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A meaningful Right if Modernized

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A meaningful Right if Modernized

Introduction

I started first grade in 1980, subsequent to a long and tedious war for Zimbabwe’s independence. People who were unable to attend school for years were now able to do so. At age 7, I could see students who were roughly 20 years old, just getting the opportunity to attend grade seven at my school. Bearded men, mother-like grown up women all in the same class room as younger students who were supposed to be in that grade at their age. As the new majority government started their reign, one announcement that excited my family was that education was a human right for all and so every child was supposed to be given an opportunity to learn. Despite the fact that the majority of students in my class came from low income families, it gave us all bright hope that we had the right to learn and that right, no one could take away from us.

Before this era, there were bottlenecks in the education systems of most colonized countries. Due to this, it seemed like the only options natives had were to prepare to be “good subordinates” to the superior colonial systems they wanted to be a part of.

Scholarly Perspectives on Education

I am inclined to agree with the thought that the free market economy has many advantages as it promotes the idea of competition that must motivate all parties to be efficient in decisions and actions. Ver Eecke, W (1998) identifies education as, “a merit good in which if the socio-economic dimension is ignored, society will be deprived.” It is now a common fact that education is regarded as a merit good, one that is likely to be under-supplied and under-consumed if everything should be left to market forces. Biesta, G. (2012) brings a deeper perspective to education as he looks at the need to include education as a “public good”. One may not doubt why such perspectives would be brought into question. One reason for this could be the innumerable benefits to society when people who opt to take education to the public domain. A market system is deemed to have failures if it cannot efficiently allocate education as a merit or public good.

Jongbloed, B. (2003) sheds light on the issue of supply monopolies in education as a market failure. When I was a teenager, I was only aware of one university in Zimbabwe; the University of Zimbabwe. Consequently, the result of having only one such facility privatized, would only allow for a privileged few who could afford it, to attend.  

My Experience

When I completed my Advanced Level education through an external examination body; since Zimbabwe had not yet localized exams by then, I faced great competition to be accepted into a public college. Many students had benefited from the “Education For All Policy”, such that the literacy level of Zimbabwe was climbed to approximately 98%. The number of Ordinary Level students was so high that only advanced level students could be enrolled in public universities. This was a high standard in the region. It became even more evident to me when I visited and started staying in Malawi. All my employers admitted that on average, the education standards set by the new independence government were very high.

Some colleagues disliked this new policy and thought it to be a most unfair advantage to students in our region, which was unfortunate because in no way did it lower the difficulty level of learning the material taught. I remember the rigorous efforts I made in college while I trained for a diploma in education. A colleague from a neighboring country confessed that the Diploma standards that were set in Zimbabwe, could match the degree standards in their country. Another close friend in the Engineering department also admitted to the same thought. He mentioned that the equipment in the department at the same college I studied; donated by the US Government, was far better quality than those at some other institutions.

I am proud to have had the exposure I did during my tenure there as it prepared me tremendously for my degree program.

Online and Adult Education Opportunities

As a zealous student, I am pleased to say that I have completed my bachelors and masters’ degree programs. My degree was completed through a program dubbed the Block-Release program where I utilized my school holidays as a teacher to study for an average of four weeks. It was difficult to cover sixteen weeks’ worth of work in four weeks but the end result was worth it. One thing I learnt is that it is never too late to achieve your goals. As long as there is breath in your body, you have the capacity to achieve.

Another advantage of this program was that it forced us to become computer literate. This was an advantage for us as computers were not in our school system when I was a child. Online education forced me to be computer literate. Even on days when I struggled I reminded myself of the great right I had to learn and used that to propel myself to completion.

Is education a human right?

While in theory, the right to education is often preached in almost all nations, not enough has been done to realize this for a vast majority of citizens. McCowan, T. (2010) makes this observation, “The universal right to education has been enshrined in a range of international rights instruments. Yet despite the considerable secondary literature on the subject, there has been little discussion of the notion of education underpinning the right.” 

Where I now reside, I have witnessed the financial challenges that students at the primary level face even though education is free for all. In my research; The Marketisation of Education, I was saddened when the head of a school revealed  that the school charges a small development levy of about $0.80 per term but some parents still struggle to find this amount. I visited the school and saw that the majority of classes have no chairs or desks leaving students to conduct studies on the cold hard floor. My conclusion was that a mindset change, a paradigm shift must be done since some things that were missing did not need monetary resources.

Modernising Education

There is a dire need to modernize the education system. Africa, which make up a significant part of the developing world, can learn from developed nations such as the US and the UK if they are to transform the current education system.  Courtney, S. J. (2018) outlines how the UK managed to achieve some milestones in modernizing their education system. There is need for investing time, talents and resources to make the right to education a meaningful one. The current generation has much more advantages than those gone before. They have the internet, computers, improved transportation systems, televisions, radios etc. Proper planning and execution can bring new ideas to life to achieve a better system.

Conclusion

Education is a right and we must be thankful for. The right has to be taken to where it is needed most by the less privileged and the disadvantaged potential talents so that our world can be a better home for all. Those in authority in developing nations have an uphill task especially where the education index is low. Even the so-called developing nations have a right to reach levels such as those in Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Finland which boast of high educations indices. Records show that an average child makes it to university while one low income country like Malawi, an average child struggles to complete secondary education. The right to education can be reached by all.

Playing the ‘Green Lottery’: Life Inside Colombia’s Emerald Mines

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onlinefreecourse
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Playing the ‘Green Lottery’: Life Inside Colombia’s Emerald Mines

I was half a mile into the mine shaft, and my heart was racing. Hunched underneath the low ceiling and hardly able to see, I was following along by listening to the splashes of the men’s steps in front of me. The water, dripping from above, was up to my ankles. Then we stopped. We’d come to a dead end, one of the miners said. In order for us to proceed, they needed to set off some dynamite.

In a matter of minutes, several packs of explosives were drilled into the mountain and ready to be detonated. I was told to open my mouth and not close it until the last of the dynamite had exploded.

The blasts began, and I sensed the mountain groaning around me. Then: complete silence. Ten seconds later, as the dust began to settle, one of the miners shouted, “Lets go! It’s time to see what we got.”

Less than a month earlier, I was living a comfortable life in Dubai. Though I was born in Colombia, I left the country at age 18 to attend college in the United States — and, since then, had followed my work elsewhere around the world.

Lately, though, I felt the need to reconnect with my country. Conveniently, an acquaintance in Dubai knew a respected emerald dealer and mine owner in Colombia. He invited me to visit and witness some of the country’s mining operations.

The miners I visited live and work in the department of Boyacá, which is six hours by car north of Bogotá, the country’s capital. Boyacá sits on a branch of the Andes known as the Cordillera Oriental. Here, hidden in a series of small mining towns — Muzo, Chivor, Otanche, Peñas Blancas, Coscuez — are some of the most valuable emerald mines in the world.

It’s no secret that the miners in this region work in difficult and often dangerous conditions — some in sanctioned and regulated areas, some illicitly. They labor under the threat of collapsing mines, falling rocks and temperatures in excess of 110 degrees.

Despite the risks, many of the miners speak to me about their work with pride, as if buoyed by a sense of tradition.

The economics of the trade can vary significantly. Some miners operate informally and independently, scouring debris fields or venturing into unregulated mines — and profiting directly from the sale of stones to merchants or gem carvers.

Others officially work for mine owners or mining companies. These miners might be paid steady salaries or make commissions on the stones they find. (The specific circumstances of the financial arrangements — whether the miners are paid upfront, for example, or only after a stone is sold to a merchant, carver or customer — often depend on the level of trust between the owners and the miners.)

The harsh reality inside the mines is contrasted by the grandeur outside them: the smell of the clean air in the mornings, the ever-present sound of the rivers, the imposing peaks of the Andes.

During the dry season, miners set up small tents by the river to protect themselves from the intense sun. After long hours of work, they relax in view of the breathtaking beauty that surrounds them.

Over the course of the five days I spent with them, the miners shared countless stories of how the emeralds, and the surrounding mountains, had changed their lives.

One miner, an older man who lived in a modest house, claimed to have made exorbitant sums of money on several choice stones — only to have squandered it all, he said, forcing him to return, reluctantly, to the mines.

Others have seen family members and friends killed during the intense fighting — much of it tied to the illicit emerald trade — that took place here in the mountains during the 1980s. And some have just been waiting patiently for decades, hoping that one day they’ll find an emerald that will change their lives.

The future of these local miners is largely uncertain. In recent decades, corporations — some of them foreign — have ascended into Boyacá’s mountains and taken control of large swaths of the hills. Some of the companies offer salaries, health care and a sense of stability.

Still, many miners opt for the rewards, and the risks, of working alone.

Many of the men I met described mining as a gamble and an addiction. The mines, they said, are like casinos in the middle of the Andes: One stone could change it all.

And finding such a stone, they say, is ultimately what they live — and are willing to die — for.

Juan Pablo Ramirez is a Colombian photographer based in Dubai. You can follow his work on Instagram.

What Do You Hope for Most in 2021?

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What Do You Hope for Most in 2021?

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

We’re at the start of a new year; so far, though, it doesn’t seem all that much different than the last one.

Are you optimistic about the start of 2021? What changes do you hope for this year?

In “This Year, Try Downsizing Your Resolutions,” Christina Caron writes about making New Year’s resolutions that are both satisfying and doable. Have you made any resolutions yet? If not, perhaps you want to consider setting some goals right now.

Ms. Caron writes:

After the unpredictable, torrid year we’ve had, the idea of making New Year’s resolutions for 2021 might seem a tad overwhelming.

“I am keeping the bar so low,” the comedian Robyn Schall joked during an interview with The New York Times this month.

“No goals,” she said, laughing. “Just one day at a time.”

Schall, 36, became internet-famous in November after she posted a video on TikTok about her unfulfilled resolutions from last December, a list she read aloud while “half-crying, half-laughing” with a glass of wine in hand.

“Travel more,” she wrote. (She has been sequestered in “the tiniest of tiny” studio apartments in Manhattan.) “Make more money.” (Schall has been unemployed since March.) “Be more social.” (Nope.) “Spend more time with my grandma.” (Both of her grandmothers died this year.)

Even if you’re the type of person who is put off by New Year’s resolutions, experts say that in 2021 — or any year, really — writing out one or two specific, small and attainable goals can help develop confidence and a sense of pride, improving your well-being.

And right now we could all use a little more positivity in our lives.

Students, read the entire article, then consider these questions:

  • The article suggests that writing down one or two small goals can be a way to boost self-confidence and develop a sense of pride. Have you ever tried that? What one or two goals would you set this year?

  • What do you think about the rest of the advice in the article? It recommends that you think about your motivations; pick bite-size goals that are actually achievable; make a plan, not a resolution; shorten your list and write it down; and cut yourself some slack. Does it all sound like good advice to you? Do you think you’ll follow any of it?

  • Ms. Caron suggests that we could all use a little more positivity in our lives these days. To what degree do you agree that setting small, attainable goals can be helpful, especially during dark times?

  • The article distinguishes between making a resolution and having a plan. What’s the difference in your opinion? Do you think the distinction is an important one? How good are you at setting goals? How good are you at making plans to achieve your goals, whether small or large? How good are you at sticking to your plans?

  • The last piece of advice in the article is to cut yourself some slack. Do you ever put too much pressure on yourself when you don’t accomplish your goals as quickly as you would have liked? Are you good at celebrating even the small progress that you make along the way?

About Student Opinion

• Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column.
• Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it.
• Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Lesson of the Day: ‘Cuttlefish Took Something Like a Marshmallow Test. Many Passed.’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Cuttlefish Took Something Like a Marshmallow Test. Many Passed.’

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Featured Article: “Cuttlefish Took Something Like a Marshmallow Test. Many Passed.” by Veronique Greenwood

Cuttlefish are known for their advanced cognition: a power to camouflage with precision, their depth perception and a remarkable ability to strike their prey. A study published this month revealed that cuttlefish are also able to perform complicated calculations about what to eat.

In this lesson, you will learn about the process that scientists undertook to better understand the choices that cuttlefish make about their food. Then, you will design your own cuttlefish experiment.

Choose one carnivorous animal and make a list of five facts about how the animal hunts and eats its prey. You can choose any carnivore, but possibilities include: panthers, sharks, bears, wolves, dolphins, hyenas and snakes. You may need to do some research, but don’t spend any longer than five minutes.

In the featured article, you will learn about a discovery about how cuttlefish, relatives of squids and octopuses, choose what they eat and hunt.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. What are some of the characteristics of cuttlefish that make them unique?

2. What is one way that researchers have been able to identify that cuttlefish can think ahead?

3. What previous discovery did Chuan-Chin Chiao and Tzu-Hsin Kuo, two biologists at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, make regarding cuttlefish hunting?

4. In your own words, describe the new experiments that Dr. Chiao and Dr. Kuo created to study cuttlefish. How did they set up the two tests and what did the results reveal?

5. Why is this new research significant? What is one question that you now have about cuttlefish?

The New York Times has written several other articles about cuttlefish over the years. Choose one of the articles below to learn more about these sea creatures.

As you read, write down three new facts you learn about cuttlefish and one new question that you have about them.

The featured article looked closely at a two-part experiment created by researchers at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Now, design your own experiment to answer a question that you have about cuttlefish behavior and cognition.

Start by developing your question. For example, it could be related to their eating and hunting patterns; their social or antisocial behaviors; their shelter selection and use; or their mating habits. Then, create a hypothesis: Based on your prior knowledge or research, how can your question be answered or explained?

Next, using the experiment design discussed in the article as inspiration, consider what materials, setup and procedure you would need to create to conduct the experiment. If you’re feeling stuck, you can look at the other Times articles about cuttlefish mentioned above to see how they set up their experiments.

Finally, lay out your cuttlefish experiment design using this laboratory experiment template.

About Lesson of the Day

• Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
• Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

Word + Quiz: sang-froid

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Word + Quiz: sang-froid

: great coolness and composure under strain

_________

The word sang-froid has appeared in six articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 9 in “Collin Morikawa Delivers Magic at the P.G.A. Championship” by Brian Murphy:

First, though, there was adversity.

His approach on the par-4 No. 14, from the fairway, came up a disappointing 15 yards short. It was then that Morikawa displayed the sang-froid and the soft hands that have characterized the brilliant start to his career.

He coolly lofted a clean chip from the fairway that rolled into the cup for a birdie.

A nearby pack of volunteers cheered, apparently feeling obliged to punctuate the silence for such a moment.

Morikawa had the lead.

_________

How to Take Your Family Geocaching

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onlinefreecourse
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How to Take Your Family Geocaching

If it feels as if you’ve already explored every last nook and cranny of your cramped lockdown life know this: Right under your nose, there’s a hidden world operating entirely out of view.

That world is geocaching, a no-contact game of hide-and-seek between hundreds of thousands of strangers. Players hide caches — waterproof containers, usually small plastic boxes — in out-of-sight spots for others to discover using GPS technology.

How has this world remained totally hidden from you? The first rule of geocaching is to try to keep your searching a secret. If a runner jogs by, players may pretend to be deeply engrossed in plant identification. (Once you know about geocaching, you may realize just how many other folks are pretending to be fascinated by that patch of ivy.)

Geocaching began in earnest in 2000, when the U.S. military adjusted its GPS satellites to improve accuracy for recreational GPS users. An enthusiast in Oregon hid the first cache, said Bryan Roth, president and co-founder of Geocaching HQ, which runs Geocaching.com. Since then, the community has grown steadily, with the pandemic spurring a considerable increase in participation.

“At a time when people are looking for some distraction, getting outside really works well,” said Mr. Roth, who noted that sign-ups for the Geocaching app are up 70 percent compared with last year.

To get started, download an app on your phone, like Geocaching HQ (free download and some free caches, but the $30 annual membership unlocks more); Cachly ($4.99 and free caches, iPhone only); or c:geo (free download and free caches, Android only). You can also geocache with a hand-held GPS device, using online databases like NaviCache.com to find cache coordinates.

Caches are rated 1 to 5 by their difficulty; beginners may want to start with a 1 and work up from there. GPS will usually get you within 30 feet of the cache, and instructions like “look to the north of the roadway” can clue you in on exactly where you should be searching.

Then the real hunt begins.

When you find the cache — be it hidden under a tree, tucked into a log pile or taped to the back of a sign — you can check it off on the app. Most caches have a logbook tucked inside that shows everyone who was there before you, while others will contain a trinket as a treasure. (Putting a few tiny objects in your pocket before you head out gives you options if you think you might want to swap with the trinkets inside.)

One particularly nice benefit of geocaching is that it gets screen-addicted kids outside. And even though geocaching happens outdoors, you needn’t be outdoorsy.

When a friend first suggested that Katie Sweeney and her husband try geocaching in 2007, “I was like, I don’t really like hiking,” she remembered. Ms. Sweeney, a copywriter based in the Netherlands, soon found many caches within a few blocks of her home, in Philadelphia at the time. Today, she takes her 6-year-old daughter out to geocache on their way to or from the grocery store or other errands.

“We’re always discovering new places near where we live,” Ms. Sweeney said, adding that children can really be an asset. Their different vantage points often help them see things adults might overlook.

Nick Geidner, a University of Tennessee journalism professor, doesn’t mind if a hunt is a bust.

“We don’t always find them,” he said. “But if we fail, we can come back and we can try again.” Henry, his 7-year-old son, wasn’t quite so sure. When asked how he felt after giving up on a recent hunt, he said, “I’m not like angry, but I’m not like happy.”

The thrill of finding a tricky or unique cache, though, far outweighs those not-happy moments. In September, Ms. Sweeney and her daughter found a once-in-a-lifetime cache, which had a gamelike opening with a maze, magnetic ball and secret code.

“It was this little joy,” said Ms. Sweeney, recalling opening the cache. “We’re all just looking for little moments of joy.”

Free January 2021 Wallpaper & Instagram quote

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Free January 2021 Wallpaper & Instagram quote

Free January 2021 Wallpaper

Our free January 2021 wallpaper is here!

Can you believe is already 2021? We are starting this year with some delicate flowers and marble texture. I didn’t even know that I like the pink/grey color combination so much, but I fell in love with it when I was putting this month wallpaper together.

Blush is also a color we use for the 2021 Limited Edition of our Life Planner and the Blog Planner.

As always, our January’s free wallpaper comes with two different mobile phone layouts. They are great to use at once – the simple version for your phone background and the one with a quote for the lock screen.

This month quote

I wish you all the best in this new year. The quote I picked for this month will remind you that it is a fresh start and I believe that you will achieve anything you want.

This is your year to sparkle - Quote from Free January 2021 Wallpaper

This is your year to sparkle

P.S the square image is also included in the download package below! Feel free to post it on your Instagram.

What font is it?

Free January’s wallpaper features my all-time favorites – Opulent and Geometrica. I have used thousands of fonts but If I could use only two fonts for the rest of my life I would definitely pick this pair.

Free January 2021 Wallpaper with quote - This is your year to sparkle

Looking for more? Check our previous wallpapers!

In conclusion, the free download includes three desktop options – one with the calendar and one without the calendar and one with a quote. There is also a wallpaper for tablet and two options for the phone. We have also included an Instagram ready square with the weekly quote.

Your voice matters!

If you have your favorite quotes and would like them to appear on the next free wallpaper, make sure to post them in the comments below or send us your ideas via email.

Enjoy!

FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY.

Lastly, we would appreciate if you can share this freebie. It is really easy! Just click on the buttons below. It is completely free for you but helps us grow and produce even more content.

Share and help us grow. Thanks!

P.S This post includes affiliate links so by clicking them you are supporting us. Thanks!

Live Webinar: Teaching Informational Writing

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Live Webinar: Teaching Informational Writing

Informational writing is the style of writing that dominates The New York Times as well as any other traditional newspaper you might read, and in our writing unit, and this webinar, we hope to show students that it can be every bit as engaging and compelling to read and to write as other genres.

For this writing unit and contest, we are focusing on just one broad area of informational writing — that with a STEM theme. We invite students to take any STEM-related discovery, process or idea that interests them and write about it in a way that makes it understandable and engaging for a general audience.

In this webinar, The Learning Network, along with expert educators, will share ways to make informational writing engaging and fun for students, show you how the Trilobites column of the Science Times, and other mentor texts, can be used to write compellingly and informatively, and walk you through our STEM writing contest.

Together we will:

  • Explore writing prompts and resources that will inspire students to investigate topics that matter to them.

  • Analyze mentor texts from The Times and past contest winners to identify “writer’s moves” and key elements of informational writing, with a focus on STEM topics.

  • Gain advice and best practices from Times journalists on informational writing in the field of science.

  • Learn about the STEM Writing Contest and the resources that support it.

C.T.L.E. credit is available for New York educators. All participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Register now to join our live webinar or to receive a link to view the on-demand recording.

29 bite-sized goals for learning to code in 2021

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29 bite-sized goals for learning to code in 2021

It’s that time of year again — the time for making New Year’s resolutions! It can be tempting to set big, life-changing goals. But the loftiest resolutions are usually the first to be abandoned. This year, let’s resolve to make resolutions we can keep.

Every major accomplishment requires a smaller first step. You can’t run a marathon before you can run the first mile and the same goes for learning how to code. Before you can code a website you need to learn to write your first “Hello, World!” Before you can become a data scientist you need to learn how to acquire data. Resolving to take the first step is the easiest way to ensure you get started down the road to success this year.

Here’s an inspiring example from our community. In 2020, Ioannis set a small goal for himself. “My goal was to start learning a new language and get at least one certification.” By the end of the year, Ioannis earned not one, not two, but twenty certifications!

Starting small: Inspiration for your 2021 resolutions

To help you follow in Ioannis’s footsteps, Codecademy curriculum developers Alex K., Nick, Kenny, Cole, Mariel, and Sonny shared some ideas for bite-sized goals you can set for yourself this year. We’ve broken them out into a few categories — goals for getting started, building your portfolio, becoming an active community member, tracking your progress, and more.

Resolve to get started with coding

Brand new to coding? The best way to get started is to just dive in. So make a resolution to take the first step in the beginning of 2021. Here are a few ideas for resolutions you can choose to get started with coding this year:

  • I’m going to write my first program that prints “Hello, World!” This is one of the first things you’ll learn in our Code Foundations Path.
  • I’m going to learn how to install a language on my computer.
  • I’m going to learn how to use a text editor on my computer. We recommend Visual Studio Code (VSCode) if you’re not sure where to get started.
  • I’m going to create a GitHub account and create a repository to share my code. Learn more about getting set up with Git and GitHub.
  • I’m going to download a coding app on my phone. An app like Codecademy Go lets you get in a little bit of coding practice wherever you may be.
  • I’m going to start collecting a data set about myself. This can be a fun one if you’re interested in data science. It could be anything from how many steps you take each day to what time you wake up.

Resolve to tie your learning to something you enjoy

Curriculum developer Alex K. says, “A good goal is to get to the point where you are working on a project that you’re excited about.” When you’re just getting started, you’ll be spending time learning the fundamentals and building simple projects. Learning new things is always rewarding, but when you find that first project that really inspires you, you’ll really start having fun! Here are a few resolutions to get you working on something you enjoy:

  • I’m going to work on a project that inspires me.
  • I’m going to find a data set I’m interested in. Check out some of our favorite data sets for inspiration.
  • I’m going to build a small applet that’s useful for myself, my friends, or my family.

Being a part of a community is a great way to keep yourself accountable to your goals and to make your learning journey more enjoyable. You’ll be able to find help when you need it, share your experiences, learn from the experiences of others, and make new friends. Here are a few ideas for becoming a more active community member in 2021:

  • I’m going to attend a local hackathon and try to help out on a project. Looking for local hackathons? Check out Major League Hacking or Eventbrite.
  • I’m going to participate in a local coding club in my school or town. Codecademy Chapters are a great place to start.
  • I’m going to answer someone’s question in the Codecademy Forums.
  • I’m going to attend a programming-related meetup or conference.
  • I’m going to follow 10 developers on Twitter.
  • I’m going to submit my first post on Stackoverflow.

Resolve to make progress on your portfolio

If your end goal is a career in web development or data science then you’ll ultimately need to build a portfolio. Resolve to make progress on your portfolio in 2021 with one of the following ideas:

  • I’m going to build a simple portfolio website and host it.
  • I’m going to make a website version of my resume.
  • I’m going to build one project for my portfolio. In October of 2020, we revamped our Career Paths to now include portfolio-ready projects that you can use when you begin your job search.

Resolve to make progress on career goals

Whether you’ve been toying with the idea of changing careers, are already in the process, or are interested in learning technical skills to advance in your current job, the New Year is a good time to set some goals to help you make progress. Check out the following goals for inspiration:

  • I’m going to search for jobs and look over their requirements.
  • I’m going to complete the first module of a Career Path. We currently offer Career Paths in Data Science, Front-End, Back-End, and Full-Stack Web Development.
  • I’m going to speak with someone that works in a field I’m interested in.
  • I’m going to put my technical resume together.

Resolve to hone your coding skills

Here are a few ideas for goals that’ll help you become a better and more efficient programmer in 2021:

  • I’m going to Google my error and read documentation instead of clicking “Get a solution” right away.
  • I’m going to complete a series of code challenges.
  • I’m going to contribute to my first open-sourced project on GitHub.

Resolve to track your progress

This last batch of ideas is all about tracking your progress. Sometimes tracking and sharing your progress is just the boost you need to keep on going — plus you can look back and see how far you’ve come!

  • I’m going to create my own coding journey notebook.
  • I’m going to write a blog post about something I’ve learned.
  • I’m going to set a weekly target and stick to it. Check out our article on tips for staying accountable to your goals to learn more about weekly targets, streaks, and more.

We hope this list has helped you come up with a few bite-sized goals to start the year out on the right foot. Share your resolutions with us in the comments below!

5 ways to stay accountable to your learning goals in 2021

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5 ways to stay accountable to your learning goals in 2021

Planning to learn to code in 2021? We know it can feel overwhelming — especially if you’ve never coded before. But you’ve got this! And we’ve put together a list of 5 tips and resources to help you stay accountable to your coding goals this year.

Set bite-sized, achievable goals

Setting a big, lofty goal can be exciting in the moment, but can sometimes feel so overwhelming that it’s easy to just give up. That’s why we recommend starting small. If you’re not a runner, resolving to start running one morning a week for 20 minutes may feel less overwhelming than resolving to run a marathon. The same goes for learning to code.

Set bite-sized, achievable goals for yourself in 2021. This’ll ensure that you don’t get overwhelmed. Give yourself the opportunity to get your feet wet, make learning to code a part of your regular routine, and let the smaller goals be the catalyst for something even bigger.

In 2020, Codecademy community member Ioannis set a small goal for himself. “My goal was to start learning a new language and get at least one Certification,” he shared in a post in the Codecademy Forums. In the end, Ioannis earned 20 certificates before the end of the year.

Not sure what goals to set for this year? Check out our list of 29 bite-sized goals for learning to code in 2021.

Make your goals and progress public

Let the world know what you plan to do — and how you’re progressing towards your goals. When you tell others what you plan to accomplish it makes it harder to give up. Tell your friends, tell your family, or even share your goals on social media, like JP, who has been sharing daily progress and recently hit 100 days of code!

You may also decide to record your progress along the way in a blog. This can be a fun way to look back on your journey later to see how far you’ve come — plus, logging your own experiences may be useful to other people who are on learning journeys of their own!

Set weekly targets

You’ll find weekly targets when you log into your Codecademy account and click on “My Home.” Your progress will appear in the top right corner of the screen and you can click to update your weekly target. Decide how many days you want to learn each week and then track your progress.

We’ll keep track of how many days you’ve logged into Codecademy to learn in the current week. Plus, we’ll show you how many weeks in a row you’ve met your target.

Take the 30-day challenge

If you’re up for a bit of a bigger goal, start a 30-day challenge! Commit to learning how to code every day for 30 days. Even if you just spend a few minutes each day, logging in daily can help you turn learning to code into a habit that’ll continue even after the 30 days are over.

When you sign up for the 30-day challenge, we’ll help you stay motivated and keep track of your progress. Worried you’ll forget to log in? We’ll send you daily or weekly reminders via email at the time of day of your choosing.

Wondering what it’s like to code every day for 30 days? Check out Codecademy community member Ella’s forum post, Reflections on a 35-Day Streak.

Speaking of the Codecademy community, being a part of a community is a great way to stay accountable to your goals. Share your progress, ask questions when you’re stuck, get inspired by the stories of other learners, and make new friends that share your motivations and interests.

Looking for a community? Here are a few places to get started:

  • Codecademy Forums: Join the conversation right here in the Codecademy Forums. Chat with other learners, share projects and get feedback, get help, get inspired by success stories, and more!
  • Codecademy Chapters: Codecademy Chapters are community-led local groups designed to help you stay motivated, get support on your learning journey, and connect with other learners near you, in-person or virtually. Join a chapter in your local area — or start your own!
  • Twitter: Join the conversation and meet other people that are learning to code on Twitter with hashtags like #100DaysOfCode and #CodeNewbie.

Looking for more advice for sticking with your coding goals? We’ve compiled a list of 7 tips for staying motivated from our community members. Here’s to accomplishing all of your goals and more in 2021!

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