Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mss.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!scgvaxd!mss!jpj 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)