Coding = World Languages, an ongoing dibate

While the Industry tells us that they need well-rounded people, our educational system is still wearing blinders targeting "STEM" and ignoring the value of the Humanities.

The most clamorous example coming to my mind is the movement for recognizing CODING as a foreign language. While learning a second or third language develops skills and thinking patterns that facilitate the acquisition of a coding language, it so absolutely not true the reverse process.

These are some great articles arguing this case:

• Students Should Learn Programming. But It Shouldn’t Count as a Foreign Language. By Valerie Woolard Srinivasan
• Math OK as substitute for coding but foreign language isn't, bill hearing suggests. By Alex Mann
• Coding or Foreign Language: What Should Be Taught? By United Language Group

Tech Needs Humanities

"Encourage  them to be whatever they want to be!" I love and share this stand of Eric Berridge for so many reasons.
This is my mantra with my own students, in spite of what society and mainstream media are force-feeding to them, as Mr. Berridge very well presented.
While all my formal education has been mostly related to Humanities, in my personal and professional life I have always been attracted to technology. Hired as an international marketing specialist in the e-commerce business, I ended up working as a graphic designer and webmaster. This compilation of skills and knowledge turned out to be fundamental in the successful outcome of my first job in education, as Sped Aide, working 1-to-1 with an intensive need student.
Today I am a foreign language online teacher and Humanities are my worlds, yet technology is constantly present. Personally, I find hurtful recognizing their importance, while seeing how they are being shuffled to a class B or C level for the promotion of STEM. In my opinion, Humanities give students the opportunity to develop thinking abilities that, later on, can easily be transferred and applied to other domains. Mr. Berridge presents a very clear manner how the job force of today and tomorrow needs these skills and why we as society and in particular our education system, should support and promote students' interest in pursuing educational pathways in the Humanities, and not only in STEM.
This is a breath of fresh air, in my opinion, and I am very pleased of coming upon this video at this time. In the past 3 years I have been the Teacher Leader of the students' organization Educators Rising in my district., and I am looking forward to sharing this video with the sutdents of my organization for promoting some interesting discussions and hear their stands on this matter.