Computer Science and Programming are also for kids

I think kids should be allowed the opportunity to understand the reasons behind the technology, be given the opportunities to explore their creativity, express themselves behind the computer or a device in a chosen language. And maybe write their own games and software.

So, I decided to extend the UBE curriculum, Universal Basic Education in Nigeria as produced by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, (NERDC) and add computer science modules from the ACM.

I will be writing my experiences on those modules in this blog

After extensive search and research, divided between Visual Basic and Logo, I decided on Logo. Principally because of Scratch and Snap! I fell in love with the latter two just by looking at the user interface; kids are more visual than symbolic, you know. We’ll play with Logo a little before moving on to either Scratch or Snap!

And what do the children stand to benefit? Lots!

Computer science is about solving problems and knowing how to think. I didn’t think what I saw on the UBE curriculum was enough for my kids.

Computer science using Logo or any other educational programming language helps children do their maths and English well, not to talk about opening up their creative juices. And lots more. Games, Puzzles, quantitative reasoning …. Computer science is just like a hub for the child’s mind to grow and be better than he’d ever be without them.

In my excitement, watching my kids count binaries and excited about doing so – kids do get carried away when something piques their curiosity – I decided I had to share it on a blog.

That was when the idea of a blog was born.

Then, code.org also influenced my decision a great deal. I decided that with the CSEDWEEK less than 48 hours away, I had to beat the clock! As Pinocchio would have said in “The adventures of Pinocchio” by Carlos Collodi - kids who don’t study hard, who don’t go to school, “will grow into a perfect donkey.” My blog ended up having for name: nodonkey.blogspot.com.

Your child shouldn’t be one. I used to be.

The picture below is that of the front of the primary school where I am presently teaching, Nova International School. 63, Owolabi Street, Satellite town, Lagos.