I have just finished delivering three lectures to PGCE students (trainee teachers) at the University of Hull.
Earlier in the year I had written to the course leader, who had been been my tutor at the University, to ask if he had heard of Scratch and ,if so, what were his thoughts on it. He hadn't heard of it when he received my letter, but shortly after attended a conference where Scratch was shown. As a result he invited me in to do three lectures to the next cohort of trainee teachers. This was an amazing opportunity which I couldn't pass up.
I put together some tutorials for the sessions and assembled a selection of projects done by children from my various classes. I thought about what I would say and how I would get across my enthusiasm for Scratch. I thought back to the Scratch at MIT conference and remembered the inspiration I had found there.
All of the sessions went well and I was encouraged by the enthusiasm with which the trainee teachers approached the tasks in the tutorials. Each session began with a short introduction from me, explaining the rationale behind Scratch and why I used it in school and the effect on the children's learning. Each time it took a while for them to get used to the interface and assemble the beginnings of a program, but quickly they would begin to go beyond the task and incorporate their own ideas. And create their own problems to solve. And then solve them. Just as I had hoped.
I was gratified when several expressed obvious enthusiasm with taking it into school and explained their ideas for using it there. I wish them well. I hope by doing this that Scratch will find its way into more schools - and ultimately into the lives of more children.
Earlier in the year I had written to the course leader, who had been been my tutor at the University, to ask if he had heard of Scratch and ,if so, what were his thoughts on it. He hadn't heard of it when he received my letter, but shortly after attended a conference where Scratch was shown. As a result he invited me in to do three lectures to the next cohort of trainee teachers. This was an amazing opportunity which I couldn't pass up.
I put together some tutorials for the sessions and assembled a selection of projects done by children from my various classes. I thought about what I would say and how I would get across my enthusiasm for Scratch. I thought back to the Scratch at MIT conference and remembered the inspiration I had found there.
All of the sessions went well and I was encouraged by the enthusiasm with which the trainee teachers approached the tasks in the tutorials. Each session began with a short introduction from me, explaining the rationale behind Scratch and why I used it in school and the effect on the children's learning. Each time it took a while for them to get used to the interface and assemble the beginnings of a program, but quickly they would begin to go beyond the task and incorporate their own ideas. And create their own problems to solve. And then solve them. Just as I had hoped.
I was gratified when several expressed obvious enthusiasm with taking it into school and explained their ideas for using it there. I wish them well. I hope by doing this that Scratch will find its way into more schools - and ultimately into the lives of more children.