Jerome Schmidt
Brentwood High School, Brentwood, MO
Tell us about yourself
This is my 14th year of teaching. I teach Algebra I/II and Statistics. As a mathematics major in college, I was exposed to programming in Fortran, C, and C++. I first got excited about using CodeHS from the Code.org video (on Facebook of all places). I showed the video to my students last year and held a school-wide Hour of Code. We had a huge demand in our school after the Hour of Code; about 25% of the student body signed up for my coding class.
Tell us about your students
I feel my students are like most other teenagers in that they want something engaging, relevant, and rewarding. They truly feel they are a part of something outside of the typical educational experience.
“I can’t think of a better experience for students.”
Has CodeHS been an effective teaching tool for you? How so?
The learning in our class comes from student engagement with the material. Students are allowed to struggle and grow through the learning process as autonomous learners. I can’t think of a better experience for students.
What do your students enjoy about learning with CodeHS?
Here are a few student responses: “I like learning about computer programming in general, and I know some day it will be useful to me.” “I really like being able to come to a class that lets me move at my own pace.” “I enjoy this class because it is something different for me to learn. This is an amazing learning experience for me and I cant wait to do more with this in the future. “
Tell us your biggest story related to using CodeHS in your class!
After two weeks, I’m proud to say my students have made tremendous progress working through the activities in Programming with Karel and look forward to them wrestling with the next module.
What is the most creative way you have used CodeHS?
In our class, the students are the creative ones. They amaze me everyday with their perseverance and unique perspectives on the material.
“[My students] want something engaging, relevant, and rewarding. They truly feel they are a part of something outside of the typical educational experience. “
What does a typical day in your classroom look like?
Our class meets for about 90 minutes every other day. Students enter the computer lab, sign in, and work through each activity. I sit in front of the class and vigorously grade programs. I am an active listener but I give minimal guidance; students learn through discovery and peer consultation.
What stategies have you utilized to help students overcome challenges while learning to code?
To be honest, I think it is perfectly acceptable for students to struggle in the face of challenges and believe it is not only natural but necessary in the learning process. A school wide theme in our high school is the development of Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset; the belief that you can grow your intelligence through purposeful practice, hard work, and perseverance. Dr. Dweck is of course the esteemed Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. In many ways, her work helped me conceptualize the format of this class. We think she’s pretty cool!
Originally published at codehs.com.
