How to Host a Successful Hour of Code

This week I have had the opportunity to go into several classrooms to take pictures and promote Hour of Code in our district. Hour of Code is a worldwide movement to get more kids interested in computer programming and coding. Almost every school in the district is participating and it has been very cool to go back and visit classrooms.

Here are my top 5 tips for having a successful Hour of Code:

1. Emphasize to your students that they are not JUST playing games. They are coding and learning the "how" behind gaming. Coding is everywhere and it is a great career.
2. Preview the tutorials yourself. It is easy to just send your students to the Hour of Code website, but you must know what is age appropriate for your kids. You don't have to be an expert on every tutorial, but if you have a little bit of knowledge you can steer them in the right direction.
3. Treat Hour of Code like a regular lesson. Ask the kids what they know about coding. I enjoy talking about the lack of women in STEM. I recommend that teachers show a video to get the kids engaged in what Hour of Code is. (This video has been very popular in the classrooms I have visited this week.) After the video, plan what tutorials you will allow your students to learn.

After the tutorials, wrap up your lesson. (Yes, they learned something!) You can have students discuss what they learned about coding, or you could make up a Google Form as an exit ticket. 

4. Monitor your class. Walk around. Encourage them when they get stuck. One teacher told students to remember to have a "growth mindset." (They have been discussing growth mindsets on their campus all year.) I always like it when students leave with their brain hurting--just a little. 

5. Don't make Hour of Code one hour. Let students know they can work on the tutorials at home. Also, let them know they can code with other websites and platforms--Apple has some coding activities, Google,  Scratch from MIT...everyone is getting into coding.