{"id":2755,"date":"2013-06-17T00:23:57","date_gmt":"2013-06-17T00:23:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dalelane.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2755"},"modified":"2014-05-10T19:55:31","modified_gmt":"2014-05-10T19:55:31","slug":"taking-a-kid-to-a-barcamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dalelane.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2755","title":{"rendered":"Taking a kid to a barcamp"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Computing<\/a><\/div>\n

Last weekend was Barcamp Berkshire<\/a>. Barcamps are something I’ve explained before<\/a>. In short, they’re conferences where each attendee contributes a session on any topic they want. This makes for an unplanned and eclectic mix of talks, presentations and discussions representing the wide range of hobbies, skills and experiences of the people who happen to be attending. <\/p>\n

It’s not particularly new that I went to a barcamp, as I’ve been going to things like this for many years<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What was new was that this time, I brought Grace.<\/p>\n

I was a little apprehensive about it. I wasn’t sure how people would react to an eight year old tagging along. I might be the clich\u00e9d oversharing proud dad (look – endless photos<\/a>!<\/em>), but I still have the tiniest bit of self-awareness left to (sometimes) realise that not everyone is as fascinated in every little thing my kids do as I am. I know people, particularly people who don’t have kids, might not relish the thought of spending a weekend with children running around. <\/p>\n

I wondered if it would make people uncomfortable. For example, I was relaxed about the chance that she might hear the occasional swear word. (I don’t swear in front of her, and she knows I wouldn’t want her to swear. But we’ve talked about it, I know which swear words that she knows, and she knows why I don’t think she should use them. So I wasn’t worried that she’d be mentally scarred for life if someone used a swear word or two in any of the sessions that we’d go to.<\/em>). I wasn’t expecting anyone to change their talk or feel that they had to censor themselves just because I’d chosen to bring a child. But what if people assumed I did have those sorts of expectations, or resented having kids around because of it?<\/p>\n

Or what if…? Basically, I was doing lots of second guessing about what people might think or do. <\/p>\n

But, I thought she might enjoy it and wanted to share with her what I’ve gotten out of barcamps<\/a>, so decided to give it a try. <\/p>\n

It was great. I’d worried about nothing. In fact, I probably shouldn’t have left it so long to bring her to one. <\/p>\n

Everyone was absolutely lovely and welcoming to her. The talks we went to exposed her to ideas and perspectives that were genuinely new to her, that she questioned me about for the whole drive home. It gave her a chance to see and try cool things that were new to her, like 3D printing, Makey Makey, an Aibo, and an Oculus Rift (seriously impressive virtual reality headset). <\/p>\n

And she even agreed to do a talk herself. She’d never used presentation software before, so I gave her a crash course in how to use Keynote on the iPad to make herself some slides. <\/p>\n

I wasn’t sure she’d do it. She was terrified about doing it, and for the few minutes leading up to the start, I think she’d have happily ran out of the room. But she did it. <\/p>\n

For half an hour, she ran a session about the computing that gets taught in her primary school, covering stuff like what hardware and software they use, and what skills they are taught. <\/p>\n

<\/a>She did great. I was very proud. And it was lovely to see the sort of reaction that she got. <\/p>\n

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Arriving at Barcamp Berkshire to lots of sleepy faces. Happy to find a talk from an 8yr on school computing #bcb13<\/a> http:\/\/t.co\/qPYhWbKjVY<\/a><\/p>\n

— Phil Hawksworth (@philhawksworth) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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8yr old Grace talking to a *packed* room at #bcb13<\/a><\/p>\n

— Digital Maverick (@digitalmaverick) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Being blown away at #BCB13<\/a> by young girl giving talk. Room is packed!<\/p>\n

— Nic Whatmore (@nicwhatmore) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Maximum crowd attending a session from an 8 year old kid.. talking wat we learn abt computers in our schools.. #bcb13<\/a> awesome kid talk<\/p>\n

— Jashraj Deshpande (@jashrajd) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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It is very sobering (as a Head of ICT) to see Grace\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s summary of her ICT experience at school #bcb13<\/a><\/p>\n

— Digital Maverick (@digitalmaverick) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Grace Lane, 8 years old, leading a #bcb13<\/a> session on computing in schools. About 40 people listening and discussing. Wow!<\/p>\n

— Giuseppe Sollazzo (@puntofisso) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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An awesome talk just now at #bcb13<\/a> on ICT teaching from the point of view of an 8 year old.<\/p>\n

— Christopher Hoult (@choult) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Talk being given by an 8 year old to a room full of adults! #barcampberkshire<\/a> #bcb<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/MvftvIHsQ6<\/a><\/p>\n

— Sean Holden (@SeanHolden5) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Just left a presentation by an 8 year old and it was brilliant! She looked far more comfortable than I might have looked lol #bcb13<\/a><\/p>\n

— \u00e2\u02dc\u00a0DaMainBoss\u00e2\u02dc\u00a0 (@FaYiMoRa) June 16, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As Father’s Day presents goes, it was a pretty good one. \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n

We had a great time. Taking a kid to a barcamp ended up being a great idea, and she can’t wait to go again.<\/p>\n

The only downside is that soon Faith will be old enough to come along, too, and then we should all be afraid<\/a>.<\/p>\n