Why I Teach Kids to Code

I teach kids to code so they don’t have to wait for or depend on other people to do it for them.

I learned to program when I was 12, gave it up to pursue art when I was 18, then came back to it in my 30s. Why did I come back to it? I wanted things that would make my life better, those things needed code to exist, and I couldn’t wait for people to get around to making them for me. Because I’d learned to code as a kid, I had the confidence to relearn it as an adult and make those things I wanted.

As an example, last week I needed a little specialized calculator. I did a quick online search to see if anyone had made anything like it and couldn’t find one, so I made it myself. I did not invent Facebook, revolutionize health care, or disrupt the pet products industry. But I made a tool I needed and got a job done on time. In all the talk about the world-shaking things people do with code, sometimes we forget that whole “I needed a computer to do something for me and I was able to make it do it” part.

I honestly see teaching kids to code like teaching them how to do their own laundry, cook their own meals, or how to do minor repairs around the house. In a world where code is becoming more and more integrated into our lives, knowing how to create and implement that code is becoming more of a self-sufficiency skill.

At one end of the spectrum we have people who want to teach kids to code because they see the tech gap expanding. They know it’s vital to our economy to create tech-savvy workers. It will keep tech jobs here and bring in new businesses who want to tap into Washington’s deep pool of technical talent. And they’re right.

At the other end you have the people who believe training kids to be knowledge workers will save them from becoming Uber drivers who eventually get displaced by Google autonomous taxis. It will basically ensure fewer kids grow up to lose their jobs to robots. And they’re right too.

And here’s me in the middle. I think you can study to be a doctor, but even if you don’t, your life will be better if you know some first aid. You can study to be a developer, but even if you don’t, your life will be better if you have some basic programming skills.

And that is why I teach kids to code.

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CoderDojo is a WTIA Community Partner. CoderDojo an international movement of over 500 free clubs (and growing) where kids learn computer programming. Seattle CoderDojo’s weekly Meetups bring close to 100 kids together with software industry pros on Saturday mornings for fun and learning thanks to the generous support of Amazon.com, Urban Sparks, and other awesome sponsors. Sign up, volunteer to help out (like our Events Manager, Claire Dillow!) or simply find out more information at http://www.seattlecoderdojo.com.