November 8 is National STEM Day, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. While many of us don’t consider ourselves to be experts in maths or sciences, our day-to-day life revolves around technological advances. What makes STEM so important in schools is its focus on hands-on learning and applications of these skills to the real world. What better way to highlight it than by showcasing one of Calgary Academy’s newest student clubs – the Coding Club!
Momentous learning and innovation aren’t limited to regularly scheduled class times. Our incredible teaching staff inspires our students to bring forward ideas that will foster a love of learning in a safe space with like-minded peers through a diverse network of clubs. The idea of the Coding Club came from a deep interest in computers by a Grade 10 student, Andrejs L. This student took initiative by hanging up posters in our halls to see how many others would be interested in learning about coding.
The student then had to convince a teacher to supervise the club. Luckily, it didn’t take much convincing for Mr. Daniel Catley. Mr. Catley has been at CA for five years and currently teaches Grade 10 Math and Science. He originally went to post-secondary for Computer Science and was eager to support the six students who joined the Coding Club.
In simple terms, coding is the handy set of instructions we give a computer to perform a specific task. As you’re reading this on either your computer or cellphone, it was the pieces of code that brought you to this place. While technology is the pinnacle of how we go about our daily lives, we have those in STEM to thank for these advances. For students in the club, the sky is the limit.
For a student who is just joining the Coding Club, the area of focus right now is learning about Python code, which is text-based coding. Members are working at their own pace to complete several tutorials, challenges, and tasks before they move to the next exciting lesson.
“Part of what makes coding such a valuable skill is that making mistakes is part of it, just like it’s part of everyday life. Being able to make a mistake and not get discouraged, but instead keep going and find solutions is an invaluable skill. Skills aside, there is increased demand for technology-based jobs, so for students wanting to pursue a path in those fields beyond high school, this club will give them the background and knowledge to thrive in programs centred around finding jobs in those industries.” – Mr. Catley
The Coding Club is open to any students interested in computers, coding, or just looking to make friends! Students will build their resilience, confidence, organization, and problem-solving skills. If you’re a student in Grades 9-12 who wants to deepen their computer literacy knowledge weekly, you can contact Mr. Catley directly to join the club.
To read more about STEM initiatives at CA, you can read last year’s blog here.