[Edu-sig] python for kids...

[Bryan]

On 10/10/07, Dethe Elza <delza at livingcode.org> wrote:
> Hi Jason,
>
> Good timing.  My kids have pushed Scratch about as far as they can go,
> and have been pushing me to teach them Python.  I'm working on a
> Scratch-like environment to get them started, but I'll print out your
> draft and test it out on them.  Just a warning in advance, my kids (10
> year old girl and 7 year old boy) are my usual QA team, and they can
> be very tough critics ;-)
>
> I'll let you know how it goes, and subscribe to your RSS feed.  Thanks
> for taking this on.  Python has great documentation in a lot of areas,
> but kids haven't been well served.  I'm glad to see you addressing
> that need.
>
> --Dethe
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hi dethe (and everyone),

i wanted to let you know that i'm a professional developer and have
recently started volunteering at a local high school teaching a
python.  after months of going back and forth, i've decided to take
the approach of not watering down python even to kids that have never
programmed before.  instead, i'm taking it slow.  my goal is that
whatever they learn, no matter how much or how little, it will be
exactly the same style/kind/type of code that i use professionally.
i've decided to use "Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner,
Second Edition"  (http://tinyurl.com/2vbx7u) as my text book and it's
working out well so far. my eight year old daughter has asked me teach
her the same things i teach the class and she is understanding
everything so far too.  so, i'm not convinced that watering down
python for kids is the right way to teach python to kids. python is
easy enough already :) just my 2 cents worth... just wanted to give
you another option.

bryan