Adapted from codetribe.
It’s great if you can answer student questions, but you’re not always going to have the answer, and that is okay. Share with students the reality that the disciplines taught within Luddy are vast, where no one knows everything. Developing software and addressing big questions related to the ethical use of technology is not about having the answers, but about cultivating the ability to figure things out using your resources: your classmates, the internet, the libraries, and your instructor.
Encourage students to follow a personal empowerment protocol to figure things out when they have a question. Similar to, “ask three, then me,” this protocol encourages students to…
- Ask a peer
- Google it / Look it up at the library
- Ask the instructor
This protocol both helps students become independent problem-solvers, and also helps ensure the instructor isn’t bombarded with questions.
Finally, normalize errors and mistake-making. Every time you compile your code in front of the class, announce that you’re going to check for any errors, which are just a normal part of a programmer’s life. Whenever you get an error or when a student sheepishly confesses that they have 20 compiler errors, remark on how totally normal that is.
Go the extra step and get excited when a student says they have 20 errors, or even better, a “fatal error”! Model being unfazed by errors and in fact seeing errors as an opportunity to learn new things. As a teacher, helping students debug IS an opportunity for you to learn more about how to be a better teacher and anticipate a wider range of student errors!
When you model this attitude, students will follow suit. As a result, they will be less likely to get discouraged by 20 compiler errors and learn to celebrate them with you as a representation of all the things the class has learned.
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