For the past two years a group of Montclair parents and teachers explored ways to provide equitable access to computing through a variety of venues in the Montclair School District, in surrounding districts, at William Paterson University, and most recently at the Montclair Cooperative School. A model for a ‘Coding Community’ has emerged an after school enrichment, and life-long-learning entity through which teens to the elderly can engage in computing as an empowering activity, as they pursue their own creative agenda.
In the spirit of collaboration, we encourage you to come with a friend, a family member or even a complete stranger with similiar interests. This is not a formal class, but a structured meeting place. We provide resources, both human and material.
The community is facilitated by:
A Community Manager: who keeps track of everything and makes sure everyone is engaged productively and joyfully.
A Mentor: who has the expertise to help you define what you want to do and provide you with resources to move you forward.
Assistant Mentors: who have proven themselves as developing expertise in both coding and teaching. You can become an assistant mentor too. (Perhaps even a mentor.)
We will encourage you to work independently or partner with someone else. We will kibitz or leave you alone depending on your needs. We will help keep you focused, and praise your accomplishments. We will not tell you what to do, nor will we assess your work. We will encourage you to ask questions, to help others when you can, and to support the joy of learning in community.