>>>>>I agree on training for kids. I'm trying to convince my youngest to learn some coding.
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>>>>I'm not against teaching kids on some coding - but a good use of time as well is history and some composition. Seriously. What's history? Reading and writing and seeing patterns. What's development? Certainly includes reading and writing and development.
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>>>Very much agree. I was actually thinking more of the 18 year old heading off to college to get a computer science degree. I would suggest he spend 2 years on Pluralsight first (and of course working in the field if he can) with the same level of commitment and intensity.
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>>My younger son is now working for a non-profit that's bringing Computer Science courses to public high schools. Their model is interesting and scalable--they get tech professionals to teach 1st period (IOW, before work) courses with a teacher present. After it's been taught for a few years, the teacher is ready to teach it, with some support. www.tealsk12.org
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>>Tamar
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>
>>>After it's been taught for a few years, the teacher is ready to teach it,
>Maybe, but maybe not.
>I like that program but I'd like it more if I knew that the mentor could flunk the teacher out.
>About 10 years ago I did some work with CS teachers in several good LI schools and to a person they were incompetent when it came to basic programming techniques - like "What do you mean- a compiler?"
>
>They were usually math or science teachers who knew some Excel and were looking to may a few extra dollars.

I know the program does training for the "volunteers" (they actually do get paid something, so not quite volunteers). I'm not sure about the teachers themselves. However, this is still a pilot to some extent, so they're learning what works and making changes as they go.

Tamar