Accomplished MIT Grads Inspire Students
This summer, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, one of the best sixth forms in London for student outcomes, launched an intensive coding course taught by two of its accomplished alumni, Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed. After graduating from MIT, these impressive role models returned to their former school to share their passion for computer science.
“We have a lot of great young people who just need to believe in themselves. And that’s all I really wanted to tell these young people, just believe in yourself and you can do it,” said Tafsia, exemplifying the course’s mission to inspire ambitious futures.
Alumni perspectives on coding (videos)
Hands-On Python Programming Course
For four weeks, Tafsia and Isuf guided around 60 pupils in hands-on Python projects modelled after their own MIT coursework. By experiencing advanced coding firsthand, students gained skills not typically taught in sixth forms as part of Newham Collegiate’s NCS Engineering School
According to Isuf, “Coding is just becoming essential and pretty much everywhere right now. So getting a head start will never, ever be a bad idea. It helps you to develop a different way of thinking.”
Coding Course Develops Problem-Solving Mindset
The coding course allowed students like Zakariyah to expand their computational thinking abilities. “Learning from Ms Shikdar made it easier because it was quite like teaching at The NCS and she was willing to have one-to-one with students to help understand the areas which we struggled,” he explained.
Students Rave About Inspiring Experience
Fatima described the course as “a very enriching and enjoyable experience because it allowed me to develop my problem solving skills further for a different kind of problem where I create my own solution to solve a problem.”
Zeeshan added, “It is also thoroughly enjoyable because the teacher talks about how she personally got into the coding sector by going to universities in the USA and UK.”
School Aims to Continue Innovative Course
ith Newham Collegiate’s glowing feedback, the coding course taught by accomplished alumni is slated to continue next summer. “I want to do my best to help out the community I came from and the communities around me and give them a better chance at doing whatever they want to do once they leave,” Isuf said.
By returning to inspire students, Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed exemplify Newham Collegiate’s commitment to unlocking its students’ potential. The innovative coding course is just one of the stand-out offerings that make Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre a transformational environment.
