Inspiration: Getting Girls to Code
When girls are inspired, when they believe the payoff is worth the risk, discomfort, fear or effort, they can be unrelenting in the pursuit of a goal. Self-doubt doesn’t stop a girl when she wants something bad enough. –Lisa Abeyta
The quote above from Lisa Abeyta stopped me in my tracks. I was working on a piece for the web when a colleague told me I should read something. Before I could finish, I knew I had to share not only the quote but Lisa Abeyta’s piece with you.
I am a firm believer that one of the most important things that I can do, in my role as an educational leader, is to create a safe space where teachers and students can do their very best work. This is paramount to me because I believe anything is possible when one is able to do his or her best. For this reason, I agree with Abeyta’s negative view of a recent study released by Google that says “when girls aren’t familiar with technology they view STEM as hard, difficult and boring.” Like Abeyta, I strongly believe girls do not “shrink from challenges just because they don’t view something as a strength.” I know this is true because I’ve seen lots of young girls and boys (with limited experience with technology) become not only leaders but mentors to other students. Why? Because someone helped… believed… challenged and inspired them (and in doing so helped them overcome their hesitation and fear). So no matter the subject, “self-doubt doesn’t stop a girl (or boy) when she (or he) wants something bad enough.” Let’s all continue to inspire our boys and especially our girls to explore the things that most frighten them. Check out Lisa Abeyta’s post here.
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For the Hour of Code during CSEd week Code.org has created a set of Elsa and Anna code puzzles, would be a great way to get young girls interested in code. I tried it out and even my 5th grade girls really liked it and wanted to try it.
Thanks so much for the recommendation kedavis99. I will definitely take a look at the program. tlb
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