[Edu-sig] Joining my first SIG

[Vern Ceder]

Hi Zac,

On Sat, Oct 23, 2010 at 6:39 PM, Zac Miller <zmiller at gsc.edu> wrote:

> Hello!
>
> I've just joined this SIG, my first, and looked over a few of the archived
> threads from last few months.  My name is Zac Miller and I am currently
> teaching Python programming to college and middle school level students.
>
> I am curious if there are many K12 educators involved in this SIG?  I am
> looking for people to discuss my student's progress with and it seems to be
> hard to find others using Python in this setting.


I'm the technology director and programming teacher at Canterbury, a private
school in Ft Wayne, IN. We've been teaching at least a little Python to
every single 8th and 9th grader in the school since 2001, as well as
offering electives in Python, Java, C, etc.

Right now, our Python class is using the same robot/bluetooth board that
Georgia Tech uses (http://wiki.roboteducation.org) which has been a blast.
I'm also teaching an online Python enrichment course to middle school kids
through Northwestern University's Gifted Learning Links program (
http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/courses/enrichment/courses/), using
Warren and Carter Sande's _Hello, World!_.

As André mentioned there are a few of us on this list, so go ahead and raise
your questions.


> I am also considering putting together a talk proposal for PyCon 2011.  So
> far my ideas for a talk would be a brief introduction of myself and my
> experiences learning and teaching Python in the past year.  I attended PyCon
> 2010 as student.  Beyond that brief introduction I would like to discuss the
> state of programming in K12 education in the state of Georgia, as much of it
> as I have been able to untangle, and ideas for improving it.
>
> I've completed a few open record requests to the Georgia Department of
> Education pulling enrollment number for programming and computer science
> courses for the entire state.  What would make for an interested PyCon talk
> on K12 education involving Python?  Does anyone have similar data or a
> summary of programming education for another state they wouldn't mind
> sharing for me to use as comparison?  Anyone interested in doing a Panel
> proposal?
>

I'd be available for a panel, and would be willing to work on a proposal,
but don't think I have the time to be a main organizer of one... Also, as
the chair of PyCon's poster session, let me encourage you to consider
presenting some of your findings as a poster. Even if you submit a talk or
panel (and even if they get turned down) you can still submit a poster
proposal.

Cheers,
Vern Ceder


> Thanks!
>
> -J. Zachary Miller
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>



-- 
This time for sure!
   -Bullwinkle J. Moose
-----------------------------
Vern Ceder, Director of Technology
Canterbury School, 3210 Smith Road, Ft Wayne, IN 46804
vceder at canterburyschool.org; 260-436-0746; FAX: 260-436-5137

The Quick Python Book, 2nd Ed - http://bit.ly/bRsWDW
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