{"id":37547,"date":"2021-01-29T22:51:25","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T04:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.codewizardshq.com\/?p=37547"},"modified":"2025-05-01T02:22:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T08:22:15","slug":"teacher-spotlight-alec-goodner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.codewizardshq.com\/teacher-spotlight-alec-goodner\/","title":{"rendered":"Teacher Spotlight: Alec Goodner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cookie baker, teacher, and cat dad, Alec Goodner is not your stereotypical computer guy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

A Man of Many Interests<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alec grew up in the early 2000s and was impressed with computer pioneers like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Like those who inspired him, Alec is a man of many interests, balancing a variety of projects when not teaching at CodeWizardsHQ.
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He currently works at the Crumbl cookie company where he does a little of everything, including baking cookies. <\/p>\n\n\n

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He finds that variety makes life more enriching. \u201cHaving experience in computer-related things has helped me not only in that field, but in areas of life that are not directly computer-related,\u201d he says. \u201cI have this different mindset, this different efficiency that helps me solve problems in different areas of my life. I try to follow that philosophy across my hobbies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind the scenes, Alec enjoys video games, 3D printing, writing, literature, and movies. Some of his favorite series are Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Gotham, and Superheroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne thing I\u2019ve been working on is my own custom board game. I\u2019ve been developing the rules and thinking about how to use the artwork. I\u2019ll use some coding to type up some Python simulations to see how the mechanics work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teaching Creativity in Coding<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alec loves teaching kids to code and the opportunity to use his imagination while coding. \u201cThere\u2019s a stereotype of computer guys not being very creative, but coding actually gives you options for flexing your creative muscles,\u201d he says, adding that web development is an example that allows you to present what you design on the screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Likewise, there are practical reasons for learning to code. We live in a computer age. It\u2019s always present, and things are always changing. So, even if you don\u2019t want to make a career out of coding, you should have some basic knowledge of it so you can better interact with the world around you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Alec, who earned a degree in Software Engineering, came across CodeWizardsHQ when considering his career options. He was impressed with the school\u2019s dedication to teaching students real programming skills in a way that was challenging and fun. \u201cI realized I would love to have that kind of impact on people, to help them start on their journey as well,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging Students to Grow Through Mistakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alec particularly appreciates seeing students become fully engaged in their projects. \u201cEspecially in the web-dev classes where they can put their own skin on things – you can tell that they put effort into it when they play with the code and make it their own. As a teacher, it\u2019s great to see students having fun in that way, really wanting to interact with everything.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI often tell my students, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m just here to give you a baseline. If you want to take this off somewhere, I can help you with something that may be above your weight, but please, put your own spin on this.\u2019 We like to teach coding in a way that students can use it on their own.”<\/p>\n\n\n

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Because interactivity is an important aspect of Alec\u2019s teaching approach, he draws out shy students by encouraging them to speak up in class. He urges all his students to talk with each other and have fun with their projects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome students get embarrassed if they can\u2019t figure something out and have to ask you for help. And it\u2019s usually small issues, like they forgot to indent something or add a semicolon. I have to explain, \u2018It\u2019s fine. There are people who have been in this field for years or decades, and they still make these mistakes.\u2019 It takes some kids a while to learn that it\u2019s OK to make mistakes. It happens a lot, and it\u2019s part of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When working on a project, his cat, Bit, usually sits close by. When he adopted her as kitten, he chose that name because it reflected her tiny size and also his passion for computing. And he figured, if she got fat as she grew up, he could rename her Megabit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alec finds that teaching coding is a growth experience for everyone. \u201cOf course, I\u2019m helping the students learn,\u201d he says, \u201c but, it\u2019s not one-sided. I\u2019m always interacting with them and discovering new things. I\u2019m all about bettering yourself. I love that kind of growth and self-improvement overall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to level up your child\u2019s learning experience?<\/strong> Take a coding class with CodeWizardsHQ:<\/p>\n\n\n\n