[Chicago] Teaching kids programming

[Warren Thom]

Good idea.  
Here are a few more thoughts about kids and next year.
(1)  Invite teachers & classes for the first keynote speaker on Friday (or Thursday afternoon).  Physics gets 10s of thousands from the 5 state region  to Six Flags for the May Physics day and large numbers attend MSI Chemistry day.  Python could accept reservations on a first come first served basis from the schools to control the numbers.  Would we want 8-13 or 13-18 year olds or just college students?  We have a large space that could handle up to 2000 as I understand it.  BTW -- around March is the state testing in Illinois schools.
(2)  Provide an under 18 student rate registration -- with a student track of programs.  This is under consideration from what has been said.
(3)  What do we know about the demographics of Python users/attendees?  For 15 minutes after the keynote -- it would be interesting to group the "regular" attendees and provide Q & As  for student interaction.  We could provide information on jobs, python program applications, university programs, new applications  and ????.  
(4)  What is the report from the Edu-sig?  I missed the Saturday night dinner in Dallas.

Warren


Subject: [Chicago] Teaching kids programming


  There has been some discussion here about teaching kids programming.  I came across this site http://stratolab.com/courses/lunarrepair/ as a link from the CherryPy site.  They are located in NYC and say " Although the workshop is set in fantasy, the programming you learn is real. This course teaches the basics of computer programming using the Python language, including algorithms, variables, loops, and functions. You learn cartesian (X-Y) coordinates and simple algebra to draw shapes and make things move. Finally, a reason to learn math."  Maybe they could be invited to be part of the kids track at Chicago's pyCon?



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