Time to back up my claims

[Nick George]

So, as a sophmore, I got a 5 on the AP java test. Next year, as a senior, I'm teaching it. I pushed for that for a while- "Of course I can teach it. I know that stuff like the back of my hand." So it's just recently struck me that I'm actually gonna have to teach it... like, have lesson plans, and projects. I don't know how to teach a 5 year old to scribble. So, I reckon I could use a little ranch support.

I was thinking I'd make it very understanding-oriented... not let them type "public static void main" until they can tell me what each of those words means.

If ranchers can point me in the direction of a website or book for teachers, it'd be a Good Thing. And LOTS of suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'll promise to post more helpfull posts, and not just be the Meaningless Drivel leach I've been for a while.

[Sonny Gill]

Nick the JavaRanch Teacher's Lounge might be a more appropriate forum for your questions.

I remember somebody taking up a programming teacher's job having a similar discussion there a while ago..

[Nick George]

fair enough. I had forgotten about that thread, and let it die. I reckon I was hoping to field suggestions from a larger section, but you're certainly right it would be more appropriate in the teachers' lounge

[Jason Menard]

Moved to the Teacher's Lounge.

[Ilja Preuss]

Originally posted by Nick George:
I was thinking I'd make it very understanding-oriented... not let them type "public static void main" until they can tell me what each of those words means.

I'm not a teacher, but I'm not sure that's really a good idea.

I've read somewhere that it's actually easier for kids to first learn to read whole words and later to learn to distinguish single letters.

Having to learn all those details before you can even write your first "Hello World" might also be a little bit demotivating...

Just my 0.02...