Ask HN: How would you teach teens to code in 2019?

I really like getting people started with IOT projects! They can be simple, often with a Raspberry Pi, Python, some wires, and a sensor, but they are very rewarding to finish and expose them to a lot of different areas: embedded, web, etc.

If I had the time to construct exercises I would use a very primitive game engine to teach these things. Depending on the students math level you could focus on the interactions and their logic or the math of physics (in a simple way).

This idea is biased to my own experience.

The benefit of this approach is that it teaches that computer science on its own is great. If you add an understanding of science and math, it can be even more powerful.

I think working with numbers is something programming "snaps to" easily.

The weakness of this approach is that anyone who thinks they're weak at math or logical thinking ends up possibly feeling left out.

For example:

- if Mario touches an enemy, he should loose a life

- if Mario has a power up active he should go back to original form

- implement Mario's jump

- implement Mario's movement

- make it inertial

- implement gravity

- implement momentum

- etc..

I don't think waiting for obvious interest is a good idea. I believe in putting as much as possible in front of children as soon as you think they are ready. If they show interest in something, then foster that interest, but don't force them if they don't. I never had an interest in coding before it was put in front of me, and I know many others in the same boat.

I think it would be good to try something different. First I would get them good at typing code. This way they will not have to think about typing and thinking, they can just think. Second I would figure out a way to get them used to the concepts of programing, like for loops, variables, ect.. by doing other tasks. For example run a soccer drill like a for loop so they are learning secondly. I think this might help with some kids giving up early since its hard. It should be a little easier since they will have some experience with the concepts since they have run the drill before. Hope this makes sense, good luck!

I've been volunteering to teach high school kids how to program for the past decade and it's been my job for the past two. As many of the other comments recognise, finding the joy in programming should be your number one goal. Having peers to bounce off of and push each other forward is a great way to do this!

One of the programs we run at work is an online 5 week competition where you learn to code (either with Blocky or Python) at the same time. It's called the NCSS Challenge http://ncss.edu.au/challenge . It's aimed at Australian students, but you can give it a go from anywhere in the world.

Teachers often run the Challenge in their classes and we have had a few code clubs run it too. It works really well having a group of kids be able to compete and encourage each other to solve problems.

There are multiple levels, but it increases in difficulty each week at a challenging but achievable rate. At the hardest levels it gets quite competitive with students making programs to compete at playing games (last year was Big2) against each other.

I'd recommend clicking the "Try demo" button at the bottom of http://ncss.edu.au/challenge . Even if you don't sign up, you can get an idea of what kind of problems we see kids getting hooked by. I think there's a lot you could "steal" in terms of how to pose interesting yet simple and informative problems for teenagers to solve.