2018 and still at it...

Last year was pretty successful, in respect of Code Club and equivalent.

• Taught Hawkedon Year 6 (3 classes, 4 hours each)
• Ran Kode Klub (as opposed to Code Club...) Jan - Easter 2017
• Worked with some Rivermead Year 4 children towards participating in the 2017 Code Challenge at Bulmershe - code a game to teach a younger child something from scratch, in pairs
• We came 1st and 3rd - not bad! Something stuck obviously...

So far 2018 (up to Feb) has seen

• Hawkedon Year 6 again
• Currently running Kode Klub
• Spent a lot more time on Scratch trying to get principles more ingrained
• Switching to micro:bit after half-term for a change
• Started working with New Town primary, initially doing a "Scratch sheep-dip" for their staff at the end of Feb, with the possibility of working with Year 4/5 in the Summer term

Maybe Rivermead will repeat their efforts, we'll have to wait and see.

Overall, I'm struck by how hard it is to inculcate the simplest Loops-Variables-Conditionals notions into pupils' heads. I think we need to do much more on more concrete things, which unfortunately don't have the immediate "ooh, it's a computer, let's hammer at it" attraction. Working through Flow Charts would be useful, preferably with some kind of real-world practical application e.g. making tea, getting ready for school. But "concrete is critical"!! I shall be emphasising that with the New Town staff.