Lire, écrire, compter, coder

In Cureghem, right next to the headquarters of Maks asbl, is the French-speaking Saint-François Xavier school. After an initial collaboration between the school and Maks during a digital school outing, the idea of creating a larger project together emerged.

In the middle of the lockdown, we wrote the project Lire, écrire, compter, coder. The school does not have an IT infrastructure. Many of the students at the SFX school do not have a computer at home. This was reflected in the students’ enthusiasm when they saw us arrive with computers.

The 6 classes of the 3rd grade of primary school were each given 2 days of computer lessons that were used to bridge the digital gap through exercises such as the math axes system using Battleship (the game) and a virtual axes system for coding a game. Another day was dedicated to learning how to programme microcomputers and LED lights and how to transmit radio signals.

Interim consultations with teachers allowed us to better respond to the needs of the students. Thus, it turned out there was a need for extra individual coaching and an extra animator from Maks was used for the sessions. Maks animators shared the exercises with the teachers beforehand so that the students could be better prepared for the computer lesson. A relationship was formed and thankfully the teachers are now always open for a chat when we meet them after a day’s work.

During the lockdown, we noted that many students at the French-speaking school Saint-François Xavier do not have a computer at home