I'm not in academia, but in my experience, abstract thinking and problem solving skills matter way more than language syntax knowledge. I've learned Python, PHP

I'm not in academia, but in my experience, abstract thinking and problem solving skills matter way more than language syntax knowledge. I've learned Python, PHP, Javascript, C#, SQL, VBScript, Java and some other things in the course of just working for different clients and companies. I was able to learn these things because I know how to learn. If I were teaching students the way you're trying to, I guess I'd start with Python because it's almost pseudocode which makes it a great medium for translating concepts and trying things out quickly. Then I'd teach my students C and get them hacking on Unix/ Linux stuff. Then I'd have them learn a functional language, but I don't really think it matters which one. I guess if I were to pick, I go with Clojure or Scala because there's at least some commercial value there.