It should be a regular class, starting in kindergarten, and continuing through graduation. Teaching coding will produce smarter, employable, and more versatile students that would possibly shift the downwards trend we see in education within the US.