*This is a post I created in my old blog last year*
Through out my first term at Dundee University, there have been many new things to get to terms with. The first and most importantly the course. This has been something that has made me feel like I have 100% chosen the right degree for me. There are aspects that we have looked at that I hadn’t realised how important it was to becoming a teacher, for example the importance of child development in their first 18 months!
Alongside the academic side, I have had many opportunities to engage with other aspects of teaching, for example getting involved with Code Club. A few of my friends and I went along to this seminar being held in the University about the Code Club. This is an organisation run throughout the UK teaching children how to Code. This showed me the importance of engaging children in current affairs, as this is a skill they may need more of in the future. It is a great learning tool as it teaches the complexities of coding through small manageable chunks. This allows the children to engage with the task at hand while using their imagination to create their games.
Last Wednesday, one of my friends that went to this seminar and myself went to Glebelands Primary school in Dundee to help their code club. This was a great experience to see the club in action. When we arrived we spoke to the teacher, Harriet Brownlee, who organises this after school activity for her Y7 class. She showed us what a great tool Code Club is for incorporating various aspects of the curriculum into a simple 1 hour activity. This is because Code Club incorporates ICT through the coding, literacy through reading the instruction manual, maths and expressive arts through creating their game. Harriet also expressed how Code Club does not necessarily have to be used as an after school club only and that it can be very easily transmitted to a classroom. This is due to the setup of Code Club as the children follow the instructions which need very little help from the teacher to understand. This is shown in the picture below, as it displays the easy colour coded instructions the children are given.
It also promotes social aspects as the activities are aimed at children and, as I saw at Glebelands, the children work together to help solve other’s problems. This was one key aspect that Harriet expressed as it was child led, the teacher is really only there as a support not necessarily help. This links into my course as this term we have been learning about the different developmental theories about education. In particular this links into Vygotsky’s theory of Zone of proximal development as he believed children learn better from a more knowledgable peer. This was what I saw in the children at Glebelands as there was one child who was slightly behind the others, however her friend was helping her to understand where she was going wrong, and by the activity she was able to do it herself.
I look forward to going back this week!
