At the moment, I don't remember my third week very vividly, so I may have to post some additions or even corrections later. Nevertheless, I will do my best to describe the week!
As I recall, the computer technician arrived on Monday to set up the lab server and configure all the desktops. It was great to see the new lab reaching completion. However, we had to cancel class that day so that he could finish configuring the machines we were using.
Furthermore, I forgot to copy the student files before he began and we lost all the students' programs! Fortunately, all their programs up to this point were identical and I was able to get them from my personal copy of the programs. I realized a running backup of their files would be needed, especially as they began on programs of their own.
In the afternoon, I chatted with my dad on Skype to discuss how to help the students understand the touch sensor program that had caused them some trouble the week before. This program was meant to begin a sequence of programs that would introduce the sensors one at a time and end with the final Phase 1 program. Over the course of our chat, we discussed these programs and re-structured them to be conceptually simpler, and thus better for instruction.
I was initially quite hesitant to have the students copy a new program for the touch sensor. I was worried that a sense of "starting over" would frustrate and discourage them. In the end, however, I decided to go forward with it. I hoped that they would feel this was an acceptable move considering the difficulty they had experienced earlier. While we were at it, we added one line to provide a new feature - the robot would now beep after it stopped!
On Tuesday, we showed the students the robot that now beeped and had the students copy the new program. As I recall, they took most of the class time to finish typing and only got to download and test it before we ran out of class time. Their test runs verified that the robot behaved the same as before, with the exception of the new sound.
On Wednesday, we began explaining this new program. Using the same techniques as before, we went through line by line. Among other changes, in place of the while loop this program used a new, simpler loop statement with a break statement. Once finished, the students were asked to do the extension again, and we walked around to provide some guidance as they worked. This time around, they were able to finish!
Thursday was a national holiday called Youth Day that commemorates the student protests known as the Soweto Uprising. As a result, school was cancelled on both Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, Lecia invited our house to a church fundraiser where we could eat at various food stands. I think they had also planned to have a soccer tournament. Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy and cold that day! We went anyway and enjoyed some curry, hot chocolate, and fresh chips (called crisps here), among other things.
It had been a more difficult week in class, as we tackled some more challenging concepts in the programs. We were also a bit behind now, as I had originally hoped to be finishing the Phase 1 robot in this week. Nevertheless, I had a much better sense of where to take the class next and was looking forward to finishing it in the next week!
As I recall, the computer technician arrived on Monday to set up the lab server and configure all the desktops. It was great to see the new lab reaching completion. However, we had to cancel class that day so that he could finish configuring the machines we were using.
Furthermore, I forgot to copy the student files before he began and we lost all the students' programs! Fortunately, all their programs up to this point were identical and I was able to get them from my personal copy of the programs. I realized a running backup of their files would be needed, especially as they began on programs of their own.
In the afternoon, I chatted with my dad on Skype to discuss how to help the students understand the touch sensor program that had caused them some trouble the week before. This program was meant to begin a sequence of programs that would introduce the sensors one at a time and end with the final Phase 1 program. Over the course of our chat, we discussed these programs and re-structured them to be conceptually simpler, and thus better for instruction.
I was initially quite hesitant to have the students copy a new program for the touch sensor. I was worried that a sense of "starting over" would frustrate and discourage them. In the end, however, I decided to go forward with it. I hoped that they would feel this was an acceptable move considering the difficulty they had experienced earlier. While we were at it, we added one line to provide a new feature - the robot would now beep after it stopped!
On Tuesday, we showed the students the robot that now beeped and had the students copy the new program. As I recall, they took most of the class time to finish typing and only got to download and test it before we ran out of class time. Their test runs verified that the robot behaved the same as before, with the exception of the new sound.
On Wednesday, we began explaining this new program. Using the same techniques as before, we went through line by line. Among other changes, in place of the while loop this program used a new, simpler loop statement with a break statement. Once finished, the students were asked to do the extension again, and we walked around to provide some guidance as they worked. This time around, they were able to finish!
Thursday was a national holiday called Youth Day that commemorates the student protests known as the Soweto Uprising. As a result, school was cancelled on both Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, Lecia invited our house to a church fundraiser where we could eat at various food stands. I think they had also planned to have a soccer tournament. Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy and cold that day! We went anyway and enjoyed some curry, hot chocolate, and fresh chips (called crisps here), among other things.
It had been a more difficult week in class, as we tackled some more challenging concepts in the programs. We were also a bit behind now, as I had originally hoped to be finishing the Phase 1 robot in this week. Nevertheless, I had a much better sense of where to take the class next and was looking forward to finishing it in the next week!
keep up the good work! You seem to be doing well with the children. Also, I like you tie.
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