Teaching Kids Programming Using the Intentional Method

with The Intentional Method

@LynnLangit

What is TKP?Global non-profit• Founded by

professional developers

• Co-founders have taught kids for over 8 years

Produces free, open source materials• Programming

courseware• Teacher-training

Materials• For Kids ages 11-17• Java and other

languages

TKP In Action

Sample Class Video

Joyful Engagement

What is the TKP Intentional Method?

English is translated into Code…one line at a time

Does the TKP Intentional Method work with other programming languages?

YES! But we’ll focus on TKP Java in this talk…

TKP Java Core Principals

Free & Open Sourc

e

Fun for Girls and

Boys

Java with a

customized IDE

Implements XP

technical practices

Modular / Flexible

TKP Java Courses1. Using Objects,

Methods & For Loops

2. Creating Methods

3. If statements

4. Code Mastery 5. Recursion 6. Model View

Controller

7. Events 8. Test Driven Development

Each Course has…• 30 minutes Recip

e

• 15-30 minutesRecap

• 30 minutesVariation

• 15 minutesQuiz

• 45 minutesDeep Dive

• 30 minutesWorksheet / Xtras

8 Courses * 3 hours = 24 weeks of courseware

Executing their 1st program within 2 minutes

1:Recipe

Executing their 1st program within 3 minutes

1: Recipe

1 line English = 1 verifiable line codei.e. translate lines 1, 5, 3 NOT 1, 2, 3

1: Recipe

Guided Pair Programming

1: Recipe

Tools for Teachers -- Virtual Proctor

2: Recap

Making Mistakes on Purpose

2: Recap

Going Deeper Into Concepts – Code and Tools

2: Recap

Discovering Patterns

Discovery

2: Recap

Mastering your (customized) IDE

2: Recap

Exploring what we did

Keyboard Shortcuts

3: Variation

Coding is Joy

3: Variation

You can do the same thing with different code

3: Variation

Learning as Guided Play

3: Variations

Ownership & Joy

3: Variation

Pride in Workload

4: Quiz

Self-graded, Learning Validation by Coding

4: Quiz

Teaching from the back of the room

4: Quiz

Mastery Materialized

4: Quiz

100% of pairs get 100% right

4: QuizQuizzes are rewards

5: Deep Dive

5: Deep Dive

Group learning – Mob Programming

5: Deep Dive

Experiment, run and try (again) good hacking!

6: Worksheet

7: Extra Exercises & Source

Future: Codenvy

Browser-based custom IDE – zero install!

TKP Courseware

• Java• Microsoft SmallBasic• Microsoft Kodu• Relational Databases – Basic SQL Queries

Current

• Codenvy browser-based IDE• Microsoft TouchDevelop• Microsoft ProjectSpark• Wolfram Language or R Language

Future (Explorations)

Next Steps

Start Teaching

Get started teaching

Go to the Teachers section of the TKP site Download the free lesson plans