family code night best practices - harrington school of

FamilyCodeNightBestPracticesThroughagenerousgrantfromtheInfosysFoundationUSA,theUniversityofRhodeIsland’sGraduateSchoolofLibraryandInformationStudiespartneredwithJohnPearce,ExecutiveDirectorofFamilyCodeNight,CranstonPublicLibrary,ProvidenceCommunityLibraries,theCentralFallsAdamsPublicLibrary,andtheRIStateOfficeofLibraryandInformationServices(OLIS)tobethefirsttobringfamilycodingtopubliclibrariesintheOceanState.FamilyCodeNightatpubliclibrariesinRhodeIslandlaunchedinDecember2018,toaroomfullofexcitedthird-to-fifthgradersandtheirfamilymembersattheCranstonPublicLibrary.Codingisacriticalknowledgeskillforchildrenandyoungadults—andhostingaFamilyCodeNighteventforthecommunityatapubliclibraryisafunwaytointroducebeginningcodingconceptsandincreasecomputerscienceliteracy.HereoursomeofourtipsandbestpracticesforlibrariesinterestedinhostingaFamilyCodeNight.StartEarly&GetOrganizedTheFamilyCodeNightwebsitehaseverythingyourlibraryneedstohostafunandsuccessfulevent.Signupforafreeeventkitforplanningandpromotionalmaterials,checklists,apresenterscript,andmore.StartplanningearlytoensureyourFamilyCodeNightisfunforeveryoneandleavesyouraudiencewonderingwhentheycancomebackfortheirnextlibraryprogram!GenerateExcitementMarket,market,market!Utilizethemarketingmaterialsintheeventkitandreachouttoschools,socialserviceorganizations,andyourdedicatedlibraryfanbasetospreadthewordandrecruitfamiliestoattendyourlibrary’sevent.Takealookaroundatyourlibrarystaffandvolunteers:Whocouldhaveasuccessfulmoonlightingjobasaliveauctioneerorastand-upcomedian?There’syourpresenter!TheFamilyCodeNightpresentershouldbefun,engaging,willingtocrackajokeortwo,andabletobringlotsofenthusiasmtotheevening.TheFamilyCodeNighteventkitincludesapresenterscript,butthepresentershouldfeelfreetorunwiththeenergyoftheevening,suchasquizzingkidsonwhatthey’velearnedoraskingforvolunteersforquickskill-buildingdemonstrations.Ifthepresentersareexcited,thekidsarequicklyengaged.TestYourEquipmentandConnection—One,Two,ThreeTimesNoonewantstobestuckupdatingtheircomputerorwaitingfortheWi-fitoworkwhentheycouldbeplayinggamesandcoding.Theeventisshortandsweet,andwithsuchalimitedtimeframeit’snecessaryforalltechnologytobeupandrunningsmoothlyfromtheget-go.TesttheequipmentandtheInternetconnectionafew

daysbefore,themorningof,andafewhourhoursbeforetheeventsstarts.Trytohaveallcomputersortabletsonandreadywhenthefamiliesarrive.MakeitEasyEveningprogramscanbetrickyforfamilies.Withlongschoolandworkdays,bustlingtransitions,andhomeworkcalling,thereismuchtocompetewithforthetimeandattentionofyourtargetaudience.Providesnacksandwaterforthefamilies,andconsiderputtingbrainfuel(akapizza)onthemenuifFamilyCodeNightisgoingtocoincidewithdinnertime.EnlisttheHelpofTeensWhoprobablyalreadyknowshowtocodeandinspiresaweinyoungerkids?Teenagers!TeenagersmakeexcellentFamilyCodeNightmentors.It’sanopportunitytoflexthoseleadershipmusclesandmaybeearnafewcommunityservicehours.Reachouttolocalcomputerscienceteacherstoseeiftheycaninteresttheirstudentsinvolunteeringfortheevent.NudgeParentstoParticipateParentparticipationiskey!FamilyCodeNightisdesignedtobeateamexercise.Adultsandkidsworkinapairstosolvecodingpuzzlestogether,eachonetakingaturnatthecomputerordeviceandlearningfromoneanother.Codingmentorsshouldmaketheroundsduringtheeventandnudgeadult-childpairstoremembertoswitchplaceswitheverynewpuzzle.Itcanbehardforyoungchildrentorelinquishtheirturnonatabletbuttheywilllovethechallengeofguidingtheirparentorguardianthroughatrickypuzzle,andmanyadultsareexcitedtocodeforthefirsttime!Theirexcitementattheeventwilltranslatetointerestathome.FollowupWhentheeventwrapsup,therewillbeapalpableenergyintheair.Families—bothchildrenandguardiansalike—aregoingtoleavethirstyformoreSTEAMactivities.Makesureyouhavefutureprogramslinedup,andprovideplentyofflyers,brochures,andlibrarycalendarsofeventsforfamiliestograbonthewayout.FamilyCodeNightisanexcellentwaytobuildandgrowyouraudience!

Photocaption:AmotheranddaughterareassistedbyaURIGraduateSchoolofLibraryandInformationSciencesstudent(right)atFamilyCodeNightattheCranstonPublicLibrary.PhotobyAylaFox.