My students needLittle Bits (wireless circuits and modules) Space and Deluxe kits in order to introduce them to possible real world applications of their coding course.
A typical day in my class varies greatly. I float from Literature, to Math, to Science, to Social Studies, to P.E. to Coding. I see all the students at least once throughout the day and have to switch hats very quickly. I love the variety and the challenge.
My students are a variety of ages and from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Some of my students have a lot in common, some of them have very little in common. However there is one thing they all have in common, they have all made a mistake at some point in their lives which has brought them to me. I teach in a Juvenile Justice facility, and most of my students have not had a good experience with the education system. Most of them have low expectations for themselves and their future. The introduction of new technology and its applications opens their eyes to possibilities they have not dreamed of. For this reason I would describe my school as "transformative", we have students who have NEVER enjoyed going to school or getting an education, until now. At my school we strive to provide the best possible environment and education for our students, and our students need it even more than most.
My Project
These materials will be used to give students an opportunity to explore a new world, develop a new interest, and hopefully find something they can be excited about that just might give them a passion for continuing their education. In the past year our interest in technology has grown tremendously with the introduction of coding into our curriculum and we would like to expand that interest into robotics and aeronautics. With these materials my students will be able to take their interest in technology and apply it in a real world environment. Students will still complete the coding course that we have been using for the last year, but now they will be able to also take that knowledge and apply it to a hands on project. My students will be able to integrate their coding ability with our growing littleBits library to automate their projects, taking their coding knowledge off the screen and into tangible applications. The possibilities and the excitement will be endless!
This project will make a difference in my students lives by exposing them to new possibilities.
My students are starving for opportunities. These sets will help them explore realms of potential future careers that may have not seemed feasible before. Simply writing a code has been exciting to this point, but nothing can match the excitement of taking that code and creating something real, something that functions and is usable, something they can truly be proud of.
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