Dear Processors(?),
I am a middle school algebra teacher, and I posted a few months back that I was initiating a program of study where 7th grade students would augment their study of algebra through the use of processing.  I must say that the results have been very encouraging.  At first, I was worried that teaching both beginning programming and algebra might lead to information overload.  Instead I am finding that learning about a concept and its similar/differing implementation in two contexts--symbolic math and computer programming--has allowed students to have a deeper understanding of both.  E.g. The coordinate plane, number types, functions, variables, the equal sign.

Students have now reached a point where they are creating sketches that have some amount of complexity.  Although I still resort to the occasional "Just 'cause" or "We'll get to that in a couple of weeks", they largely have a sophisticated understanding of the processing language.

A new phase in the learning process has begun, however.  In the course of assigning them specific tasks (e.g. "Recreate and augment the functionality of this sketch."), I have encouraged them to use this forum as a learning tool, assuring them that the processing community is a supportive one.  Although they are still trying to navigate forum etiquette and appropriate use, they are already posting questions.  Aside from getting their questions answered, I am trying to get them to understand that forums are an example and model for open, community-based learning.  Their learning environment should continue to expand out from the classroom to include all of you.

So, here is what I have asked (or will ask) of them: they ask specific questions, they are judicious in their postings, they search the forum first, they conduct themselves professionally, they are grateful and polite, they credit anyone who gives them help in the work they turn in.  In return, I ask that you, the larger processing community, offer any support that you deem appropriate.  I monitor this forum regularly, so don't fear that you're giving them the answer.  I'll know and address with the student if a question is too open-ended or if s/he is only looking for a quick answer.  On the other hand, if you want to ask thought-provoking questions so that they can try and learn for themselves, that's okay too.  Mostly, I ask for patience: a question may seem redundant or not well-formed, or it may take a few tries before they get it.

Thank you for everyone who has made the processing project a wonderful learning tool.  

jp

Sigh. me too. My high school algebra teacher was a coach who spent all his time yelling at kids at the back of the class for playing dice and my computer class was just a 'keyboarding' class where they taught the kids how to use one outmoded word processing program for DOS.

wish to had this kind of teacher when i was in school too