What is the role of the teacher in a coding class?

Coding is a wonderful device for creating, exploring, and experimenting. But as we shift from conventional instructional learning to student-centered education in collaborative learning environments, the role of the teacher is changing too. A teacher plays an incredibly important role in a coding class, but it’s not limited to delivering instructions, it includes:

Need Assessment

A teacher should, first, understand the needs of the students. Students may belong to different backgrounds and may grasp at different speeds. Some students take coding classes for exposure while others like to learn advanced concepts.

Designing Curriculum

Teachers should then design a curriculum to meet those needs and promote the holistic development of the child. Activities curated should be engaging and embedded in day-to-day surroundings so that it holds the interest of the students. Instructors can follow a pedagogy that suits classroom constraints like – age distribution, size of the groups, availability of digital infrastructure, etc, and encourage self-paced learning. An innovative and wide range of assessment methods including multiple choices, subjective, activity-based, and reflective exercise-based assessments can be used to understand learning outcomes in children.

Facilitator, Catalysts, and Consultants

The teacher acts as a facilitator by connecting students with one another to work together on solving problems. They also act as catalysts by asking provocative questions like: “What do you think will happen if we do this?” or “Why does this happen?”. They’re consultants, too, and it’s not just about consulting on technical skills, but also about things like how to continue to work on something even when you are frustrated, or suggesting strategies for working with diverse groups of students.

Creating a safe learning environment

Inside a coding class, the teacher can be a collaborator, working together with kids on projects. This helps in creating a safe learning environment for all children with varied needs and capabilities. Parents and community members too can be involved to boost the morale of the kids. Coding classes call for new ways to engage students and make learning fun. Let us know in the comments below, ways in which teachers can make learning coding interactive for kids.