In his book “The Children'sMachine” Seymour Papert observed there is a wealth of information onthe art of teaching, but not much on “theart of learning.” He suggests one reason for the lack of focus on learningis a fear to express how we think and especially how we learn. Our minds may benot as neat an orderly as a textbook. Also, there is an unspoken fear ofdiscussing what we don’t know. Papert suggestions: “talk freely about learningexperiences,” to help dissipate the fear. His suggestion prompted me to reflecton my experience learning computer programming in the 1970's, a time whencomputers were not easy to come by.

Feelings about learning

The starting point for me in my learning adventure was emotional.I truly believed that education would provide me with the hope for a betterfuture. I think I got this emotional imprint from my father. He grew up on afarm in Jamaica with little access to formal education. Although he had toleave school at age 12, he constantly reminded his five children of his lovefor education and how he was glad we had greater access to school than he had.His appreciation of educational opportunity and his constant praise of ouraccomplishments in school gave me beliefand hope to focus on education. Myfather would say “with education you could accomplish anything you set yourmind to”.

The other emotional component out side of school was my passion for drawing, math, solvingpuzzles and building electronic gadgets. I had a burning desire to figure outhow electronic devices work. I built electron motors and radios from circuitsdescribed in library books. It was not enough to read about them, I only felt Iunderstood something when I was able to built it and actually see it work.

My first "computer"

I had not seen a real computer yet, but I had seen images ofthem on TV and in the movies. Computers in the popular media had a great mysticof power and intelligence. In 9th grade I took it on as a personal challenge tofigure out how they worked. I tried to build a simple computing device use mybasic knowledge of electronics. Using batteries, wires, and lights and I created a question/answer box.The box had a couple of questions with multiple choice answers labeled a, b,and c. To answer a question you’d slide in a card with the same label in theslot next to the question. If the answer was correct the correct light wouldlight up.

Driven by my passionto understand computation, I set a goalto build a computer. My plan was touse all the knowledge I had readily available to me at that point: librarybooks. My question/answer box would hardly qualify as a real computer. I set mynext goal to learn how a real computer works. In the 1970’s computers were aslarge as several refrigerators and where only found in specialized computercenters. I only saw them on TV and none in real life yet. I believed my fatherswords: “with education you could accomplish anything you set your mind to.” Isimply needed to find a computer.

My support network

In 1974, for 10th grade I enter Bronx High School ofScience. I shared by desire to learn more about computers with my geometryteacher, Ms. Strauss, and she directed me to the math department’s computerlab. Normally only 11th grade students could enter have computer lab.Fortunately, in the 9th grade I already completed both 9th grade math and 11thgrade math, thanks to an innovative program designed by Mr. Cutler, a mathteacher at Junior High School 80 in the Bronx NY. I spoke with the departmenthead and convinced her to let me in early. I gave up lunch period to squeeze inthe extra period of computer lab. I was so excited to finally learn computerprogramming I even came to school early to get extra time in the lab.

Ms. Strauss did another big favor for me. In the computerlab I found two students who where actually already working after school incomputer centers. I was amazed. You could get a paying job as a high schoolstudent working with computers! With all the extra time I was putting into thecomputer lab I was confident that I too could work in a computer center. I asked Ms. Strauss for help, and she referredme to a special program called The Youth Opportunity Program which was run byNew York State. The program was designed to provide low-income high schoolstudents employment in a professional environment, with the vision it wouldhelp them develop a career. In this program, I got a position as computeroperator in the New York State Psychiatric Institute, only two train stops frommy home in Harlem. On the computer center floor was a lab for sleep researchand another lab with live-in patients, subjects of a long-term drug studies. Herethey did mental health research on both lab animals and human patients. A veryinteresting place.

I worked in the computer center every day after school fromfour until eight o'clock. Between feeding punch cards into the large mainframecomputer and folding printouts I'd do my homework and taught myself othercomputer languages. My personal goal was to learn every language available inthe center and sell my computer skills to the clients of the computer center. Ilearned the other languages by reading the manuals and challenging my self to writea complete program in each.

I was fortunate to have a strong support network that helped me fulfill my desire to learn themysteries the computer. By working in a real research facility I experienceddirect, tangible applications of the knowledge I acquired in the classroom. Myparents gave me the belief infulfilling my dreams and the hope ofeducation. Once I expressed by goal,by school, my teachers, and special social programs help me implement my plan. I took personal charge of mylearning by working directly on projects that built on my personal passion.

Learning computers today

Today if you have a passion to learn about computer, youwill not have to face some of the challenges I faced. Affordable computers arein schools, libraries and most homes. As computers have grown more powerful andmore popular, computer programming has also evolved. There are a many optionsfor learning computer programming and there are project specially designed tomake it easy to learn programming. One example is a project called Scratchbeing developed by the Life Long Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, (http://scratch.mit.edu/).Using Scratch even very young children can to learn programming in a playful,visual environment. Another is the game programming project BlitzMax by BlitzResearch (http://www.blitzbasic.com). In BlitzMax, teenagers can write computergames in an easy to learn programming language. More in my other article: Learn to Program.

One of my passions now is to help contribute to the support network for learners by sharingmy stories, and helping others learn programming in new and exciting ways. Iwish you good fortune in your learning adventure.