I wrote a book!

This year I've not only been speaking at events, attending meetings on the new curriculum, working with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to create a scheme of work, creating videos for @GeekGurlDiaries, helping to run CAS #include, and my doing my day job - teaching, I've also written a book!

Adventures In Raspberry Pi is a tech book designed for teenagers new to Raspberry Pi, Linux, programming and electronics. It is a full colour guide to get youngsters started in a creative and fun way.

That was the idea anyway! I felt that may of the books and tutorials available for the Pi assumed some prior knowledge, and were hindering getting young people started or keeping them enthused. I hoped that my book would go back to basics and point young people and novices in the right direction.

It is due for release on 22nd November 2013, just in time for Christmas! You can get a copy from amazon both in the UK and US.

Adventures include:

• Getting set up and started with hardware & software
• Using Linux (both command line and GUI)
• Programming in Scratch
• Creating graphics with turtle
• Programming in Python
• Programming Minecraft Pi
• Creating music with Sonic Pi
• Using GPIO and basic electronics
• A final big project
• Where to go to learn more

Hope you enjoy it.

Free Raspberry Pi Computing Scheme of Work

It's very exciting to be able to say that 'Sonic-Pi' is now available to download, as is the scheme of work that uses the software created by Dr Sam Aaron at Cambridge University that teaches the concepts of computer science using music. As a text based computer programming exercise, sonic pi meets many the of the points on the new computing programme of study, and is a lot of fun.

There is a great blog post about it on the Raspberry Pi Website. I recommend taking a look, why not? It's free!

Pycon UK and the new Computing Programme of Study

You, like many ICT teachers may be feeling that your skill set comes up short when looking at the new programme of study for our subject. I know this because this is generally how I feel, usually about everything, but mainly about programming. I always say to people that I meet "I don't really know what I'm doing." You may be suprised to know that I had never written a program in Python until September last year when I attended Pycon UK.

You may not be aware but here in the UK, there is an active support network for ICT teachers from individuals in indusrty. Not because they are paid to, but because they want to help you. Last year I tentativly accepted an invitation to attend a conference about a programming language that I had never used. I've never been so far out of my comfort zone, as when I was sat in a very large conference room with around 300 software developers. "What am I doing here?" I thought. But then something amazing happened, they started to talk to me, and more importantly they listened to me. Within a day I went from attendee to speaker, and left the conference feeling supported.

If you are looking for CPD this year, that isnt just another course, then you cant go wrong with Pycon UK. the really excited part is the price!

Teacher's day tickets are *only* £35 which includes lunch. To book tickets you simply need to visit the booking page and use the promotional code MORTAR_BOARD.

There will also be a Raspberry Jam at PyconUK for young and old alike.  Tickets for which cost £5. To book tickets you simply need to visit the booking page and use the promotional code SCOLARIS_PYTHONIS.
To find out more about what's on offer check out @ntoll's blog post here.

I need your votes!

For the second year in a row, my ongoing mission/project code named 'Geek Gurl Diaries' has been nominated and short listed as a regional finalist for a Talk Talk Digital Heroes Award in the London region. Last year I narrowly missed out on winning to a much better project 'Code Club' :) 

I'd really appreciate your support in helping me to win my category by clicking on this link, then 'Voting Gallery' selecting 'London' from the map and then scrolling to the bottom and clicking 'Vote here' under my name and description. And here is why I need your support: 

I look about twitter and the interwebs and sometimes, rather negatively feel that some charitable enterprises get a lot of media attention and funding. Some are even selling a product which in turn helps fund their missions. My project gets neither funding or media attention.

As a full time teacher I work from 7.30am till 5pm daily, sometimes without a lunch. I'm passionate about changing the way young people are taught Computing and ICT, so I spend what spare time I have left over working on this, which means when I get home I work till 10pm. In my "holidays" I work. This summer I've been assisting at hack events for children all over the country. Making good content for youtube is part of that time, I can tell you, it takes ages to produce just one video for my GGD channel. 

I'm not alone in this, many of the working members of CAS and CAS #include are the same, giving so much to the cause and asking for nothing but a little moral support in return. Teachers get a bad press, but we're all right really! 

To be recognised for my work in this way would be a real achievement. I find myself battling everyday with people who make claims in the media and online about why there are not enough girls in computing. People who are heralded as experts, when in fact that do not have the first clue about education, or even teenage girls. I receive emails and comments from teenagers via my youtube channel and blog daily, asking really great questions, and for more content. Proof that in fact they do enjoy computing. 

Please vote, every day and on every device you own, share this plea with your networks and maybe we can do something positive about changing computing and ict education to include all.

A KS3 Curriculum Based on the New Computing Programme of Study

As this academic year draws to a close, teachers across the country are not sitting back drinking cups of tea and waiting for home time but are instead frantically analysing data, sorting out classrooms, ordering equipment and writing new schemes of work in preparation of the next academic year. What makes this year more interesting (read: stressful) is trying to prepare for a new programme of study.

Building on the success of introducing Raspberry Pis into my school, I've prepared the following overview of units that my department are now preparing schemes of work for. I'm pretty certain I stole the layout of this from someone but I cant remember from whom. Sorry if it was you, but it's a great layout so thanks! This in no way should become the model for any schools KS3 curriculum. I hope instead that it leads to discussion on what I could do differently or better.

The units may not be taught in the order they are listed. Some will last a couple of weeks and some will take 6 - 8 weeks. Currently these are just ideas to develop, as the bullet points show. Not everything would be covered, for example in Logic & Sequencing we are planning on doing one of the bullet points, we just cant decide which right now!

In terms of assessment I will be hoping to build on the success of the badges system, introducing bronze, silver and gold levels with statements based on SOLO taxonomy. It's a work in progress... like so much of what I'm doing right now!

Get into Teaching Computing

This month sees the end of an era as the current year 11 leave school to prepare for their final examinations, which frees up time for me to start concentrating on my KS3 curriculum based on the new program of study for September 2013. I'll be attending a DfE meeting in Manchester in June to discuss new schemes of work and resources, so I'm hoping to go fully equipped with some ideas!

I've also been helping a GTP student in my department and a PGCE student over the last hurdle before gaining their QTS. I love working with new teachers as they are so inspiring. They've already given me an idea for a better Databases unit for Year 8. I love this time of year, it's so exciting, and I'm bursting with ideas.

Many computer science graduates may be thinking about now of going into teaching Computing/ICT. The DfE have started a great blog to help encourage them to do so, with real life experiences of trainees, newly qualified teachers, and people like me.

Check out my Get into Teaching Guest blog post.

If you are thinking about teaching I say DO IT! It's a great time for the subject and you can be part of the development of it. You get to be part of a hugely experienced group of brilliant people (especially if you are on twitter!) and you get to unlock the creativity and imagination of young people on a daily basis.

Come join the madness!

CAS #include Launch Party

It feels weird to say that CAS #include, a working sub group of the Computing At School Organisation, formed to highlight and discuss ways to improve the uptake of Computer science by minority groups such as girls or SEN students, was launched Monday evening at BCS London. It's weird for me because I've been working with Laura Dixon, and originally Samantha Bail, since the start of the idea 9 months ago. Since then we've formed a working committee, I've become Vice Chair, we've published a newsletter, created a wiki, created a website, I've made some robot logos, and we have been helping Laura to organise a workshop day at her school in June. Oh yeah, and we've organised a launch party! Hope everyone enjoyed buffet selection no. 5, because I'm certain we spent three meetings on this alone :)

Like everything I'm involved in there is a certain amount of panic involved prior to the event. Not helped by having to teach a full day, and then get into town carrying loads of stuff. I was pleased to see Rebecca, Dawn and Laura when I arrived although not Reena who could not join the rest of us at BCS (You were missed!). Dawn brought balloons, OCR brought massive banners that did not even fit in a room, I brought the Little Box of Geek, what else says 'party time with Computing teachers'?

Our Visual Minutes from the entire evening created by @CreativeConnec

The evening went according to plan with Laura giving a heartfelt introduction to the busy 9 months we have experienced plus our goals and aims going forward. Kate Russell gave one of the best keynotes I've ever heard about her journey into the world of tech. Ever since I met Kate at a Girl Geek Dinner months ago she has been nothing but supportive of Geek Gurl Diaries and CAS #include. Not many people give up their time on a Monday evening to support teachers. Thank you so much!

The CAS #include team, speakers and some guests

Next up, Amy Morris from Sheffield Hallam University spoke about her study of why girls are not engaged by ICT lessons, and gave some advice, about getting role models into schools and forming clubs. I also ran a panel discussion with Nicki Maddams (who I've been dying to meet for ages) AST Computing at Hartsdown Academy and author of Geek Barbie's Travels, Phillip Bryant OCR Qualifications Manager for ICT and Computing, Dan Bowen ICT/Computing learning and teaching adviser Surrey, and working committee member for CAS #include, who mentioned that the first time he ever met me was at the infamous Raspberry Jam where I was heckled (will I ever shake that story off or will it always come back to haunt me?)

We discussed the issues of running "girls only clubs" whether this might actually alienate girls from regular run clubs, if highlighting the issue of under-representation of girls was doing more harm than good, if the new curriculum and exam specifications were being designed to be 'gender neutral', if it was just a minority of teachers trying to do something to engage all students, how to engage other minority groups, and so on. Eventually I handed questions over to the floor which I think was fun even if that was not clear in the live stream (you should have come to the event!)

Live stream recording

By half 7 I was starving, and buffet selection number 5 was calling to me. Laura thanked all our speakers and we handed over to eating, networking, and the interactive displays around the room. Chris Roffey from Coding Club brought some laptops and his fantastic Python books for kids, which I use to create activities for both my Geek Gurl Diaries videos and lessons. Andrew Robinson creator of PiFace brought his talking chicken. Alex Bradbury from Raspberry Pi demonstrated the Sonic Pi scheme of work I have been developing with Sam Aaron at Cambridge University (see previous posts). 

Networking was fun as I got to meet Anne Marie from @Stemettes and Anna from @Science_Grrl both doing great work getting girls into STEM subjects. There is so much great stuff going on right now for teachers to check out.

Next big event: #define the workshop day for all make sure you get your tickets here. It was really odd to see the logos I designed for this event printed onto big boards. I love our robots. I think we need a competition to name them tho... thoughts?