Computers For Creativity
Sheena Vaidyanathan
I am a computer scientist and artist turned educator. This site's content is based on my 12+ years of teaching experience in the public schools in California.
Based on my years of experience teaching kids and teachers to code -
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COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION
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TEACHING KIDS TO CODE & CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
I started teaching kids to code using Scratch in 2009 as part of a district-wide Digital Design program for 6th graders ; coding was just one more way to show students how they could use a computer to express their creativity.
Since then, I have worked on bringing computer science education through a variety of programs, impacting over 4500 students per year in the Los Altos School District, in California.
Over the past 9+ years, several hundreds of students have learned to code in my classes. I continue to teach several classes each day .
COMPUTER SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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HELPING PREPARE MORE COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS
My interest in professional development started with my sharing my work at conferences with other teachers as well in creating a district wide STEM program, where I developed curriculum and conducted professional development for teachers in my district. Since then, I have presented at several conferences and now am the program director of the Krause Center of Innovation, Foothill College, Computer Science programs. Hundreds of teachers have now learned how to code and find out what is computer science in my programs.
COMPUTER SCIENCE WRITING-
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MY BOOK ON CODING
Based on my years of experience teaching kids and teachers to code, this unique book uses fun illustrations and creative projects to teach ANYONE how to code in Python
ARTICLES ON COMPUTER SC EDUCATION-
I started to write to share the excitement and learning I saw in my classrooms - starting in 2012 with early articles on the use Scratch in the classroom. Over the years I have written several articles and am now the Computer Science columnist for EdSurge.
My areas on interest
COMPUTER SCIENCE
My undergraduate and graduate degree is in Computer Science and I have worked in the tech industry in Silicon Valley, in California.
My first programming language was Pascal on punch cards - Yes I am pretty old !
Teaching computer science gives me a chance to share my passion for the subject with others and helps me learn something new each day.
MATH
My favorite subject growing up was Math, and I have a California Single Subject Credential in Math.
I enjoyed the challenge of teaching math to 6th graders and believe coding is an engaging way to show students how to ‘play’ with math.
ART
I have always enjoyed art and took time after working in the tech industry to learn art at college- and I hold a Certificate in Studio Art.
I started in education as an Art teacher for K-6 and loved teaching watercolor, collage, clay and digital art for 3 years, before I moved to teaching computer science. My favorite medium currently is watercolor.
Every normal child learns to talk. Why then should a child not learn to "talk" to a computer?'
-Seymour Papert
inventor of the Logo programming language on why children can learning programming in his book Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas.