Education

Minimum Competency for Defensive Pistol – Revisited

/ hsoi / 13 Comments

I’d like to revisit a series I wrote some months ago about “Minimum Competency for Defensive Pistol“.

After presenting the series at the 2nd Annual SDS Conference, I looked at how I did and coupled that with some feedback I received from an attendee whose opinion I greatly value (thanx, Sam!). His assessment and feedback reinforced my own thoughts on my performance, and with that, I figured it was right to revisit some things.

Presentation

The presentation itself? I thought I could have done better. I realized as I was putting the presentation together that I had organized it well for serialized presentation on the blog, but that didn’t lend so well to a public speaking forum. Alas, I didn’t have time to revise the presentation, so I presented it with only minor adjustment. It went over alright, but I know there was structure I could have improved.

One of the biggest parts? I spent a good deal of time talking about defining minimum standards, but not enough on how one can go about achieving them. Again, this worked well for the serialized blog presentation, but wasn’t as engaging for a listening audience.

I also realized, I never explicitly defined a drill or other test that helps one assess meeting those minimum standards. I implied it to be the “3 Seconds or Less” drill, but as it stands now? Well….

On Minimum Standards

If you haven’t, go back and read the original article so you can be aware of the foundation.

In the end, I think “minimum competency for defensive pistol skills” lies with the ability to:

  • Draw from concealment
    • Perhaps with movement (sidestep) on the draw)
  • Make multiple, acceptable hits
  • In a small area
  • From close range
    • Think “within a car length” (0-5 yards)
  • Quickly
    • 3 seconds or less
  • Using both hands
    • Enables multiple acceptable hits, quickly

Skills beyond that (one-handed shooting, reloading, malfunction remedy) are useful but above minimal. And of course, both safety and etiquette are expected.

Remember: this is about “minimal”. Put it this way. You have a friend whose crazy ex is now stalking them, threatening to do them harm. They have the restraining order, but they know how useful that is so they choose to get a gun. You have an afternoon to get them some basic skills. What is most vital for them to learn how to do? That’s what I’m talking about.

So yes, I was figuring the “3 Seconds or Less” drill was a good answer to this question. But now? Not so much.

Karl has evolved the drill. One change was in the ordering of the course of fire, merely to facilitate running the drill (eased the ammo and reload requirements so you could more easily run it with semi-autos or revolvers). That sort of change doesn’t really matter towards answering the question, and frankly it’s a good revision.

But Karl also changed the content of the drill. For example, in the current version of the drill there’s a reload, some walking backwards while shooting, and a turning draw; none of these were present in the original version of the drill.

This is why I think this drill no longer answers the question: it involves skills that are above minimal. This makes sense for the context in which Karl uses it: as a core test for KR Training’s “Defensive Pistol Skills” course progression. However, it is doing more than minimal, so it’s not strictly the correct answer for “minimum competency”.

That said, I’ve maintained that minimum competency is not good enough. You need to work to a higher standard (that Paul Ford comment about 70% of your worst day). I would say the current “3 Seconds or Less” drill is a good “higher standard” to work towards. Other good “higher standards” would be:

But again, this is higher. We’re talking minimal.

A Possible Minimal Drill?

As much as I hate to say it, I think the Texas CHL test COULD be it.

But it needs work.

Here’s the drill:

  • 3 yards
    • 1 shot, 2 sec., 5x
    • 2 shots, 3 sec., 5x
    • 5 shots, 10 sec., 1x
  • 7 yards
    • 5 shots, 10 sec., 1x
    • 2 shots, 4 sec., 1x
    • 3 shots, 6 sec., 1x
    • 1 shot, 3 sec., 5x
    • 5 shots, 15 sec., 1x
  • 15 yards
    • 2 shots, 6 sec., 1x
    • 3 shots, 9 sec., 1x
    • 5 shots, 15 sec., 1x

Here’s how it could be changed to make it a better test of minimum competency:

  • Needs to be shot from concealment
    • Current test has you working off a bench, and shooting from a ready position. Unrealistic.
    • Must shoot from concealment, whatever your chosen carry and concealment method would be. If that’s from a hip holster under your shirt, fine. Pocket carry, fine. If that’s from a purse, fine.
  • Use a better target
    • The B-27 is like hitting a barn wall. Furthermore, it’s not anatomically correct.
    • Use a target like an IPSC or IDPA target. There are a host of such targets out there. The key is a target that provides a smaller “acceptable hit” zone, and that is anatomically correct.
    • Make scoring more difficult. It’s “hit or miss”, “acceptable or unacceptable”. There is no graduated scoring scale, it either is or is not. If it’s on a line, if it’s questionable, score it unacceptable. 90% minimum score, or better, 100%.
  • Do not adjust the listed par times.
    • Having to shoot from concealment adds enough time to make the published par times more difficult.
    • This could be debated, and probably debated per-string. Like the first string (3 yards, 1 shot, 2 seconds) is probably sufficient, but the last 3 yard string (5 shots, 10 seconds), should that time be lowered? Probably, but this is splitting hairs at this point. Keep it simple and keep the test as written. These other modifications are more important.
  • The 15 yard strings are debatable.
    • That’s a pretty long car…
    • If I was using my above example of needing to get a friend some quick skills in an afternoon, I’d focus on the 3 yards, then on the 7 yards; I’d skip the 15 yards.

Shooting the TX CHL test with these changes (call it “TX-CHL++”, that’s “Texas CHL plus plus”) doesn’t make you any sort of bad-ass gunfighter, but I think it does a fair job at addressing the minimum requirements.

Remember: the intent of trying to establish “minimum competency” is because we, as humans, tend to overestimate our skills and abilities. We tend to think we have the skills, that we’ll handle ourselves just fine when the flag flies. It’s better to test yourself against standards such as these to see if you really do or do not. It’s better to have a dose of reality now, when you can afford it and can then work to remedy any shortcomings.

How to get there

So you’ve shot some tests and determined you need some work. How to get there?

After talking with Sam, I felt like maybe there should be a program to help you out. Like when doing all this weight lifting, a program like Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program is a great way to get going and address a lot of things. Could such a program be devised for shooting? I think so. Look at the books and DVD’s from Mike Seeklander. He takes a bit of a different approach, but that could certainly get you there.

I think in most regards it’s going to come down to the individual. What is your learning style like? Are you self-motivated?  Do you have enough to be able to self-diagnose and improve? In the beginning, we all need good teachers, and there are good schools and instructors out there. Take advantage of those opportunities to have a teacher, a mentor. There’s a lot of DVD product coming out that can be a help for sure, but I’ve found that those tend to be most useful to folks that already have a clue. You don’t have a be a master, but a rank beginner is going to get a lot more from having a real instructor looking over their shoulder, that can see precisely what’s going on and offer ways to correct, improve, and progress.

You have to practice the things you don’t want to practice. You have to be willing to push yourself outside your comfort zone. And I think another key factor is having a tangible goal. You can have a lofty goal, then break it up into smaller milestones. Perhaps it starts with shooting the TX-CHL++ clean with no time limits. Then you work towards the time-limits. Then you pick a harder standard, like the Farnam Drill, with a 15 second par, then 14 second. As you work, you’ll find where your weaknesses are and use dry fire practice to improve those. And so on. Be willing to be patient, but work consistently.

In the end, the desire is improvement. That we understand what “minimum acceptable” is so we can ensure we’re at least that, but then work to exceed it. Set a new level, then rise above it. And so on, and so on.

AAR: MAG-20 2014-03-08/09

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There’s a great deal of focus out there on how to keep yourself out of trouble and what to do if you find yourself in trouble. There’s a huge market out there of both producers and consumers of the “before” and “during” parts of personal defense.

But what about the “after”?

The reality is, if you find yourself in a situation where you must defend your life or the life of a loved one, there is going to be an after. It may be as simple as some interaction with the police, all good, and you’re on your way. It may be as complex as being arrested and spending millions of dollars and many years of your life tied up in court cases (even if you were righteous). The after may be littered with dreams, flashbacks, hospital visits, affected relationships, and all manner of other “side-effects” for the remainder of your life. The after may even wind up with you being sent to prison for the rest of your life for a crime you didn’t commit. There’s going to be an after, and it behooves you to prepare for it, just like you prepare for the “before” and “during.”  And while it may not be as sexy as learning how to use some shiny toy or learn some cool tactics, it is a reality that should not be denied. When you are in a situation, that is not the time to acquire knowledge about how to deal with the situation.

This is where MAG-20 comes in.

MAG-20

If you don’t know who Massad Ayoob is, just Google search on his name. His resumé and legacy speak to what you need to know about him. The depth and breadth of his experience, not just as a cop, not just as a “gun guy”, not just as an author, but also as an expert witness with his extensive time in a courtroom along with his intensive study and research of these issues, he brings an immense amount of knowledge and wisdom. And he’s willing to share it, in courses like MAG-20.

I spent this past weekend (2014-03-08/09) taking his MAG-20 Classroom course (classroom only, no live fire). It was hosted by KR Training and held at the Red Oak Ballroom in Austin, Texas. Here’s the summary of the class from his website:

A two-day, 20-hour immersion course in rules of engagement for armed law-abiding private citizens, emphasizing legal issues, tactical issues, and aftermath management. Topics will include interacting with suspects, witnesses, responding police officers…threat recognition and mind-set…management of social and psychological aftermath after having had to use lethal force in defense of self or others…and preparing beforehand for legal repercussions and minimizing exposure to them. Situations in the home, at the place of business, or “on the street” will all be covered.

Now don’t think this is any sort of “Hey, learn how to work the legal system so you can kill people you don’t like, then get out of jail free!” sort of thing. No, that’s the furthest thing from the truth (and any sort of moral or ethical behavior). This class is about helping private citizens who have accepted the responsiblity for the care of themselves and those they love, to understand the realities of the full scope of their undertaking. The class conveys the weight and true gravity of the matter. Yes, there is a measure of preparedness for things like the potentially inevitable courtroom battle; why shouldn’t we be prepared for that? Not to dodge the law but to ensure we act in a lawful manner, and in a manner that doesn’t allow the law (or unscrupulous prosecutors) to steamroll us for trying to remain alive to see our grandchildren graduate college.

Yes, this is an important course for everyone to take.

Sure, Mas can be polarizing. Some consider him to be strongly on one side of the spectrum. Well, that’s alright. He’s got decades of experiences and research that back up his knowledge and why he views things as he does, why he teaches what he does. That doesn’t mean everyone accepts Mas’ teachings and stances lock, stock, and barrel. During the weekend I spoke with Mas about a particular topic where he and another respected trainer disagree, and both have valid arguments for their stances. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your while to listen to what he has to say.

Furthermore, given Mas has been around for so long, written so much, and spoken to so many, there’s no question some of the things he has said have become distorted. Case in point, Mas’ stance on using handloaded ammunition for self-defense. I know what I’ve heard over the years, and just like any round of “the telephone game”, the truth gets distorted as each person retells it from their foggy memory. In fact, back in 2009, Kathy Jackson posted a comment to this very blog about this very subject, working to clear the air on what Mas actually says (and yes, I stand corrected)! But anything you can hear straight from “the horses’ mouth” is always going to carry more weight, and certainly ensures clear air. Many things were said over the weekend that I’ve heard before, but to hear them from Mas gives a different weight, a different perspective, and certainly ensures a clarity and authority you can’t get from the Internet message boards.

Our Class

So how was the class itself?

Intense and intensive.

Two 10-hour days is a long time for your butt to be in a chair. Furthermore, we lost an hour due to Daylight Saving time starting, so by day 2, everyone was feeling a little run down. But class was never boring, never inattentive. In fact, I don’t think I’ve taken notes like this since college.

BTW, quick shout out to Circus Ponies for their NoteBook for Mac app. I’ve long wanted a good note-taking app, but for one reason or other never got around to finding one (or writing my own). I knew my traditional approaches were fine for my normal daily workflow, but for something this intensive well… Saturday morning before class started I went looking, found Circus Ponies’ app (which I had heard of before but never looked at beyond smiling at the fun company name), download, install, quick tutorial, then off and running. It was a smart move and tremendously helpful in my note-taking efforts. I’m going to continue my 30-day free trial, using NoteBook in my daily workflow instead of what I’ve done for the past 20 years, and see how it pans out. I’m optimistic! But I digress.

The class was logically presented, with each topic building upon the ones before it. Yes, if you’ve been around long enough, read enough, taken enough courses, you are going to be hearing things you’ve heard before. But now, maybe you’re hearing it correctly, or maybe the simple repetition is good for memory retention. This isn’t to say the class is just rehashed stuff; far from it. There’s a great deal of new and valuable information too.

The Power of Language

For me, one of the more interesting aspects was insight into the way the courts can work. The way the lawyers can work. Mas made a point that often a lawyer is going to make more use of Webster’s dictionary than Black’s Law dictionary. Here’s an example.

“I’m sorry.”

When you heard (read) those words, what impression did they leave upon you? Likely the impression that the person who spoke those words is sad… and regretful. Penitence. There’s implication of guilt.

But is that always the case?

What if you didn’t hear someone (loud room)? You might say “I’m sorry?” in an effort to get them to repeat themselves.

What if a friend’s mother just lost her battle with cancer. You might say to your friend, “I’m sorry.”  This is an expression of sympathy, not of guilt.

In each of these, it’s the same words uttered each time, but the intent and meaning behind those words is vastly different! Consider the impression some may take when they hear those words: “I’m sorry”. If you stand up in front of the court and say “I’m sorry”, could that be perceived as confession of a crime? or through some deft use of Webster’s dictionary, a prosecutor choosing to point out to the jury how the use of the words “I’m sorry” can mean penitence: a feeling of sadness because you did something wrong… wrong… like admission of guilt. Can you see how your words, that maybe were expressed out of sorrow, could be turned into an expression of guilt?

That was something from the course that really stood out to me. How yes, everything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You’ve heard that phrase, but have you ever considered how your words may then be used against you, given the above example?

No, it’s not fair. But if you can have prior awareness, prior planning, prior knowledge — education! You can be prepared. Again, yet another time where people may not understand the value of a good education, until it’s too late.

Personal Take

All in all, I think the only downside to the weekend was a sore butt and stiff legs from sitting so much. 🙂 Oh, and I somewhat blew out my diet (two words: catered Skittles).  I learned a great deal. I have some thoughts on ways to improve my own planning, my own strategies, my own program. I even have a few things I wish to talk  over with Karl regarding KR Training. Regardless of those, I also have some thoughts on ways to improve myself as an instructor. If that’s what I walked away with, I have to think it was time well-spent.

Oh and my personal highlight of the weekend? I got to be Mas’ chauffeur. 🙂  It was fun to be able to speak with him on a more personal level, and personally experience what a down-to-earth and class-act he is. Yes, I made sure to take him to Rudy’s BBQ (nothing like their extra moist brisket!), and Mas… next time I’ll be sure to find a good BBQ joint that also serves Rolling Rock. 😉 Thank you so much for coming to Austin and sharing your knowledge with us.

This is not the checklist you’re looking for

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Mark Keefe wrote an article “20-Questions for a First Pistol Checklist“. The subheading was “Providing sound advice for purchasing a firearm requires knowledge of the purpose, which means you have to ask the right questions.”

I would agree with that statement. Certainly knowledge of purpose is the right way to start, because a firearm is like any tool: there are many types, and you will do your job better if you have the right tool for the job.

And the article does start off that way:

1. First things first, what do you want it for?
Personal protection and recreational target shooting.

2. Do you understand that there are serious considerations regarding using a firearm for personal protection?
Yes, I understand and have thought it through; really that is why I am at this point.

3. Do you want it as a carry gun?
No. I may later, but not right now.

4. How and where do you plan to store it?
I will keep it loaded in a lock box in my bedroom

Question #1 is good, and questions 2-4 fall naturally from the answer given to question #1. So far, so good.

5. What cartridge do you want it to chamber?

Aaaannndd… we’re done.

Questions 5-11 ask about caliber, type of gun, capacity, frame type (steel vs. polymer), action type, mechanical safeties, external hammers. Question 12 asks about price (good question). Question 13-16 ask about accessories, sights, adjustability. Question 17 is about geography, which matters to some folks (but IMHO shouldn’t be a primary consideration). Question 18 on barrel length. Question 19 is about new vs. used (possibly relevant).

Well, while these can be meaningful questions — and perhaps they were meaningful and appropriate for the person Mark was questioning — this is not a good general line of questions for the first-time buyer. In fact, most first time buyers will have no idea about these things, what they mean, what their significance is — so how could they answer these questions? In fact, question #20 “Are you willing to take an NRA Basic Pistol Course if I help you out?” seems like a prerequisite to being able to answer many of these questions! Certainly all of those mechanical features would be defined, discussed, and made relevant to the newbie.

I’ve gotten to a point where any “buying a gun” checklist that puts “caliber” near the top of the list automatically gets nixed; caliber matters, but not as much as the Internet makes you think. If you still think steel guns are better than polymer-framed guns, Glock would like a word with you. If you’re new to shooting and your goal is concealed carry, checklists that push you to small guns as first guns are checklists to ignore.

Checklists to pay attention to? Ones that are made by people that actually shoot and understand shooting. That understand beginners and their needs. That it’s more important to find a gun you can shoot right and shoot well (e.g. gun fit is a primary concern), because shooting the gun is enjoyable and you see success in your shooting (that’s what gets you to return to the range and to training classes).

Here’s one such checklist.

The importance of managing time in the classroom

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The other day I spent a very long day sitting in the Texas Concealed Handgun Instructor certification renewal class. It was a very long day (class officially started at 8:00 AM and I didn’t leave until 7:00 PM). There were a few things that stood out to me about the class, but one thing in particular.

Classroom time management.

When you have a particular set of material that you must cover, you must be aware of how you present that material in a manner that is not only effective but also sensitive to time constraints.

There are a few big time killers.

First, anecdotes. There’s no question anecdotes aid learning. It gives real-world perspective to what is being taught, and the impact of the story can  aid in retention of the material. But anecdotes must be used sparingly. If every bullet-point on the slide is accompanied by a story, everything will drag out. Furthermore, a heavy amount of stories lessens the impact of those stories, both from overload and the restlessness of the audience with “Oh boy, another war story”. Sometimes as well, it expends further time because now others want to chime in with their stories. And the time-wasting grows.

What can make this worse is when you have multiple instructors (e.g. co-teaching) and everyone feels a need to chime in. Yes, we all like to make our pet points, yes we all have things to say. But all instructors must be mindful of keeping on time and on track, and sometimes that means shutting up. This isn’t to say the other instructors must remain in silence, but that the entire teaching team must have their watches synchronized and do their part in keeping the classroom on track and on time.

Second, and this isn’t so much a time-killer as a morale one, but setting time-expectations. When you start off saying this next section should only take 20 minutes to do, then it winds up taking 45 — because of so many anecdotes — people are going to be annoyed. When the invitation says class should be done by 6:00 PM then you start going on about how we’re going to run over because time’s being wasted, but then you’re the one wasting the time? Um… doesn’t sit well with folks.

Furthermore, when you know Q&A is an important part of the reason for holding the classroom session, then there’s almost no time alloted for Q&A because all the time was used up by stories and other time-wasters, that’s a problem — especially when you set the expectation that part of the reason we’re there is to have open lines of communication between the students and instructors.

Third, underpromise and overdeliver. This goes back to the time issues. If you say “this is going to take 20 minutes” then you take 45, people are going to be upset. When you say we’ll be out by 6PM then we’re not out until 7PM, people are going to be upset. Instead, you should say it’ll take 45 and deliver it in 30, or that we’ll be out by 6PM but we’re actually done by 5. Be more realistic in setting your expectations, overestimate a little bit, and that way if you run up to that time then at worst you did what you said; if you still go over, hopefully then it won’t be by much; and if you go under, everyone will love you.

Finally, realize that it’s your classroom. You are the one in charge. If you set rules for classroom procedure, you need to follow and enforce those rules. Furthermore, you should not chastise the students for being the time-wasters, because if the students are wasting time it’s only because you are the one allowing them to waste the time. If you set rules that questions should be held until a particular point of the presentation, you should not be acknowledging hands raised at other times during the presentation (other than perhaps to say “I see you, we’ll take questions at the end”… do that a few times and everyone will get it and things will flow better). But of course, you must ensure to allot and then preserve that Q&A time — it cannot be sacrificed because you failed in other areas of time management. If the classroom fails to run smoothly and on time, it’s not the fault of the students, it’s the fault of the instructor.

I do understand how this goes. I have to run classrooms, I assist in classrooms. I’ve been there, done that. I know I have my own things to work on, and that’s probably why these things stood out to me because these are things I see in myself and my own classrooms. Things we’ve worked on, things we still need to improve upon. I don’t say this to be ugly to the instructors of my CHL-I class, but rather as feedback from one instructor to another on how we can all work to make our classrooms better, more productive, and more conducive to successful learning.

Learn to Read Korean in 15 minutes

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I may be half-Korean, but my knowledge of Korean is pretty poor. The main reason is lack of exposure — I just don’t need nor use much Korean in a day, week, or month. Use it or lose it, y’know?

When I was studying a Korean martial art, I had actually brushed up on my Korean speaking and reading skills pretty well, but since that time, everything’s waned. Heck, if there’s any second speaking/reading (as opposed to programming) language I should know, it’d be Spanish, given the daily exposure I have to it.

Still, some time ago I came across this nifty little resource on How to Read Korean in 15 Minutes (and I always meant to blog about it, so finally here I am). The cool thing is Hangul is phonetic, so once you recognize the characters, sounding things out isn’t that difficult. Of course, to fully understand Korean is another matter, but I’ve found the ability to read and sound things out to be useful.

Story time.

Wife loves Korean pancakes (Pa-Jeon). My mom told me I needed to look for this flour/powder mix called “Buchim Garu” (that’s how you pronounce it). She told me over the phone, so I knew what the words sounded like, but I had no idea what it looked like. And of course, everything at the Korean grocery store will be written in Korean.

Enter the joy of the phonetic language!

I was in the store aisle that was obviously of the flowers and powder mixes. I picked up bags, looked at labels, and tried sounding things out (hopefully your browser/computer can show Korean)

부 (bu….)

부침 (bu… chim…)

부침가루 HA! Buchim Garu!

I was triumphant. 🙂

(Funny… Google Translate translates that as “fluctuations powder”. Heh. “Frying powder” is more correct, but I like fluctuations powder)

 

Pushing – walking a fine line

/ hsoi

In a prior article, I referenced an article written by Kathy Jackson. Kathy discusses her role as a self-defense instructor, and the gravity of that role. And while she might strive to make a fun class and work to see her students enjoy her teaching, she understands there’s something more she must do:

In order to fulfill my most important responsibility to my students, I have to risk pushing them beyond their comfort levels. And I have to do it in a way that will cause them to work harder rather than to shut down. If I’m not willing to take that risk for the sake of my students’ lives, I have no right to call myself a self-defense instructor.

We do this in classes at KR Training, varying the level of “push” depending upon the class. In a class like Basic Pistol 1, for some of the students they are pushing their comfort levels merely by attending class and picking up a gun for the first time, so we instructors don’t need to add push and pressure (just comfort and reassurance). In a class like Defensive Pistol Skills 1, we start to relay the gravity of carrying a gun and what self-defense actually involves, so we have students shoot on a timer and yes there’s some yelling by the instructors to raise the pressure levels (because someone trying to kill you is going to be a pressure-filled event!). Then you get to force-on-force classes, and those have a range of discomfort as well.

I think that’s why some people avoid training, or at least, particular types of training.

I know I’m victim of it. I’m human too. I like comfort. I like known. I don’t like getting my ass kicked, I don’t like the physical pain, I don’t like the ego bruising.

But we don’t get better unless we push ourselves. Heck, the only reason I can squat 300# now is because I pushed myself over my fears, over my discomfort, over my hate of squatting, over my fear of getting hurt, fear of not being able to get back up. I pushed myself, I got better.

Generally we shouldn’t take big leaps: someone that’s never done force-on-force before, even just verbal no-contact role-playing stuff, probably shouldn’t take SouthNarc’s ECQC as a first go. But if the thought of force-on-force is a little scary to you, I urge to to find a “101-level” type of FoF class (e.g. KR Training’s AT-2) and give it a try. I’ve never seen anyone come out of such a class not better for it.

So realize, when your teacher, coach, instructor, whatever pushes you, it’s an attempt to help you get better. If we go too far over the line, it’s not malicious; but do let us know so we can be mindful (because too far will just cause you to shut down and close off to learning). But don’t worry if you feel a little uncomfortable: we all did, we all do, we all will, and we all will grow from it.

The Second Annual Suburban Dad Survivalist Preparedness Conference

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Paul Martin, known to some as “The Suburban Dad Survivalist“, is presenting the Second Annual Suburban Dad Survivalist Preparedness Conference.

The event will be held on Saturday, January 4, 2014 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the Cabela’s in Buda, Texas.

Complete details on the conference, including speakers, schedule, cost, etc. can be found at the SDS website.

I will be presenting at the conference, and look forward to seeing you there!

More stuff for learning to program

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A few days ago I wrote about Scratch, a nifty way to help my kids learn how to program.

I forgot a couple other things I found.

Stencyl. This looks neat. It I haven’t used it, but from what I read it looks like it follows the same sort of drag and drop “block” programming structure and logic that Scratch does. But it can be used to actually make iOS and Android products that you can actually ship and sell. So maybe after Scratch, this would be something to try. It would take the knowledge they had before, but now they have to actually make something polished and ship. A good “bridge” between the two worlds, so to speak.

There’s also GameSalad, which is made right here in Austin.

I still would want them to learn “real” languages (e.g. Objective-C, C++, Python, Ruby, Java, JavaScript, and maybe even new funky languages like Scala). Who knows. I think tho it needs to start with a desire to do it, and to really gain a love for it. If things like Scratch or Stencyl take off for them, then we’ll go there.

Who knows. 🙂

 

Learning to program

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Youngest walks up to me about a month ago and asks how you program (write software for computers).

Oh joy! 🙂

Now I’ve talked about learning to program before and even a second time. I always come back to Karel the Robot as a great way to learn how to program. Why? Because you get to learn the constructs of programming without being burden by the constructs of programming. You can learn about loops and conditionals and variables and logic and flow, but you don’t have to spend 3 hours debugging a problem to find out it was because you misplaced a comma. And it doesn’t matter if you really do anything useful or not at this stage, in terms of gaining some employable skill (no job listings for Karel knowledge); once you learn how to program, then languages are just languages and toolsets are just toolsets.

Back when I looked at the LEGO Heavy Weapons book, No Starch Press offered other books to me to review. I asked about the Python for Kids book because it looked like it might be a great way to start the kids into programming. They sent me a copy, but I have yet to go through it. Mostly inertia on my part. Daughter asked me about it, but just a passing interest. And I must admit, while I think the book is well done for what it is, I still think it’s not a perfect start because there’s issues of language that get in the way. You have to get bogged down by syntax of Python. It’s not horrible of course, but I know things can be simpler. I think this book would make a good “phase 2”.

When Youngest asked me again, I went looking around. I found Scratch from MIT.

I think I’ve found what I’ve been looking for.

Youngest and I played around with this for a bit, doing the tutorial. I saw how Scratch gave you all the language, all the logic, even some advanced things like variables, lists, and inter-object messaging. It’s actually pretty cool. I liked the way you just drag and drop to make logic go. It also is able to give you direct feedback, which I think is good for capturing a child’s interest in the topic. I encouraged Youngest to “just try it”. What would happen if? Just try it and see! The environment is very forgiving, but even still, you can make mistakes and have to learn to debug.

I also really dig that all Scratch projects are “open source”. You can look at what others have done, and then you can look at the “source code” to see how they did it. I was able to find a simple game on the site, then show everyone how they made it happen and how neat that was.

So I’m working on this with Youngest. I told him a simple project he could start with would be reinventing comics. We all love Pearls Before Swine and I told him he could start by taking a simple Pearls comic (maybe just Pig and Rat talking to each other) and recreating it in Scratch. It’s a simple project, simple goals, but challenging enough to get your feet wet with.

And we joke… with Youngest programming… Daughter creating artwork and music… Oldest creating artwork, music, and overall design work… they all like to make movies, do voice work. Oh geez… I’ve got an in-house dev shop now!

Man, I wonder how far this ball will roll. 🙂

Science!

/ hsoi / 4 Comments

Step off your political soapbox and put on your scientist lab coat. Here’s a lesson in cavitation physics, courtesy of slow-motion photography, a swimming poll, and an AK-47.

(h/t Shawn)

Yeah, the oscillation bubble was really cool.