2 Reasons Why Educators Need to be More Tech Savvy

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As a future educator, it is important to me to stay up to date with what students are learning outside of the classroom and our society. This semester, I’ve observed too many virtual classrooms where young students, as young as 7 years old, know more about technology than the teacher. Can you think of some consequences that come with that? I know I certainly can! I definitely know it’s not the teachers intention to spend more time addressing the behavior of the class with technology problems such as: students in the chat box, the PowerPoint or presentation won’t load, screen backgrounds, not staying muted, etc. Here’s the top 2 reasons why I think Educators should take time to become more tech savvy to best benefit their students.

Reason #1: So many resources online that allow students to explore and expand their knowledge with a variety of content.

As of 2015, there were at least 80,000 educational apps so imagine how many educational apps and platforms are available now! 

  • Top resources that educators are using RIGHT NOW to make their virtual teaching more engaging: Nearpod, Thinglink, Book Creator, Pear Deck, IXL, Clever, Arc Bookshelf, Online Whiteboards, Document Cameras, and SO MUCH MORE!

Reason #2: Coding is their future and it develops critical thinking skills.

Did you know that there are so many apps and programs out now that allow students to learn code without them actually knowing that? These apps and programs require students to think in an indirect and abstract way, which is usually a skill that is explored in 4th or 5th grade. Except students today are now learning this skill with code at age 5. It is very beneficial for educators to provide time for students to problem solve with coding apps. You’ll notice that with time, students who practice solving problems with an app or game, will begin to solve problems on their own in their life because they can think outside the box. As an educator, we are constantly encouraging our students to think outside the box. However, everything especially through virtual learning needs to be modeled and explored before we can have such an expectation. Then the teacher can later implement time for students to code on a program like Scratch that actually gives students the opportunity to create their very own story or game through an animation. The main reason why a person wants to become an educator is because of their passion to make an impact. Well learning how to do basic code for your students is certainly a way to best benefit them since coding is their future and over a million positions will be filled by the future high school/college students because of our society’s advancement in technology. 

How Can You Get Involved

If you are either: 

  • An educator and you want to learn the coding resources and online resources that you can implement in your classroom OR 
  • Not a licensed educator but you want to run coding programs for your community

CLICK HERE AND LET’S TALK 

or email: brittany@happycodeclub.com 

Benefits of this conversation:

  • Educators learn from one another and share valuable information/resources to best impact and benefit students. 
  • You can find a way to make extra money if you want to run coding programs.
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Happy Coding with Brittany-

GRADES 1-2 STARTS DECEMBER 15. EVERY TUESDAY AT 6 PM FOR 4 WEEKS. FREE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, HOMESCHOOLS.

GRADES K

Hello everyone! My name is Brittany, and I am a Co-founder and instructor for Happy Code Club. In this class, we are going to learn the basics of Scratch to start your coding journey! We will break down coding concepts in a way that is easier to understand through a series of fun, creative, and engaging projects that are all created the way you want! It is your creative masterpiece. Students will have access to a recording for each class in case they want to rewatch the class or weren’t able to attend on a specific day. We will all learn coding together!
Technology required: Wifi, Chromebook, pc, or mac, two button mouse is recommended. (no tablets please). Registration is open through Dec 13 so don’t hesitate and register now. Please feel free to email brittany@happycodeclub.com if you have any questions, comments, or concerns!

Happy Coding with Brittany-

GRADES K STARTS DECEMBER 15. EVERY TUESDAY AT 5 PM FOR 4 WEEKS. FREE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, HOMESCHOOLS

GRADES K

Hello everyone! My name is Brittany, and I am a Co-founder and instructor for Happy Code Club. In this class, we are going to learn programming through a very kid-friendly app and other resources to get their brains thinking about code. We will create a variety of projects using basic block codes and play games that focus on problem solving and critical thinking. This program is designed to be the very first step in their coding journey without being overwhelming or too
advanced! We will all learn coding together!
Technology required: Tablet only. Registration is open through Dec 13 so don’t hesitate and register now. Please feel free to email brittany@happycodeclub.com if you have any questions, comments, or concerns!

Happy Coding with Brittany-

Game Design with Scratch Jr.

Grades: 3-5

Introduction to programming with Scratch will show you around the interface and have you making a fun project in minutes. This easy to learn program is super fun as it allows you to create artistic characters, scenes, and objects and animate them with computer code.
If you are curious about what coding is or simply want to try something new, this is a fun class to try. See why millions of students from around the world are sharing their awesome creations on the Scratch platform. The creations students make range from Stories, Games, animations, music and more! Get your creativity hats on and come and check this out!

Technology Requirements: Chromebooks or PC or Mac with wifi and a two button mouse recommended.

Links to class tools used Scratch Zoom Client installation

Prerequisites: No previous experience necessary. Ability to use a two button mouse; ability to hold objects on the screen and move them with left mouse button and keyboarding isrecommended.

Happy Coding with Fernando-

Intro to Game Design in Scratch

Grades: 3-5

Introduction to programming with Scratch will show you around the interface and have you making a fun project in minutes. This easy to learn program is super fun as it allows you to create artistic characters, scenes, and objects and animate them with computer code.
If you are curious about what coding is or simply want to try something new, this is a fun class to try. See why millions of students from around the world are sharing their awesome creations on the Scratch platform. The creations students make range from Stories, Games, animations, music and more! Get your creativity hats on and come and check this out!
Technology Requirements: Chromebooks or PC or Mac with wifi and a two button mouse recommended. Links to class tools used Scratch Zoom Client installation
Prerequisites: No previous experience necessary. Ability to use a two button mouse; ability to hold objects on the screen and move them with left mouse button and keyboarding is recommended.

Happy Coding

Winter Dates: Nov 30 – Jan 28

This winter join students from other schools in a zoom class that you can take from your school or home.
This after school club is free for public schools classrooms Grades 3-5 and it will be run for 6-8 weeks in Winter and Spring of 2021 Taught by Happy Code Club teachers with experience in various subjects including Scratch, Python, codehs.com, code.org, Robotics and more.
Winter Dates: Nov 30 – Jan 28