Teacher successfully raises money to teach code to kids with robots

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County teacher got a bright idea: start a fundraiser to bring robots into the classroom. It sounds crazy, but he did just that.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are pretty standard for first graders. Now, learning to code is new on the agenda for Peter Hunt’s students.

“I feel like as a teacher, we’re so focused on reading and math and day to day kind of things in the classroom, that sometimes, technology and things like that get left out,” Hunt said.

The first grade teacher works at Carolina Beach Elementary School.

He recently attended a conference in Raleigh which focused on using technology to enhance the lives of students.

That inspired him to start this fundraiser.

“As soon as i got back, I set up a page and I asked for donations to get four classroom robots,” Hunt said.

He was not sure if his plan would pan out. But in just four days, he reached his target.

According to Hunt, the school got its first set of Ipads in 2011. Since then, teachers have integrated Ipads into their lesson plans. Now, the kids will learn how to code robots using applications on their tablets.

His teaching aids still can’t believe they’ll be teaching code to these kids.

“My teacher would bring a guitar in and sing to us. that was like the best thing ever. now they’re learning how to program robots to go pick up paper or drop off something at their desk. so i mean it’s unbelievable what six-year-old and seven-year-old kids can do nowadays,” Kellen Foster, first grade intern at Carolina Beach Elementary School, said.

Hunt says this is a great opportunity to teach these kids a skill that will be useful for their futures.

“This technology is so much more than a toy. There are endless possibilities for them to explore through this technology.”