[Edu-sig] Teaching python at a Computer Clubhouse

[Laura Creighton]

In a message of Tue, 22 May 2012 08:54:47 +1200, Carl Cerecke writes:

>I'm thinking of becoming a mentor at a local Computer Clubhouse
>http://www.computerclubhouse.org/. In particular, there are some kids the
>re
>who are quite keen to learn to make their own games, but none of the
>current mentors know any programming (one said that he had done some
>"programming" in HTML).
>I would be grateful for any recommendations for material to help me and t
>he
>kids. I have plenty of programming experience and some teaching experienc
>e
>(at the university level, though). I've written some text-only turn-based
>games in python before (about the level of connect-4), but nothing with
>graphics. The idea is supposed to be that this is driven by the interests
>of the children, but I need to balance that with the requirement for a bi
>t
>of a programming foundation as well if they're going to be successful in
>writing the sort of games they're interested in. I also think I need to
>make sure their expectations are realistic...
>So, any advice/recommendations?
>
>Cheers,
>Carl.

How old are the members of the clubhouse?
If at all possible you should let kids group by interest.
Date of manufacture (birth date) is a rotten way to sort people and your kids,
like everybody else, will be happier if people are sorted by something
other than 'birth date'.

I steal regularly from
http://www.briggs.net.nz/snake-wrangling-for-kids.html

and given that the author is in NZ as well, he might have some insights
that are better shared in person. 

best of appreciation for what you are doing,
Laura Creighton