I am a Business & Marketing Education Teacher and I teach Accounting I & II, Game Design I & II and Digital Imaging at the Randolph Technical Center. Last year, I taught Career and Work Skills Training (CWST, which is part of the Marketing cluster) at the Randolph Technical Center. Prior to that I substitute taught for 5 years in a variety of different schools, grades and subjects including two months as a kindergarten teacher. Unfortunately, today I got word that I am being RIF'ed due primarily to our school levy not passing in our county. I do not know the likelihood of me being able to keep my position or if keeping my job will mean another great teacher with a little less seniority will lose her job in order for me to keep mine. So today I am feeling discouraged.
I have been active in a few non credit seeking online courses/professional development trainings through udemy.com and through globaloria.org to improve my skills and performance in my current position but I decided it is most beneficial to finish this Master of Education program for my future in education.
I chose this cartoon because as Game Design teacher I have had to learn and teach a lot coding in my Game Design classes. I tell students and the public that these are languages. I even invited the 5th grade students from a nearby elementary school to participate in the Hour of Code global movement with my Game Design students for Computer Science Education week. This cartoon gave me the biggest reaction because I think coding is so exciting and important for our high tech world and for students to learn about as they prepare to work in this new world.
Hi Macy,
ReplyDeleteI was excited to read that you have been teaching Coding and Game Design. Like the lady in your cartoon, I realized coding was just different languages, which let me feel more comfortable with it. I'm currently in the middle of learning JavaScript, HTML, and CSS on freecodecamp. I just started a Coding & Game Design club at my school, and was surprised to get full enrollment! I know how nerve wracking it can be to be working under threat of RIF. If you are in a union, a union rep can go to your RIF hearing with you for support. Like you, I feel like the M. Ed. is a safe bet for further advancement. I look forward to learning with you this semester.
Macy,
ReplyDeleteIt's good to meet you, and I love the diversity of the classes you've taught. They sound interesting and I'm sure it's frustrating that you might have to move to a different position or school. Technology programs are so important today, as are understanding digital learning and media. I'm sure with your experiences and the expertise you've gained, you'll be very valuable to any school. I will say that I wish I understood some of the intricacies of HTML and CSS myself. I've done some coding, and also had my students participate in the Hour of Code last year, but I'd love to know more. It truly is a different language, and one that it will be valuable, if not essential, for many of our students to understand in the future.
Macy,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the class! I'm sure you are now digging out from under about 2 feet of snow!!! What a classic winter storm for the Mountain regions and chaotic upheaval for the DC metro area!! Your cartoon quote took me straight to Rushkoff and his book Program or be Programmed, which fully supports your assertion that coding is a language... I agree too!!! You sound like a valuable asset to the Randolph County education system and hopefully they will reinstate you once they finish working through the formality of "personnel" season. I'm looking forward to your future posts and the semester.
Since I am a huge nerd this cartoon excited me. I think it is equally as important to learn coding languages as it is to learn languages like Spanish and French. They might not get you a date as quickly, but it's a conversation starter. I am really excited that you did the hour of coding and got some many students to join in.
ReplyDeleteIt is so nice to meet you! Your background with technology is amazing, and I can't wait to see what insights you have. I have only taken 1 Gaming in Education course, and I absolutely loved it! It goes along with how I feel about incorporating fun into learning in order to get better results. Your cartoon is so clever! I know nothing about coding, but I do know that the 5 coding for kids books that I purchased for my Library are next to never on the shelf.
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