tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post6118803597949037947..comments2024-03-27T15:13:24.764-04:00Comments on Computer Science Teacher: Happy New Year 2019Alfred Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05575057876858763822noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18677687.post-59123445766486452092019-01-02T15:57:46.331-05:002019-01-02T15:57:46.331-05:00This is one of the big differences from teaching M...This is one of the big differences from teaching Math and teaching CS/programming. Math curriculum is cookbook. It is laid out and ready to go. In an age based curriculum you know, except for some manageable exceptions, what the kids are going to take each year. CS/programming on the other hand is a mess. I have a sophomore who can program better than me in his sleep. I have a junior who programs for fun. He would rather program than play video games. What I can offer in the way of programming courses is limited by my skill. With math I am good up to and including Calculus. (Yes, I would have to brush up but not a big deal.) With programming if I want to offer something new I am usually starting from scratch and I cannot simply buy a textbook designed for high school with problem sets and all the add-on materials. I can usually find a book but from there I am adapting on my own.<br /><br />After years of teaching both Math and CS/programming, teaching Math is just boring if I want it to be. Teaching programming keeps the brain tissue active. <br /><br />If you want to go the Unity/C#/VR route let me know. With Android phones and Google Cardboard it is cheap and fun. There are a lot of good tutorials out there. There are some really bad ones too.Garthnoreply@blogger.com