[Edu-sig] Hello from a CS Teacher

[Skip Montanaro]

    Randy> BUt by that time, there's usually little interest by the students
    Randy> in taking on another language, unless it's one with alot of
    Randy> "press" such as Java.

Though the Python community has done little or nothing to promote itself, it
seems to be getting more and more press these days.  Whether or not it's the
right kind or of sufficient volume, I don't know.  Still, I wouldn't
consider lack of press a long-term impediment to adoption.  I think your
observations about teachers' avoidance of something new (especially if there
is no curriculum available to support it) is going to be more of a problem.

Maybe the way to introduce it initially is through computer clubs.  (Schools
do have computer clubs, yes?)  Another possible hook is to get Zope
installed and use it as the way to manage student-created web sites.  Once
they want to do more than create flat pages, you yank hard to set the
hook...

Skip Montanaro | http://www.mojam.com/
skip@mojam.com | http://www.musi-cal.com/
"Languages that change by catering to the tastes of non-users tend not to do
so well." - Doug Landauer