Coding for Kids

My experience as a teacher 

Four weeks ago, I taught my very first coding class with Coding for Kids. Math and Coding organized this class. Their mission is to prove that anyone can learn to code--in just a few weeks! 

Basically, three high school kids teach about twenty elementary and middle school kids basic programming skills using Tynker, a simple drag-n-drop form of block-coding. I was the lead teacher of the class. 

To be honest, I was terrified at first. I wanted to teach, but at the same time, I was so scared. Standing in front of 20 people with all eyes on you can be nerve-wracking--even if they are just third graders. 

I started off with a pretty negative mentality:

I felt like the students were judging me. Noting my mistakes, my slip-ups. 

Of course, this kind of thinking got me nowhere--I just had to change.

After about half and hour of all my negative thinking, I decided it wasn't worth it.

Then I completely changed my mindset:

These kids weren't judging me; they were learning from me. They wanted to hear what I had to say. And it was my duty to make sure I did a good job. 

All of a sudden, I felt comfortable speaking. And confident too, as I saw kids learning and understanding from my lessons.

I loved seeing them smile as they learned a new concept. 

Or their faces light up when they completed the course.

I've grown to love teaching

I've grown from scared to really loving the class. 

It's really incredible how a different form of thinking can change your view on things.