My Vision to Empower Every Child with Code
Technology has transformed education, but while kids learn how to use it, they rarely learn how it works. Now a growing realization among educators that this gap needs to be filled is prompting a new revolution, in the belief that teaching children how to code will give them a skill for life.
Leaders and trendsetters all agree on one thing — Programming is for all, and that every child should be taught how to code.
Learning to write programs stretches your mind, helps you think better, and creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains.
— Bill Gates
For a long time, we are being convinced that programming is something that happens on the black terminal, with green colored freaky code. Moreover, only those gifted with godspeed typing skill could be a programmer. Ask a programmer, and he/she would never agree with it. Just because it is a myth, we have believed our entire life.
When we learn to read and write, it opens up many opportunities for us to learn different things. We can then read to learn. Similarly, if we learn to code, we can code to learn. As the students learn to code, it enables them to learn many other things, opens up many new opportunities for learning.
The more comfortable children are with technology today, the better equipped they will be to function in the world of tomorrow.
— The Twins
I share my vision with that of Tim Cook, who says “I believe that coding should be a required language in all schools.” Not many students are introduced to programming before the freshman year of the college — not their mistake. It is high time for our policymakers, the educators, and the parents to address this matter.
Every child should be introduced to programming and the miracles it can create. Young children have enormous talent, to acquire this skill so that they will become the trailblazers who will shape and change our future. Introducing them at an early stage has added edge — they could explore the world with a creative perspective. Coding would give them an extra pair of innovative wings to solve complex, pressing issues in our society. Also, it has the potential to bring about a fundamental shift in the way they view technology, turning them from passive consumers into active producers.
By now, you might have started to share this vision with me and many others — the code is for all. Starting from a school around you, it is the time we share this vision with the policymakers, educational authorities, principals, teachers, and parents. It would take efforts, but with many hands tied together, we could achieve this.
“Programming is important. Learn how you can help get it into schools.” Enrique Iglesias once said. Pledge with me to make this world a better place, by shaping the future of every child, one at a time. Be the change you want to see in this world!
