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From: jpj@mss.UUCP (J. P. Jenal)
Newsgroups: net.college,net.cse
Subject: Re: Should Computer Science be taught at the High School level?
Message-ID: <242@mss.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Dec-84 15:27:59 EST
Article-I.D.: mss.242
Posted: Fri Dec 21 15:27:59 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Dec-84 02:38:31 EST
References: <241@mss.UUCP> <705@ames.UUCP> <82@uwvax.UUCP> <25@azure.UUCP>
Reply-To: jpj@mss.UUCP (J. P. Jenal)
Distribution: net
Organization: Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena, Ca
Lines: 26
Summary: Missing the Point!

Allow me to humbly suggest that you might be missing my point.  What I am
interested in is what the average student *needs* to know - not what some
students might be capable of.  While I certainly agree that there are
kids who can handle any challenge that a teacher may design, that is
not the experience of most students.  It is their needs that I am trying
to address.  

One of my other hats is that of the Algebra I teacher.  Having done that
for three years I have some fairly strong opinions on what elementary
school math teachers should be teaching - that they are not!  (How are
*your* kids at adding fractions?)  It seems that teaching the basics, which
are clearly difficult, is not what most aspire to do. 

I would like to avoid being guilty of the same sins.  Thus, my request.
If you teach at the college level or have recently been through your
college experience - or are doing so now - in something other than cs, what
did you know going in and what would have been most helpful for you to have
known?

Thanks to all who have written to me directly - please continue to do so or
followup to the net.

Cheers...

	Jim Jenal		(aka ...!scgvaxd!mss!jpj)
	Mayfield Senior School	( "  ...!ihnp4!mss!jpj)