Video games in Scratch, 2nd Day

Today began with a quick review of the concepts discussed on the first day, with students talking once again about concepts like game mechanics and dynamics. Terrence was right up front, quickly explaining what dynamics were. Next, we talked about the games they played last time, and what was fun and what wasn't. Jasmine had played Rock Band, and had a lot more fun than she had initially expected, rockin' out to the music with the best of them.

The review complete, the first exercise was to find a game review online and read it closely, paying attention to how the reviewers talked about the game and how it fit in with the topics we had discussed. Each student took notes on the review and then stood before the class in turn, presenting their review and talking about what they liked and what confused them. Some good points were raised, including the role of the ESRB and how it fits into the gaming industry.

Finally, the students downloaded Scratch onto their computers and checked out the games available at MIT's website. RocketMan was very popular, and they were able to download it and take a look at how it's setup in Scratch. Hopefully, it'll give them some insight into making games with Scratch, which they'll be doing next session!

Video games in Scratch, 1st Day

Today was the first day back at ITA, and we jumped in with both feet with the Video Games in Scratch class, taking the students over to the video game lab in the Teacher Education building so they could get the full experience. Ryan started them off with a short lecture about concepts behind video game design, starting with Game Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics. The students were a little uncertain about talking about video games in such terms, but it wasn't long before they started to get into the discussion. Jacob raised some good points about why some games were more appealing than others, citing things like storyline and challenge, and Saige told everyone about her challenges playing Super Mario Kart against her brother.

Next, Ryan showed them the game Braid, and everyone had a great time playing that on the projector so the others could watch. Terrence did a great job navigating the difficult terrain. Way to go, Terrence!

Finally, the students were split up so they could play whatever game they chose form the lab's wide-ranging stock, with the intent that they pay attention to the things we had discussed. With things like mechanics and dynamics in mind, they played Rock Band, Call of Duty, and the Orange Box, enjoying themselves immensely, while learning something at the same time.

All in all, a great day for ITA!!!

The Current Structure

Since implementing the new structure for the 3-period setup, I think things have been running a lot smoother. I don't know if it's because it flows more naturally for me or for the students, but so far I've been enjoying it. Having the quizzes after lecture gives me a chance to broaden the scope of the questions, and also helps to give the students a chance to get settled in after lunch. Also, giving them the blog question during the first period and telling them the specific plan helps to prevent surprises and makes everything just that much easier to accomplish.

So, so far, no complaints!

Reflections

So it's been a while since I've blogged here, but that's not to say that I haven't been busy at the ITA. In the past six months or so I've learned a lot about the ITA, having worked directly in it as Unit Support and a Coordinator. I'd say that my initial understanding of the program was mostly accurate, that this is a very special program that teaches valuable lessons to a great group of kids. But, some of the specifics are a little different than I thought. For one thing, I realize now how much effort goes into a single ITA session, and how much planning is involved. The kids are great, but now I see that they require a good deal of attention on even the smallest detail, since they come from so many different backgrounds and have so many different ideas about what they should be doing with their Saturday. It's an uphill struggle in some ways, but it's all the more rewarding for its difficulty. It's when the students who are having the hardest time really get it, or really start to knuckle down and get to work, that I feel like I've accomplished something as a teacher.

It's difficult to talk of successes in a job like this, since such things can only be measured by the long-term effects of what you're doing, but also because there are so many varied little things that could be considered "successes" as to practically make the word irrelevant. Remembering student's names, or getting them comfortable with you to the point that they high-five you in the hallways, helping them pass their Permit Tests, or teaching them a lesson that they find both interesting and informative, these are all successes. If I could go back to last August I would make sure I understood that. I would tell myself to be prepared for a lot of different kinds of kids, and to be prepared for a number of little things that will both annoy and amuse me. Patience is the key word, and I plan to incorporate that into everything that I do at the ITA. I will both expand my knowledge of the curriculum as well as come up with new ways to get information through to the kids, and bring what I can to their education.