alice-teacher just need to vent.

[Susan Smith]

Wanda,
 
Thank you for doing that.  Just last month I was finally given a green light by the administration to start a computer club at New Bern (NC) HS to teach interested students Alice and to pair them with teachers to create dynamic instructional Alice worlds for everything from the curriculum for our trainable mentally disabled students to honors and AP courses.  
 
I had some push back from the Multimedia and Web Design II teacher who's nervous that by the club members learning to program with Alice, their knowledge will compete with her brief introduction to Alice in her curriculum. Nevertheless, we're going through with the partnership with any teachers who want to stimulate their students through Alice worlds.
 
Please keep sending such useful info to share with my computer club and faculty members.
Susan Smith

 
 
Career & Technical Ed. teacher

New Bern High School
(252) 514-6400 ext 3235
susan.smith at craven.k12.nc.us
 
"If you are a good leader, when your work is done, your aim fulfilled, your people will say, "We did this ourselves."  Abraham Lincoln
>>> Wanda Dann <wpdann at andrew.cmu.edu> 6/3/2014 12:09 PM >>>
Eric,

Attached are a couple of documents that may be of some help to you.
Most of these documents were used/prepared for a presentation we
made to the Chicago Public School System, where they are adopting Alice 
system-wide.

I replied to the entire list with these attachments because I figured 
Eric may
not be alone in having to justify CS and Alice.

My apologies for adding to your inbox.

Wanda


On 6/2/2014 3:25 PM, Eric Lozaw wrote:
> Sorry for this post, but I really need to vent.  They are cutting Alice for next year in my school. I then went on explaining how it is a really good program and gets the students ready for AP Java.  My vice principle, who does have a math background, says arent' they just making movies.  Also there isn't any prerequisite on the AP homepage for Computer Science.  I then began to explain how it's not just about making movies that we discuss all these wonderful computer terms and that it helps to develop an understanding of  Java.  I also mentioned that you wouldn't expect a student to go into AP Calculus without some prerequisites.  And there is nothing on AP homepage about requiring students to take pre-Calc first.  Our conversation ended because of parents needed to see her.
> Basically I guess my question is this, does anyone have any suggestions on ways to recruit students and/or sway administration to be more in favor of this class.
>
> Thanks for listening,
> Eric
>
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