https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/Teaching a 10-year-old How to Programpaltman2014-08-03T22:08:26Zhttps://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-5528Now, my daughter wants me to teach he...2014-08-03T22:08:26Z2014-08-03T22:08:26Z
Now, my daughter wants me to teach her. I have been apprehensive about it though as I am concerned if I did something wrong with Ben that I might spoil it for Clare also, and I do not want that to happen.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-5527At first I thought it was my style as...2014-08-03T22:07:44Z2014-08-03T22:07:44Z
At first I thought it was my style as a teacher or the materials we were using. It might be one of those, but as I have observed him over the past few years, he tends to just be fickle like that. For example, he has had an on again / off again love affair with golf during that span (mostly recently not interested in the game after having an incredible round, his best ever, just a month ago).
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-5526So shortly after my last post from la...2014-08-03T22:05:59Z2014-08-03T22:05:59Z
So shortly after my last post from last summer, my son lost interest in programming about as quickly as he clamoured for me to teach him.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1696He asked earlier today if I minded if...2013-06-11T03:10:00Z2013-06-11T03:10:00Z
He asked earlier today if I minded if he tried to read ahead on his own!
No, son, by all means, I told him. Chapter 5 started with the logic constructs, if/else, etc.
He read through the entire chapter himself doing the programming puzzles at the end without asking me a single question, using the shell to figure things for himself.
Love it.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1695Chapter 4 was short and quick but loa...2013-06-11T03:08:18Z2013-06-11T03:08:18Z
Chapter 4 was short and quick but loads of fun as we played with Turtle.
It was a good break from the low level bits and he got a big thrill stringing together commands and watching things draw on the screen.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1694The book suggests people use IDLE and...2013-06-11T03:07:26Z2013-06-11T03:07:26Z
The book suggests people use IDLE and examples refer to IDLE but I have opted to have him use ipython for the shell and Sublime Text 2 for editing text when not tinkering in the shell.
He is mostly in the shell at the moment.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1693The string replacements, adding diffe...2013-06-11T03:06:30Z2013-06-11T03:06:30Z
The string replacements, adding different items to lists, and understanding that you are adding objects to a list, including other lists, took a bit of discussion and tinkering but he "got it" in a single session, which was tested later by me quizzing him by having him do things in the shell.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1692I was disappointed by the use of the ...2013-06-11T03:05:10Z2013-06-11T03:05:10Z
I was disappointed by the use of the term "map" instead of "dict". The author does make a small mention that "dict" is another name for "map" but I found it very confusing for me.
I ended up just explaining to my son that most developers use the term "dict", though both terms are correct, and we just used "dict" in our conversation.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1691So we blazed our way through chapters...2013-06-11T03:01:41Z2013-06-11T03:01:41Z
So we blazed our way through chapters 3 and 4.
Chapter 3 discussed strings, lists, "maps", and tuples.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1655He recently has been begging to learn...2013-06-03T01:48:52Z2013-06-02T23:12:07Z
He recently has been begging to learn again. I recently had seen [Python for Kids](http://www.amazon.com/Python-Kids-Playful-Introduction-Programming/dp/1593274076) so thought we'd try some fresh material, though admittedly we never gave Hello, World a chance.
![python-for-kids.jpg](/media/52/python-for-kids.jpg)
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1654I started with [Hello, World](http://...2013-06-03T01:48:29Z2013-06-02T23:11:00Z
I started with [Hello, World](http://www.amazon.com/Hello-World-Computer-Programming-Beginners/dp/1933988495/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370214590&sr=8-1&keywords=Hello+World) two years ago but his attention span wasn't there yet.
![hello-world.jpg](/media/51/hello-world.jpg)
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1665Just peeked in and saw that he was re...2013-06-03T01:29:52Z2013-06-03T01:29:52Z
Just peeked in and saw that he was reading chapter 3 himself. :)
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1664He has found it easier to process if ...2013-06-03T01:29:13Z2013-06-03T01:29:13Z
He has found it easier to process if I read the chapters aloud to him while he is at the computer. Maybe he is more of an auditory learner than I am. It actually was pretty cool as I was able to interject some of my own bits as we went along.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1663Just offered to let the kids stay up ...2013-06-03T01:24:47Z2013-06-03T01:24:47Z
Just offered to let the kids stay up late for a movie. He asked to sit in dining room and play in the shell instead.
Love it!
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1662The books shows examples and suggests...2013-06-03T01:23:46Z2013-06-03T01:23:46Z
The books shows examples and suggests using IDLE but we are using ipython instead.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1661We then went through the first 2 chap...2013-06-03T01:23:09Z2013-06-03T01:23:09Z
We then went through the first 2 chapters of the book which did a great job of introducing him to operators and variables.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1660Today we started with my introduction...2013-06-03T01:22:20Z2013-06-03T01:22:20Z
Today we started with my introduction of what computers are, input/output, and the role of software in bringing life to otherwise dumb collections of electronic chips.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1659I'll plan to post insights, things th...2013-06-02T23:17:00Z2013-06-02T23:17:00Z
I'll plan to post insights, things that work well, and challenges in this stream. Eventually I plan to post more coherent collections of thoughts in some blog posts.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1658We are mostly going through 1 chapter...2013-06-02T23:16:00Z2013-06-02T23:16:00Z
We are mostly going through 1 chapter of the book per week. Some weeks we might do 2 chapters, other weeks, I will augment with experience from my own career and knowledge.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1657I had a Mac Book Air in my desk that ...2013-06-02T23:15:19Z2013-06-02T23:15:19Z
I had a Mac Book Air in my desk that I wasn't using since I upgraded to a Mac Book Pro back in December. As an added incentive to keep him interested in a long term goal (long term for a 10-year old being 3 months), if he finishes the book and "passes" my review, he will get to keep the Mac Book Air he is using to learn on.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1656My plan is to run it as a course thro...2013-06-02T23:12:41Z2013-06-02T23:12:41Z
My plan is to run it as a course throughout the summer. Calling it the *Altman Summer of Code*. :)
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1653Naturally, I am using Python.2013-06-02T23:09:19Z2013-06-02T23:09:19Z
Naturally, I am using Python.
https://thoughtstreams.io/paltman/teaching-a-10-year-old-how-to-program/#card-1652I am teaching my 10-year old son how ...2013-06-02T23:09:05Z2013-06-02T23:09:05Z
I am teaching my 10-year old son how to program.