Teaching Girls To Code (Boston)

Tonight is my first time facilitating a coding class to a group of 6th-12th grade girls in Boston. I arrive at the appointed place and entered the building. The delicious smell of pizza wafts through. Kids are hanging out on the corner, some parents are sitting beside the table, and then there's a woman yelling for someone to clean up something. She greets me. She's one of the staff in this place and I introduce myself: "Hi, I'm Trisha. I'm volunteering for Girls Who Code." I was also told that there is usually around 9 girls in the class and that it starts at 6PM. There will be an interviewer here. 

Well, she wasn't wrong. On my first day of GWC, there was a radio journalist who would be interviewing and recording everyone's experiences. Mr. Journalist started with the girls and the instructor Matt. I did my best to eavesdrop.

Here’s what I found:

The cohort group is a program for 6th-12th grade girls and is hosted for the entire academic calendar. For some of the girls, coding empowers them. They are able to solve problems that they thought would be impossible to solve. They are also building projects that are unique to each girl's experiences. It gives them a chance to be creative. For this session, they were going to build a little animated movie using sprite images and a couple of lines of code. First they will hard code three different scenes. Afterwards, Matt and I will teach the girls how to write functions in Python so that they don't have to repeat the code.

For some of the girls, the hardest part of coding is debugging and remembering everything. Yes. Debugging is hard. That's why you have to test your code often. But you don’t have to remember everything. Even senior developers have to look up basic stuff. One of my mentors had told me recently that she had to look up how to write a basic HTML boiler plate. I completely understand. I want the girls to know that the most important thing is to remember the core concepts and finding out what resources to use to solve the problem.

“Programming is a perishable skill. If you don’t use it consistently, you lose it.”

Since there is only 1-2 instructors available each session, the girls are often encouraged to help each other out. This is how they build team work. They are also encouraged to ask questions. However, I did notice that some girls go straight to questions and don’t explain what they they have done first. In the upcoming weeks, my aim is to have them explain what they’ve tried first and only ask for help if they have tried all possible solutions they can think. In other words, they are completely stuck. 

I also think that it would be good if the instructors give each other feedback after class. For example, what went well and what we could work on for next meeting. That way, we are continuously improving as facilitators. I was thrilled to hear that some of the girls really see themselves doing this as a living! I am very thankful for Girls Who Code for giving me an opportunity to be a facilitator. 

In the end, I was also interviewed. I gave a mini-disclaimer that this is my first day in class. Here’s how it went:

Start with your name and talk about how your coding journey.

Hi, I’m Trisha. I’m a career changer. I graduated with a degree in Public Health and Sociology. For four years, I have been working in a hospital in Boston. I started coding after building a website for my side business. I make organic soaps, lotions, and sugar scrubs. I loved coding so much that I wanted it to be my career. I’m taking an online class currently to be a full-stack developer and I'm graduating April 2019. I love web development because it's a career where you get to problem solve and create something at the same time. 

How did you learn about Girls Who Code?

I grew up much like the girls in this classroom. I’m an outsider (bi-sexual, immigrant, a woman of color, and grew up in low-income household). I’ve always wanted to code but thought that this was for boys and men who are geniuses. I reached out to Girls Who Code a couple of weeks ago to see if I can get involved in my community. I wanted to get involved in my community and also send a message: girls and women belong in the STEM. We thrive in it!

Have I ever experienced barriers because of my gender in the tech industry?

Yes. As a woman you always have barriers no matter what industry you are in. The barriers increase if you add race and sexuality. The microaggressions or prejudice is more evident in the tech industry because the gender gap is so high. My hope is that through community outreach and teaching girls I can change some of that. 

Can you reflect on my first day volunteering?

Matt and Katie has done such a good job of running the show since September. It’s not easy to teach, much less a programming language. But they have done a great job making sure that the curriculum is fun. Everyday, they are addressing the girl’s questions, validating them, and sharing in their struggles and triumphs in class. I hope to contribute all that I can offer in the coming sessions. 

Moving forward, do you have any goals for the girls in the cohort?

I’d love to raise the confidence level of the girls. I believe we can only do that if we set clear expectations and make class as fun and engaging as possible. I would also like to foster their problem solving skills and being able to articulate what they are trying to achieve. I think that communication is an important skill especially for women in STEM. We want to make sure that our opinions are heard and are valued, as if they were coming from a man. I would love it if the girls are able to explain themselves in a way that gets ANYBODY to listen. 

**Answers are edited for clarity.