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Issue date: October 06, 2000

Girls' Middle School computer science program gives girls head start in high-tech world

Computer teacher Diana Reed, shown with Mackinnon Ross (left), designed the school's programming classes to appeal to her middle-school students.

@vcredit:Matthew Walker

By Justin Scheck

For students in Diana Reed's classes, the Internet is more than just a vehicle for shopping or communicating with friends.

Reed, who graduated from Brown University in 1997 with a degree in computer science, began teaching computer programming two years ago to sixth graders at Girls' Middle School, a private academy in Mountain View. She developed a curriculum for the seventh graders last year and extended the program to the rest of the student body -- the eighth graders -- this year.

Inspired by the school's computer science program, a cornerstone of the curriculum, Reed wanted to make sure her students had a chance to practice computer programming early.

"Middle school is the age when kids are experimenting with all kinds of adult identities," said Reed. She hopes the experience teaches them "not to rule out anything" before they know what they like and are good at.

The class takes a hands-on approach to teaching, with each student having her own computer to work on.

During class the girls wear festive hats supplied by Reed; when they need help, instead of raising their hands, they place their hats on top of their monitors, a practice Reed says makes the sessions run smoothly.

Reed developed her courses around the Internet and input from the students.

"Everything I've done is based on surveys I've done with the kids," she explained, adding that her focus on the Internet lets students combine their recreational computer use with their studies.

Reed is assisted on Tuesday afternoons by software engineers working in Silicon Valley, most of them friends and former classmates from Brown. Among them is Stephanie Schaaf, an employee of Silicon Graphics.

This week the eighth-grade class was working in Java to write a program to make a cloud with a face appear four times on the screen.

"I really enjoy teaching this type of technology," said Schaaf, who met Reed when the two were in college together. "This is a really good opportunity to expose women to technology."

Schaaf said her experiences with computers as a youth gave her the foundation on which she has built a successful career.

Students agreed with Schaaf's assessment of the value of this early experience in learning about how a computer works, rather than just what it does.

Kathryn Reeve, 13, of Santa Clara said, "It's good to learn stuff that people are actually using in their jobs, especially since we live in Silicon Valley."

Other students concurred, some saying that their computer experience might lead them to careers in computer science.

Mackinnon Ross, 13, of Redwood City, said that computer science class is her "second-favorite, after art," and that it has taught her skills that she uses outside the classroom.

"I'm not better than my dad with computers, but I'm definitely better than the rest of my family," she said, adding that she would "definitely" continue with computers after finishing school.

Although Megan Purcell, 13, of Mountain View, did not necessarily see herself following the same career path, she said she enjoyed "getting information and a more basic understanding of computers."

In addition to their enjoyment of programming, a number of the students spoke about their experiences creating a Web site in seventh grade.

"I like that I can make something on the computer," as opposed to just seeing other people's web-sites or programs, said Sara Nolan, 13.