Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/498229
where they watch videos on code.org and then re-enact what they've learned on computers, by moving blocks or solving puzzles with number codes and sequenc- ing. Mack loves that coding encourages collaboration and critical thinking, reinforces mathematical con- cepts and is fun. "They start with learning how to move an object, and then progress to creating shapes or adding colors or sounds," explains Mack, Lodi Teachers Association. "They can type in a code where something will move, or type in another code that becomes a shape. In time, they will create their own games and apps." "My students were born in the digital age, and this is their world," she adds. "They are on the cutting edge and fortunate to have this opportunity." Computer science is not just a game "We're going to start our final project, designing 'twitch' games," says Angela Hoffman, whose students are creating video games at Balboa High School in San Francisco. "Twitch games have twitch mechanics where you think fast, show dexterity and have quick reactions, unlike strategy games." Hoffman has purple hair, carries a piñata unicorn, and seems to be having as much fun as her students, who started out this year doing simple projects with Snap!, a visual drag-and-drop programming language using blocks, and have since moved on to JavaScript. As part of the school's Game Design Academy, the course counts toward UC admission and is the most popular elective on campus. Hoffman is a digital game designer whose credits include The Sims and FarmVille. Zynga, her longtime employer, partnered with the San Francisco Unified School District to pilot the game design course and paid for the computers. Zynga and the Department of Children, Youth and their Families in San Francisco are paying Hoffman's salary, which went from six figures to that of a teacher. And Hoffman has never been happier. "I feel like I've finally found my calling," says Hoffman, United Educators of San Francisco. "I get to combine my love of games and my love of working with kids into the ultimate dream job." It may be about games, but Hoffman takes it seriously. "It's more than a game. If you're going into any field — restau- rant management, health care, or working as a mechanic — your job touches technology. I don't care if students get a degree in computer science, but we should make kids unafraid of computer technology. It will help their understanding of math. I tell kids that I am terrified of math, but I've found a way through games to make math interesting and fun, and now I'm much better at it." Hoffman constantly tells her students she wants them to "fail" because they will learn by doing so. "When I say that, half the class freaks out. But I tell them the story about how the creators of Angry Birds made 52 games that failed and were about to go bankrupt, when someone drew that little red bird. Were those 52 games really failures? No, they learned something from each wrong reiteration and had to improve 52 times. So I tell my kids to just put something on the screen and make it happen until it finally works." Her students pick topics for their twitch games out of the piñata that include themes such as "When bunnies attack" and "Baked goods as weapons." "This class is pretty hard," muses Julia Adelantar, a junior. "But it's something I've always wanted to learn because I like games so much." She pulls her hair and lets out a mock scream of frustration because her project is not going smoothly. "Just test it over and over and over again," says Hoff- man. "Test it until it feels fun." • Hour of Code and beyond — code.org • Coding in the Classroom: 10 Tools Students Can Use to Design Apps and Video Games — teachthought.com • Scratch Overview — vimeo.com • Scratch Curriculum Guide Draft — harvard.edu • 15+ Ways of Teaching Every Student to Code — edutopia.org • Bringing girls on board — girlswhocode.com Allison Smith works with Jairo Equihua while Corey Walker works with Ludwen Rodales on coding during morning "Techie Club." To learn more about coding, check out : P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S C O T T B U S C H M A N 18 www.cta.org Feature