Wyckoff students learn how to crack the coding
WYCKOFF – Instead of watching cartoons or playing video games, two dozen students spent a recent Saturday morning at Sicomac Elementary School learning computer coding and programming.
Called a "CoderDojo," the local event is part of global movement in which community volunteers teach children computer coding.
"The computer lab is our ‘dojo,’ or club, to learning coding," Sicomac Principal Stephen Raimo told parents and students who had gathered for the two-hour session on March 29. "We are registered and officially part of something that is taking place in 43 countries worldwide."
Students used a free online coding program called Scratch to create interactive stories, games and animations.
"This program was created at MIT and encourages you to have fun and use your imagination," Raimo said. "The kids don’t even realize they are actually coding."
Fourth-grader Colin Choy and his sister Lauren wowed their mother June Han with their coding skills and confidence.
"My first-grade daughter is more advanced than me when it comes to programming," Han said. "In this computer-tech-savvy era, she is being empowered to create something on her own."
Milton Pedraza, who attended with his second-grade son, Tanner, said he did not know how to program, but "these are the skills needed by the current and next generation student and employee."
Tanner learned how to write code using "scripts" or designated icons that allow the "programmer" to control looks, motion and sound on an assortment of pre-loaded images.
"I was able to make this airplane do flips," boasted Tanner.
Nearby, fourth-grader Ryan Steenvoorden received coding tips from sixth-grade volunteer Matt Sokolwicz on how to make an electronically drawn plume of smoke "move" above his train illustration.
"This is cool — I didn’t know you could do that!" Ryan said.
Matt was one of four Eisenhower Middle School sixth-grader students dubbed "Super Coders" who volunteered to help the younger coders.
"When I was in fourth grade we didn’t know how to do this," said Matt. "I learned coding this year and I really like Scratch."
In addition to the "CoderDojo," Raimo said, computer teacher Rita Dimarco teaches kindergarten and first-grade students to code on iPads using Kodable Pro and Tynker while students in Grades 2-5 use "Scratch.
He said parents also can access and use the coding programs at home with their children.
"I think it is wonderful there are so many children here and who are also learning from our sixth-graders," said Kathy Bowers, a Board of Education trustee. "This knowledge will lead to a trickle-down effect to students in lower grades."
Raimo said he has scheduled four additional "CoderDojo" sessions: on April 26, May 10, May 24 and June 7.
"In keeping with the ‘CoderDojo’ movement of community-based computer science education, I would eventually look to bring in coding mentors from Ramapo or Indian Hills high schools to help our Eisenhower Middle School mentors hone their own skills", said Raimo. "I also am looking for Wyckoff school district parents with coding/programming knowledge to join us as adult champions to help mentor and manage the ‘dojo’ with me."