by PRP Group, on 06/18/2021
An equity-focused teacher explains how comics help her navigate difficult conversations about social justice and identity with young students.
As schools across the country return to in-person classes, elementary school teachers face the challenge of helping students get up to speed in both academic and social-emotional skills. Coding offers an opportunity to re-engage children into communities of learning in a holistic way, supporting both a range of STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — and soft skills. The metaphor at the heart of my book Coding as a Playground can help to explain how.
To illustrate the idea of coding as a playground, contrast playgrounds with playpens. A playpen is safe, but very limited. I can put my child in a playpen while I cook and know that she’s going to be okay, but she’s limited in terms of opportunities for learning, discovery, socialization and creativity. Playpens do not offer the same opportunities as playgrounds.
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