Isabel Sieh was just 10 years old when her teacher observed her adeptness in mathematics. The teacher encouraged her to try out “coding”, that is what was used to be called “programming”. At that age, she took up coding tutorials online and eventually became proficient with HTML and JavaScript.
HTML is the basic for designing and developing a webpage and determines the content of the webpage. This includes the visual aspect of the webpage. While HTML forms the structure, JavaScript is a programming language that brings to “life” the webpage or website. It is for the behavior of the webpage.
Although online tutorials have been the foundation of her coding skills, she went to the next level when her mother, noting her increasing ability to do code got her tutors to further enhance her skills.
In February 2016, she founded Girls Will Code. It is a company that teaches coding to youngsters like her. She initially taught 10 elementary students at the Bagong Nayon 2 Elementary School basic programming. They learned Scratch Jr, a programming language that was designed and developed for children aged 5 – 7 years old.
This enables children to make interactive stories and games. This is how children can cobble together graphical programming blocks for command driven tasks such as graphical images of actions (jump, run, sing and even dance).
The instrinsic logical nature of programming is that it instills a structured approach wherein programming language can be learned just like normal language when at a youthful stage. Thus, fluency is achieved. Sieh wanted it to be learned as being part of a “community” wherein all the young coders will be given specific routines to be coded and then they will all be interfaced as the finished product. The “community” aspect makes it more fun to do coding and at the same time teaches them the value of teamwork. This also applied Game Theory in solving problems, developing and designing solutions for these problems.
This is the same structured learning that will be used in all phases of life for everybody and starting them young will make them assets for their schools and communities. This is a good for any child.
Isabel Sieh is now 13 years old and has entered the field of Engineering. She hails from Antipolo City, Rizal.
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