Working With Kids
I like working with teens who are eager to learn. For four months last year I had the pleasure of working with two brothers, Brandon and Chris Ojaste. Brandon is 18, Chris 16. These young men– both unschooled– worked with me to learn about computer technical support. I was showing them the ropes, and in the process I wanted to experiment with the learning methods I wrote about in my Buccaneer-Scholar book.
Brandon, being older, was a bit more sure of himself as a technical thinker. At the time I worked with him, it quickly became apparent that he could solve most routine computing problems on a PC. I asked him to research a secure and portable approach to computing so that I would no longer have to worry about my notebook being stolen when I traveled oversead. Brandon Googled around, and found a great idea. He suggested that I use a combination of TrueCrypt and portable applications running from a memory stick. Within two weeks he had me completely set up and tested.
Amazingly, my computer WAS later stolen in the Stockholm central station (three thieves working in cooperation pulled off a classic distraction routine– kind of like Cirque du Soleil, except no costumes or juggling, no music, it’s in a train station, and they steal your stuff). But the thieves never got my private data because it was all encrypted. I lost nothing important, and transferred my work to a new computer the next day.
Brandon also built his own computer and wrote me up a detailed account of all that he learned in the process. I am presenting that story as part of my talk at Rethinking Education, next week.
I need practice documenting learning stories. Chris helped me with that when we were trying to repair a cheese grater, at Christmas dinner. This turned into a tutorial in how to analyze, solve, and report on technical problems. Wanting to impress him, I turned our conversation into a written report. This is the cheese grater report on my website.
Chris is the more extroverted of the two brothers, and I took advantage of that by spending hours with him, one-on-one, challenging him to Google the solutions to technical problems. We spent all one afternoon looking for a personal information manager that could interface with Google Calendar. Another day we looked for web tools and performed a link analysis of my site. It became a sort of competition, with each of us trying to out-Google the other. That helps get good energy going for the learning process.
For young technicians, the biggest challenge is often lack of self-confidence. Knowledge can be gained, but without confidence they won’t try very hard to gain it. So, it was satisfying to see the confidence of these young men grow in real-time, with each work session. Physical presence matters a lot, though. I no longer live near them, and the collaboration online doesn’t work so well.
I would love to help more kids find that technical confidence that comes from sizing up problems and solving them for a paying client. That’s critical for transitioning from dabbling child to adult professional thinker who drives his own education. For unschoolers especially, this transition is a vital process.
Jim,
I think you are 100% correct that nurturing confidence through practice is part of the foundation for an enduring efficacy in the field. From my own experience, my clients, employers (and myself) turn again and again to those who can take a fresh abstract problem and work out possible solutions on demand. Being certified or diplomaed in a particular specialty is all well and good, but practically worthless (imo) without being able to engage new problems daily, and in an ever expanding scope of involved technologies.
From my own experience, I would like to add that, for some, the sense of confidence can be elusive early on. Especially when faced with the doubts and scorn of “more educated” peers, I would often (always for a time) struggle to speak up and engage in technical discourses. I didn’t realize at the time that the frequent derision I faced from a few people had nothing to do with me, or my potential. My struggles to fully engage in discussion/debate really came from my own outlook and sense of dignity (to over-simplify) at the time. Sadly, I’m afraid others in a similar position as my young-self may face very similar challenges.
While I didn’t *feel confidence at the time, what I did have was good exposure, a palpable interest in technology, and a some sound methods I picked up and developed with the help of a few mentors (to my fortune, I counted a teenage philosopher/epistomologist/tech savant named Jim Bach as a mentor for a few excellent months).
Along with the good technical foundation, I also had the *resolve to practice my trade of choice. I didn’t always approach problems with a sense of ‘yeah, i can do this no problem’, but I did gorge (with relish) on every problem tossed in my direction with a sense of “I’m going to figure this out, I will not let go”.
Deep down, I now think the confidence was really there, even though I didn’t feel it. The resolve that got me through my early professional life is the same that kept me in front of my ti-99/4a in my early teens, debugging code I had transcribed from a magazine . The same resolve that led me to engage with my mentors, and continue to seek work in the profession.
I hope every aspiring, young technologist without the opportunity (or desire) for “higher-education” can find their sense of confidence sooner than I did, because it really does help, especially in the social aspects of our field. It was a real struggle early on for me to deal with a few of the less dynamic but self-important, degreed plebes out there.
I wonder now though… can resolve exist without some kind confidence (sensed or unnoticed)? These days, I’m skeptical.
Keep on passing the flame, Jim. Its a very, very worthwhile contribution to this world, in my opinion. These days, we need problem solvers more than ever.
Rob (Zen Blue)
(can’t wait for the print edition to come out!)
[James' Reply: Well put, Rob. (Hey folks, I worked with Rob when he was a young teenage programmer, many years ago. The guy knows what he's talking about)]
Comment by Rob Williams — August 28, 2009 @ 9:24 am
I would add that not only for young technicians but for anybody working in the technical areas who stepped out for a while on the details of their specific areas and try to get back into, are overhelmed by all the people who actively contribute and publish what they can do and of the progress which is happing (me referring to IT and Internet). That is amazing and impressive. Luckily their publications help to learn faster. Its all out there, as you say: the answer is a Google away from you.
My question:
> We spent all one afternoon looking for a personal information manager that could interface with Google Calendar.
Would you share your results on this research?
[James' Reply: I wasn't happy with any solution we found. So far, my research shows that there's an absence of free PIM's that seamlessly integrate with Google Calendar.]
Regards,
Dennis
Comment by Dennis — August 30, 2009 @ 11:07 am
Well, this is all about how to deal with kids who are not aware of the real world.
I personally love taking care of kids and believe in giving them good path for their development and growth. A child’s growth completely depends upon the atmosphere they live in. Being as a trainer for the participant where people are trained for children with disabilities and foster carers in councils and housing associations i know well what step to be taken for a child’s growth. I liked it and would love to hear from you something more.
Comment by r4i — November 19, 2009 @ 6:57 am