Hatem Heshmat is one of our many instructors in our hackerspace of Cairo in Egypt. He’s in charge of our Kids Track, where he coaches the younger kids.

It’s a perfect opportunity for kids to learn about coding

As an instructor in the Kids Track, I am in charge of introducing the Kids to computer science. The aim of this track is to make kids understand what the world of computing is, how it works. We use Scratch and App Inventor tools to help them get to know the concepts of computer programming while having fun. It’s a perfect opportunity for kids to learn about coding and for parents to help them develop coding skills at an early age.

You are involved into a business environment, not a classical classroom

My experience as an instructor at GOMYCODE is something great. This is not the first time I’ve had experience teaching and I find the GOMYCODE model, which requires proximity between the students and the instructor, to be very interesting. It is even innovative here in Egypt. This model strengthens the links between instructors and students and even between students themselves. For a long time, we have been used to the traditional way of teaching, which imposes a theoretical course and where the student must learn the content and give it back. Here at GOMYCODE, we are more in a business environment, it’s a bit like being in the mood of an employee: If you are asked to do something that you don’t master 100%, you will go and do some research and try to do it by yourself or by asking your colleagues. That’s exactly what happens here, you learn by making.

As an instructor, I’m not like the teacher they see at school

I always start my day with an activity to break the ice and relax. There is also this fun side that is very important to strengthen the bonds between us. I also try to always be available to the students. I observe a lot and talk to them a lot. I try to see where they may have problems and I give them my advice and tips to help them get through it on their own. I also try to understand their goals and accompany them throughout the process so that they can achieve them.

Since this is a course for kids, in addition to being their instructor, I also play the role of big brother.  It’s important to note that the instructor at GOMYCODE is different from the teacher they see at school. Here, we play games, for example. These games are educational and are meant to be applied to the course. So we’re doing something that’s fun for them but also helps them master tech skills.

it is important to have a community to lean on

The thing I like most here is the community. You have to know that the GOMYCODE community is something unique. In the tech world, it is extremely important to have a community to lean on in order to move forward quickly and better master technological tools that complement our background. Finally, it is a network that is created that allows us to have more precise ideas on technological trends and opens new opportunities.