>
>
> I agree. I've recently started coaching the son of a friend in computing
> for his new school (he is effectively a year behind
> his new classmates). They use VB6 but at a level I can cope with! :-)
>
> The interesting thing however is that the schools have not taught
> any kind of approach to problem solving, they just give a homework
> assignment and expect them to produce code.
I feel like we've had this conversation a long, long time ago. :P
This is the sort of thing that we should be expect out of math classes.
Polya's "How to Solve It" gives an approach that I wish I had seen during
my own grade schooling. I ended up being exposed to the book from a
recommendation that said something to the effect of: "If you want to be a
good programmer, read this!"
Another place where I'm seeing the act of problem solving being explicitly
taught is in "How to Design Programs":
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/matthias/HtDP2e/
(Note: I have worked with the authors of this book.)
They use the term "Design Recipe", which is a similar shape to Steven's
approach. Though I'd say to Steven: move the "write unittests" part from
point 5 up to right after point 1. Then we'll be in more agreement. :P
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