If you asked long-time computer guru, Najee Morales, why he started coding, his answer might surprise you.
“Adventure,” Morales typed back, our interview, of course, occurring virtually.
Morales is a busy guy, spending his time working, repairing PCs and circuit boards. Holding several certificates in STEM fields (like Cyber Security and Computer Science), Morales also has a Bachelor’s in Game Design focusing on 2D and 3D art. His impressive line of experience, however, isn’t what makes Morales the Coder Extraordinaire.
His real talent comes from his early-youth, playing with his older brother. “My older brother is someone that inspired me,” three-little bubbles burp onto the screen. “As the youngest, I had the opportunity to learn from him and watch him enjoy learning.”
While he recalls stories about their problem-solving games and adventures, his memories filing onto the screen at a steady 70 wpm (words per minute), there is a sense of joy that emanates from my computer screen, maybe even a different glow.
“As a kid […] I would always wonder how [a game] was developed,” his own enigmatic games with his brother involving whole worlds and new creations. “Every game has a story, and those stories are sometimes relatable. So, why not make a game with a story you would like to tell the world and make it fun?”
Making any kind of learning fun can be difficult for even the most experienced teacher. It can be especially difficult when the topic is complex. Like other STEM related fields, Coding can be a demanding tool to learn. From HTML and CSS to Java and Javascript learning to code involves learning a different language. On top of that, learning to code involves precise sets of patterns and methods in order to make your code work or learn how to fix broken code. From my vantage point, what makes Morales’s approach to teaching STEM is in framing code in that same child-like play and wonder that he felt with his brother, something he wants to share with his students.
For Morales, coding is the perfect outlet to encourage creativity and community-building. His childhood curiosity, which informs his approach to teaching, helped keep Morales off the streets and led him to pursue his game-making dreams. He hopes with his classes he can do that same for others.
“I always had a passion for helping the community and kids, helping them work together and accomplish [goals], letting their imagination come to life.”
With such a big heart, Morales’s assuredness in his ability to teach basic to complex code to kids of all ages portrayed a genuine person whose patience and experience would make learning a great experience rather than a frustrating one.
