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I honestly don't understand what is the motive behind teaching young kids to code? The passion for computer science develops on it's own. Some kids like compute

I honestly don't understand what is the motive behind teaching young kids to code? The passion for computer science develops on it's own. Some kids like computers while other can't be bother with it and are more interested in other fields.

graphememes 10y ago
To my knowledge it has never actually worked either.
- jhbadger 10y ago
  Certainly my interest in computers came from my experience in middle school in the early 1980s when my middle school decided to teach everyone Basic. Yes, not everyone became a programmer, but that wasn't the point.
anothercomment 10y ago
How can interest in computers develop if you are never exposed to it? I don't think the "interest develops on it's own" theory is true, not for any subject.
- corysama 10y ago
  In my observation, there is a ton of survivorship bias in attitudes about STEM education. "I had some quirk in my history that motivated me to slog through years of seemingly meaningless crap to get to where I am today. It worked out great for me! Now I can't imagine any other path actually working for anybody else."
  - anothercomment 10y ago
    The kids don't have to become professional Software Developers just because they learn a bit of programming. I let my kids draw, too, and don't expect them to become professional artists. I think I know what you are getting at, there certainly seems to be the bias of Software Development being the best profession in the world. But with STEM in general, what I personally care about is teach my kids rational and logical thinking, and of course the ability to build things. Occasionally I ponder dong a sewing course together with my kids, and I might one day. It's nice to have skills that you can build things with. But it is hard to beat the possibilities you have with programming. Besides, it is a skill that could come in handy in many other professions, as well as a fallback line. Also, it is unfortunately the only thing I am good at, so what else am I supposed to teach my kids?
mustacheemperor 10y ago
>The passion for computer science develops on it's own. Some kids like computers while other can't be bother with it This sounds like the arguments middle school administrators make for cutting band programs. Not everything has to be for every kid. For the kids it's meaningful for, it's irreplaceable.

graphememes 10y ago

To my knowledge it has never actually worked either.

jhbadger 10y ago
Certainly my interest in computers came from my experience in middle school in the early 1980s when my middle school decided to teach everyone Basic. Yes, not everyone became a programmer, but that wasn't the point.

anothercomment 10y ago

How can interest in computers develop if you are never exposed to it? I don't think the "interest develops on it's own" theory is true, not for any subject.

corysama 10y ago
In my observation, there is a ton of survivorship bias in attitudes about STEM education. "I had some quirk in my history that motivated me to slog through years of seemingly meaningless crap to get to where I am today. It worked out great for me! Now I can't imagine any other path actually working for anybody else."
- anothercomment 10y ago
  The kids don't have to become professional Software Developers just because they learn a bit of programming. I let my kids draw, too, and don't expect them to become professional artists. I think I know what you are getting at, there certainly seems to be the bias of Software Development being the best profession in the world. But with STEM in general, what I personally care about is teach my kids rational and logical thinking, and of course the ability to build things. Occasionally I ponder dong a sewing course together with my kids, and I might one day. It's nice to have skills that you can build things with. But it is hard to beat the possibilities you have with programming. Besides, it is a skill that could come in handy in many other professions, as well as a fallback line. Also, it is unfortunately the only thing I am good at, so what else am I supposed to teach my kids?

mustacheemperor 10y ago

>The passion for computer science develops on it's own. Some kids like computers while other can't be bother with it This sounds like the arguments middle school administrators make for cutting band programs. Not everything has to be for every kid. For the kids it's meaningful for, it's irreplaceable.