HOW THE PI OPENED DOORS
In 2015 I started using Raspberry Pi computers in the classroom. It was my first teaching post. I’d been using them for a while outside of teaching, but I could have never predicted the change bringing in just a few Pis would enable. It was transformational for computing, design technology, science and so much more.
I never thought it would change my teaching so much.
Within six months we had ordered a class set of Raspberry Pis and I’ve never looked back. When I moved to set up Spark Penketh, the first makerspace in a UK state school, a Raspberry Pi lab was first on my list. It enabled us, with limited funding, to extend our computer labs. We used the space to teach Python, Linux, HTML, Java, Javascript and Physical Computing.
We’ve built endless camera projects, animal monitoring systems, a Mycroft assistant for our lab and lots more. The projects are always great, but more important to me is that our Raspberry Pis have given all of our students a lab to learn in. To master their GCSE curriculum, experiment in science via the Raspberry Pi’s curriculum and all at our school Pi lab. It’s given access to the interesting , innovative and exciting world of computing in a way nothing else can. Even now, teaching remotely, we’re still using the Raspberry Pi with the Digital Making at Home programme and excited at the concept of the new Pico, making it even more accessible to everyone. The change Raspberry Pi makes to kids is vast. So, thank you Pi and if you want to help a school, donate Pis to them.