We're bring you a new HSTE blog series called "Classroom Highlights"! Each month we'll visit a new school or classroom to bring attention to the amazing teaching and learning that's happening across the state of Hawai'i. This month we're visiting with Nathaniel Evslin, our current HSTE President, at Island School on Kaua'i.

At Island School on Kaua'i I teach introduction to computer science. This class covers creating websites using HTML and CSS as well as introductory programming topics using Python. After students have learned the basics of creating a website, they go out and find a real client to create a website for. These clients are usually family or friends that need a website for a business. If the client likes the site they can then take it over. This works great for the students because it gives them a wider audience for the sites that they create and gives them the experience of working with a client. Students spend so much of the their school life only producing for the teacher, if they are given the opportunity to work with a wider audience they really step up the challenge.

I think that bringing real world experience into the classroom is a wonderful way to bring out the best in the students. 

Sample Sites from class:

Nathaniel Evslin is the current HSTE Board President. He is also the Director of Technology and Deeper Learning at Island School on Kauai.