so before I get started I have a question for all of you how many here by
question for all of you how many here by
question for all of you how many here by show of hands studied biology and high
show of hands studied biology and high
show of hands studied biology and high school quite a few of you how many of
school quite a few of you how many of
school quite a few of you how many of you are biologists today not as many I’m
you are biologists today not as many I’m
you are biologists today not as many I’m going to revisit that thought a little
going to revisit that thought a little
going to revisit that thought a little bit later for now I want to explore a
bit later for now I want to explore a
bit later for now I want to explore a possible solution to a problem that’s
possible solution to a problem that’s
possible solution to a problem that’s impacting all of us you see I believe
impacting all of us you see I believe
impacting all of us you see I believe that computer science education should
that computer science education should
that computer science education should be taught to all students from
be taught to all students from
be taught to all students from kindergarten through 12th grade and I
kindergarten through 12th grade and I
kindergarten through 12th grade and I believe that we need to extend these
believe that we need to extend these
believe that we need to extend these opportunities to our most disadvantaged
opportunities to our most disadvantaged
opportunities to our most disadvantaged youth first those who live in
youth first those who live in
youth first those who live in communities where the majority of
communities where the majority of
communities where the majority of residents identify as people of color
residents identify as people of color
residents identify as people of color living at or below the poverty line I
living at or below the poverty line I
living at or below the poverty line I believe that computer science education
believe that computer science education
believe that computer science education can be a great equalizer now when I
can be a great equalizer now when I
can be a great equalizer now when I first started thinking about this talk
first started thinking about this talk
first started thinking about this talk the Charlotte that we lived in looked
the Charlotte that we lived in looked
the Charlotte that we lived in looked much different in fact just a few short
much different in fact just a few short
much different in fact just a few short months ago US News and World Report
months ago US News and World Report
months ago US News and World Report ranked our city the 15th best place to
ranked our city the 15th best place to
ranked our city the 15th best place to live in the country a melting pot that
live in the country a melting pot that
live in the country a melting pot that was easy to break into
I’ve told friends that the recent
I’ve told friends that the recent shooting of chief Lamont Scott and the
shooting of chief Lamont Scott and the
shooting of chief Lamont Scott and the events that took took place after that
events that took took place after that
events that took took place after that shooting were not surprising to me and
shooting were not surprising to me and
shooting were not surprising to me and not surprising to me or anybody who has
not surprising to me or anybody who has
not surprising to me or anybody who has been working so hard to address issues
been working so hard to address issues
been working so hard to address issues of inequity in our great city you see we
of inequity in our great city you see we
of inequity in our great city you see we knew we had problems and these problems
knew we had problems and these problems
knew we had problems and these problems were ones that I would discuss behind
were ones that I would discuss behind
were ones that I would discuss behind closed doors with those who understood
closed doors with those who understood
closed doors with those who understood my frustration
my frustration
my frustration as passion they were problems that we
as passion they were problems that we
as passion they were problems that we talked about in mixed company but very
talked about in mixed company but very
talked about in mixed company but very carefully their problems that we must
carefully their problems that we must
carefully their problems that we must now all address you see we as a city had
now all address you see we as a city had
now all address you see we as a city had become masterful at addressing issues
become masterful at addressing issues
become masterful at addressing issues without really addressing them sweeping
without really addressing them sweeping
without really addressing them sweeping them under the rug Charlotte that rug
them under the rug Charlotte that rug
them under the rug Charlotte that rug has been pulled up and while I’m not
has been pulled up and while I’m not
has been pulled up and while I’m not exactly certain the way forward I do
exactly certain the way forward I do
exactly certain the way forward I do know that a solution is going to require
know that a solution is going to require
know that a solution is going to require us to prioritize our youth in that 2014
us to prioritize our youth in that 2014
us to prioritize our youth in that 2014 study on economic mobility I know many
study on economic mobility I know many
study on economic mobility I know many of you are aware of what I’m talking
of you are aware of what I’m talking
of you are aware of what I’m talking about
about
about there researchers concluded that in
there researchers concluded that in
there researchers concluded that in order to address issues of social
order to address issues of social
order to address issues of social mobility we were going to need to tackle
mobility we were going to need to tackle
mobility we were going to need to tackle them at a local level by improving
them at a local level by improving
them at a local level by improving childhood environments how do we do that
childhood environments how do we do that
childhood environments how do we do that it’s my belief that we have a real
it’s my belief that we have a real
it’s my belief that we have a real opportunity with technology and computer
opportunity with technology and computer
opportunity with technology and computer science you see from a very young age I
science you see from a very young age I
science you see from a very young age I was learning by doing with technology
was learning by doing with technology
was learning by doing with technology from a very young age I learned computer
from a very young age I learned computer
from a very young age I learned computer science a fundamental of computer
science a fundamental of computer
science a fundamental of computer science
science
science I began coding and about the fourth
I began coding and about the fourth
I began coding and about the fourth grade mom was looking for a way to
grade mom was looking for a way to
grade mom was looking for a way to improve her grocery shopping experience
improve her grocery shopping experience
improve her grocery shopping experience and the solution appeared right next
and the solution appeared right next
and the solution appeared right next door I can still remember that neon sign
door I can still remember that neon sign
door I can still remember that neon sign future kids for Mom
future kids for Mom
future kids for Mom it was a daycare more or less she could
it was a daycare more or less she could
it was a daycare more or less she could drop us off for 30 minutes or an hour
drop us off for 30 minutes or an hour
drop us off for 30 minutes or an hour and stock up on that week’s bogo items
and stock up on that week’s bogo items
and stock up on that week’s bogo items but for me it was a whole new world from
but for me it was a whole new world from
but for me it was a whole new world from a very young age I recognized the power
a very young age I recognized the power
a very young age I recognized the power of technology from a very young age I
of technology from a very young age I
of technology from a very young age I knew that it was a tool that could and
knew that it was a tool that could and
knew that it was a tool that could and would transform my life from that first
would transform my life from that first
would transform my life from that first trip to Gateway country I know some of
trip to Gateway country I know some of
trip to Gateway country I know some of you remember that box with the cow print
you remember that box with the cow print
you remember that box with the cow print to spending a full day researching and
to spending a full day researching and
to spending a full day researching and finally picking out the best laptop to
finally picking out the best laptop to
finally picking out the best laptop to take away to college I knew that
take away to college I knew that
take away to college I knew that technology was the way forward and while
technology was the way forward and while
technology was the way forward and while I didn’t choose to continue a formal
I didn’t choose to continue a formal
I didn’t choose to continue a formal computer science education after future
computer science education after future
computer science education after future kids I always knew that that was a
kids I always knew that that was a
kids I always knew that that was a career path that was accessible to me I
career path that was accessible to me I
career path that was accessible to me I also knew that it was a lucrative one
also knew that it was a lucrative one
also knew that it was a lucrative one that one with anyone anyone who had the
that one with anyone anyone who had the
that one with anyone anyone who had the will could develop the skill nearly
will could develop the skill nearly
will could develop the skill nearly twenty years after my home was
twenty years after my home was
twenty years after my home was transformed by that desktop dinosaur I
transformed by that desktop dinosaur I
transformed by that desktop dinosaur I entered a classroom as a fourth grade
entered a classroom as a fourth grade
entered a classroom as a fourth grade teacher to learn that not a single
teacher to learn that not a single
teacher to learn that not a single student not one of the students in my
student not one of the students in my
student not one of the students in my class had a laptop or a computer at home
class had a laptop or a computer at home
class had a laptop or a computer at home further the only real technology
further the only real technology
further the only real technology available to me as the teacher at that
available to me as the teacher at that
available to me as the teacher at that time in 2009 was an overhead projector
time in 2009 was an overhead projector
time in 2009 was an overhead projector with a light bulb we’ve made
with a light bulb we’ve made
with a light bulb we’ve made considerable progress distributing
considerable progress distributing
considerable progress distributing technology through our schools we’ve
technology through our schools we’ve
technology through our schools we’ve done so more equitably and you all have
done so more equitably and you all have
done so more equitably and you all have read the newspaper stories where
read the newspaper stories where
read the newspaper stories where thousands of laptops are being deployed
thousands of laptops are being deployed
thousands of laptops are being deployed to eliminate the educational achievement
to eliminate the educational achievement
to eliminate the educational achievement gap I’m scared though I’m scared because
gap I’m scared though I’m scared because
gap I’m scared though I’m scared because I think that in many places were just
I think that in many places were just
I think that in many places were just delivering technology for technology’s
delivering technology for technology’s
delivering technology for technology’s sake I think what we’re doing in a lot
sake I think what we’re doing in a lot
sake I think what we’re doing in a lot of places is simply reducing the number
of places is simply reducing the number
of places is simply reducing the number of copies our teachers are making at the
of copies our teachers are making at the
of copies our teachers are making at the copy machine every day those new digital
copy machine every day those new digital
copy machine every day those new digital copies are being placed in front of
copies are being placed in front of
copies are being placed in front of students like Jakari
students like Jakari
students like Jakari a fifth grader who has a love for
a fifth grader who has a love for
a fifth grader who has a love for numbers and those digital worksheets are
numbers and those digital worksheets are
numbers and those digital worksheets are doing nothing more than only further
doing nothing more than only further
doing nothing more than only further disenfranchising him from a system that
disenfranchising him from a system that
disenfranchising him from a system that wasn’t really developed with him in mind
before his passing the iconic musical
before his passing the iconic musical artist Prince noted that when we see a
artist Prince noted that when we see a
artist Prince noted that when we see a young african-american
young african-american
young african-american male wearing a hoodie we perceive him to
male wearing a hoodie we perceive him to
male wearing a hoodie we perceive him to be a thug yet when we see a young white
be a thug yet when we see a young white
be a thug yet when we see a young white male wearing a hoodie we think might be
male wearing a hoodie we think might be
male wearing a hoodie we think might be Mark Zuckerberg or a dot-com billionaire
Mark Zuckerberg or a dot-com billionaire
Mark Zuckerberg or a dot-com billionaire how do we begin to rewrite this
how do we begin to rewrite this
how do we begin to rewrite this narrative one that places way too much
narrative one that places way too much
narrative one that places way too much emphasis on both race and class we do so
emphasis on both race and class we do so
emphasis on both race and class we do so by providing Jakari
by providing Jakari
by providing Jakari with the same experiences that I had as
with the same experiences that I had as
with the same experiences that I had as a child we do so by offering him various
a child we do so by offering him various
a child we do so by offering him various ways to show understanding and by
ways to show understanding and by
ways to show understanding and by placing less of an emphasis on his
placing less of an emphasis on his
placing less of an emphasis on his standardized test scores
standardized test scores
standardized test scores you see I first met Yukari about two
you see I first met Yukari about two
you see I first met Yukari about two years ago I had started teaching coding
years ago I had started teaching coding
years ago I had started teaching coding classes on Saturday mornings and fairly
classes on Saturday mornings and fairly
classes on Saturday mornings and fairly early on I knew that Jakari was going to
early on I knew that Jakari was going to
early on I knew that Jakari was going to be an outlier in the room he knew what
be an outlier in the room he knew what
be an outlier in the room he knew what was going on one of the first things he
was going on one of the first things he
was going on one of the first things he said to the US a– mr. Jessop i’m just
said to the US a– mr. Jessop i’m just
said to the US a– mr. Jessop i’m just so fascinated by algorithms
go sit down let me figure out what I’m
go sit down let me figure out what I’m gonna teach you now so I used one of my
gonna teach you now so I used one of my
gonna teach you now so I used one of my teacher tricks and I made him the
teacher tricks and I made him the
teacher tricks and I made him the assistant he walked around the room
assistant he walked around the room
assistant he walked around the room helping his peers move their objects on
helping his peers move their objects on
helping his peers move their objects on the screen from one place to another by
the screen from one place to another by
the screen from one place to another by coding lines of by stringing lines of
coding lines of by stringing lines of
coding lines of by stringing lines of code together
code together
code together you see Jakari x’ interactions with his
you see Jakari x’ interactions with his
you see Jakari x’ interactions with his peers as well as the products he was
peers as well as the products he was
peers as well as the products he was creating could be described as nothing
creating could be described as nothing
creating could be described as nothing less than impressive yet in school
less than impressive yet in school
less than impressive yet in school Jakari was failing math and my thoughts
Jakari was failing math and my thoughts
Jakari was failing math and my thoughts about dakari contradicted everything
about dakari contradicted everything
about dakari contradicted everything both his teacher and his report card had
both his teacher and his report card had
both his teacher and his report card had to say about him so Saturday mornings
to say about him so Saturday mornings
to say about him so Saturday mornings they improved Jakari self-esteem he
they improved Jakari self-esteem he
they improved Jakari self-esteem he still shows up rain or shine telling me
still shows up rain or shine telling me
still shows up rain or shine telling me what I don’t know and they’ve also
what I don’t know and they’ve also
what I don’t know and they’ve also helped his dad to recognize a potential
helped his dad to recognize a potential
helped his dad to recognize a potential career path last winter jakar e’s dad
career path last winter jakar e’s dad
career path last winter jakar e’s dad shared with me one Saturday morning that
shared with me one Saturday morning that
shared with me one Saturday morning that he too had started taking computer
he too had started taking computer
he too had started taking computer science classes at the local community
science classes at the local community
science classes at the local community college here’s the part where I’m gonna
college here’s the part where I’m gonna
college here’s the part where I’m gonna throw a lot of statistics that you so
throw a lot of statistics that you so
throw a lot of statistics that you so bear with me in 2020 it’s believed that
bear with me in 2020 it’s believed that
bear with me in 2020 it’s believed that there will be a million unfilled jobs in
there will be a million unfilled jobs in
there will be a million unfilled jobs in the field of computer science in this
the field of computer science in this
the field of computer science in this country yet today only about one and
country yet today only about one and
country yet today only about one and five school children are enrolled in
five school children are enrolled in
five school children are enrolled in computer science coursework it probably
computer science coursework it probably
computer science coursework it probably comes as no surprise to most of you that
comes as no surprise to most of you that
comes as no surprise to most of you that the majority of these kids look
the majority of these kids look
the majority of these kids look something like me how do we ensure that
something like me how do we ensure that
something like me how do we ensure that students like Jakari can succeed in the
students like Jakari can succeed in the
students like Jakari can succeed in the 21st century how do we ensure that all
21st century how do we ensure that all
21st century how do we ensure that all kids have access to various
kids have access to various
kids have access to various opportunities to show mastery and to
opportunities to show mastery and to
opportunities to show mastery and to pursue experiences aligned with their
pursue experiences aligned with their
pursue experiences aligned with their interests we do so by offering up
interests we do so by offering up
interests we do so by offering up computer science to all
computer science to all
computer science to all my drumbeat for this type of education
my drumbeat for this type of education
my drumbeat for this type of education is about providing every single student
is about providing every single student
is about providing every single student with the opportunity to make to break
with the opportunity to make to break
with the opportunity to make to break and to fix we do so by ensuring that we
and to fix we do so by ensuring that we
and to fix we do so by ensuring that we are developing creators not consumers as
are developing creators not consumers as
are developing creators not consumers as this entrenched issue of economic
this entrenched issue of economic
this entrenched issue of economic immobility is not going to be solved by
immobility is not going to be solved by
immobility is not going to be solved by test scores alone why is it that we have
test scores alone why is it that we have
test scores alone why is it that we have spent years developing standardized
spent years developing standardized
spent years developing standardized assessments that only gauge the
assessments that only gauge the
assessments that only gauge the knowledge and understanding of a select
knowledge and understanding of a select
knowledge and understanding of a select few most recently I was reading a
few most recently I was reading a
few most recently I was reading a research study that noted that our
research study that noted that our
research study that noted that our teachers working in our poorest schools
teachers working in our poorest schools
teachers working in our poorest schools were most likely to believe computer
were most likely to believe computer
were most likely to believe computer science as a vital component of their
science as a vital component of their
science as a vital component of their child’s educational experience yet our
child’s educational experience yet our
child’s educational experience yet our school board leadership tends to
school board leadership tends to
school board leadership tends to disagree both on that survey as well as
disagree both on that survey as well as
disagree both on that survey as well as in policy in action why because all of
in policy in action why because all of
in policy in action why because all of us have been over emphasizing these
us have been over emphasizing these
us have been over emphasizing these assessments these abilities that allow
assessments these abilities that allow
assessments these abilities that allow us to notice school as high-performing
us to notice school as high-performing
us to notice school as high-performing or worthy of an a letter grade I argue
or worthy of an a letter grade I argue
or worthy of an a letter grade I argue that we need to be able to measure a
that we need to be able to measure a
that we need to be able to measure a student’s ability to read a nonfiction
student’s ability to read a nonfiction
student’s ability to read a nonfiction passage and answer questions as well as
passage and answer questions as well as
passage and answer questions as well as his or her ability to manipulate a
his or her ability to manipulate a
his or her ability to manipulate a technology tool to produce a desired
technology tool to produce a desired
technology tool to produce a desired outcome so if I did my job here today at
outcome so if I did my job here today at
outcome so if I did my job here today at the end of this evening you all will run
the end of this evening you all will run
the end of this evening you all will run out the doors and begin talking about
out the doors and begin talking about
out the doors and begin talking about why computer science education needs to
why computer science education needs to
why computer science education needs to be taught to all kids but I want to warn
be taught to all kids but I want to warn
be taught to all kids but I want to warn you the dissenters are going to say if
you the dissenters are going to say if
you the dissenters are going to say if we teach computer science to everyone
we teach computer science to everyone
we teach computer science to everyone we’re going to have too many computer
we’re going to have too many computer
we’re going to have too many computer scientists I’ll remind you of that
scientists I’ll remind you of that
scientists I’ll remind you of that question I asked earlier and take a
question I asked earlier and take a
question I asked earlier and take a minute to look around the room how many
minute to look around the room how many
minute to look around the room how many biologists are in here do we have one
biologists are in here do we have one
biologists are in here do we have one I can’t really see up there not many one
I can’t really see up there not many one
I can’t really see up there not many one we’ve got one biologist Charlotte real
we’ve got one biologist Charlotte real
we’ve got one biologist Charlotte real talk we can crack the code on economic
talk we can crack the code on economic
talk we can crack the code on economic and mobility by providing all students
and mobility by providing all students
and mobility by providing all students with computer science education we can
with computer science education we can
with computer science education we can crack the code on economic and mobility
crack the code on economic and mobility
crack the code on economic and mobility by offering these experiences to those
by offering these experiences to those
by offering these experiences to those who we know deserve them the most thank
who we know deserve them the most thank
who we know deserve them the most thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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