Books… I simply love books. Pretty much any genre, I’ll give it a go. Books about teaching can be good. Books about computer science, can also be good. Combine those two, and you get Creative Coding by Josh Caldwell… greatness. 

I got wind of this book just prior to attending Code.org’s TeacherCon Atlanta. It had not been released yet, so I was destined to wait… though I had already decided, I was going to get this one. While I have moved into teaching computer science all day, I spent many years teaching grades 3-8. I knew that teachers in elementary and middle school classes had few resources to easily integrate computer science. This book, I hoped, would give me something to share with them.

I was not let down. The cover states that it is really aimed at the 6-8th grades, but I honestly see it being applicable to many more grades with little modification. 

Josh starts off the book detailing exactly what this book is designed to do, and how it is laid out. He makes sure to point out, this is NOT a book about how to code. There are tons of places to learn to code, but this is not the place.

Caldwell then proceeds to step through some of his beliefs about computer science and coding in schools. I found myself in agreement with him pretty much across the board. Caldwell steps through many of the challenges in education. He resonates one of the visions of code.org… equity, not equality. Not everyone gets the same treatment. We are individuals, and as such, we all have different needs to acquire knowledge. Schools are pretty good at equality… not so good at equity. Amen Josh.

We all know the SAMR model. It’s become quite the buzz word today. People try to make it work with everything. Caldwell proposes a different model for the integration of computer science. He states, “The trouble with applying the SAMR model to computer science integration is that is assumes, by design, that the technology being integrated brings with it no additional learning objects… that’s not the case when we bring CS into the classroom.” (Caldwell pp.15-16) 

Instead, Caldwell proposes the SEAA model. 

• Substitution: CS is used as a drop in replacement for another medium
• Enrichment: CS is used to enrich an activity in ways that are impossible without it.
• Authentic Application: CS is applied in a way that mirrors the real-world authentic applications within a given content area. 

I like this model, and think it fits quite well with teaching computer science.

Josh then lays out some teaching strategies. This is the part where many teachers feel that constant fear that their students will know more than they do. In short… that’s ok. Take on a role as a lead learner with your students. You are guiding them through a journey, not preaching a sermon from a pulpit. He also shares the importance of having a growth mindset, the importance of communication, etc. All in all, the strategies he gives are solid advice.

We then move on to where the rubber meets the road. No matter what book we read, or what professional development conference we attend, we all want to leave with something we can use. Something that doesn’t require a ton of time to get our feet wet. This is where this book shines. Caldwell details lessons that can be integrated into your core subject areas. These are not lessons that you really have to stretch to see how it fits into your instruction. These are solid activities that can easily be used. As one who taught English for years, I personally loved the choose your own adventure activity. Wonder what I’m talking about? Grab a copy and check it out.

All in all, this was a great read. I read it in a day, then read it again. There are some books that we buy that are mediocre. Some we wish we had not purchased. This is not one of them. This is a great book giving actionable lessons and advice. Caldwell is correct in that this is not a book to learn to code. If that is your aim, this isn’t the choice for you. If you are, however, looking for authentic ways to integrate coding into your classroom, this is a must buy. Honestly, this is the kind of book that schools should have on hand for teachers.  I don’t even teach English anymore, and I am going to get with our English teachers about helping them integrate some of the activities.

You can pick up a copy of the book on Amazon, and no, I don’t make a dime off this… it’s just that good.