Computer Science is a monumental smorgasbord of topics, ranging from programming and computer architecture to databases and 3D modelling. Students whose interests lie outside the world of computing can quickly get lost in the veritable tidal pools of shifting topics. Teachers need to think carefully about the lessons they have planned and keep the concepts required for learning at the forefront of their activities.

As computer teachers, we’re not teaching just Python. We’re teaching the thought processes, thinking patterns and abstraction techniques required to become a formidable programmer and 21st-century digital citizen. For this reason, it’s important to check the 4 Cs of Computing (not those ones):

Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication.

Critical thinking is a core skill when it comes to Computer Science. Teachers need to ensure that students can not only read and write code, but produce novel solutions, ask pertinent questions and understand why problems arise. A common problem that shows up in my lessons involves the ever-staple sentence:

“My computer isn’t working.”

Rather than automatically fix the problem for the students, I work to get students answering follow-up questions:

“What about the computer isn’t working?”

“Is it the monitor or the computer?”

“Do the lights turn on?”

“What could be the cause of this issue?”

In this way, the student takes their first steps in learning how a problem can be solved, in a real, practical situation. By the end of the first year, students should be willing to explore and find out why a problem exists, instead of getting Superteacher to come to the rescue.

Find moments for students to explore real problems in your classroom, and you’ll find they’ll be better equipped to handle programming problems later on.