Our Philosophy • Tech Novice Tools • 2026
A look inside the classroom — how we teach computer science in the age of AI, why it starts with a song, and what it truly means to know what you built.
The clip that starts every year.
The Rite of Passage
Students are usually stunned—or at least intrigued—when we open the year by watching Maria and the children sing and dance their way through Austria with “Do‑Re‑Mi.” The refrain sets the stage for everything that follows:
“When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything.”
Our “notes” in computer science are variables, comparisons, and repetition — all played with proper timing: order and syntax. Combine them thoughtfully, and the “music” becomes a program that does our bidding.
In years past, the final program was the end game — the completed song. Today, with AI, that finished product has become our starting point. A well-crafted prompt can conjure something impressive in minutes, often without a single line of traditional code.
So the focus has shifted. It’s not about the song anymore. It’s about learning to hear it.
The Process
This isn’t just an acronym. It’s the rhythm of how we think, build, and communicate in every project.
Define clearly what you want AI to create. Clear thinking starts here — fuzzy goals produce fuzzy results.
Craft your request with precision and care. A great prompt is an act of communication — and communication is an art.
Study what the AI gave you. Does it match the tune in your head? Understanding the output is as important as generating it.
Revise, iterate, improve. The best songs go through many drafts. So do the best programs. Keep going until it sings.
Understand what you built — and why it works. Students present their apps, answer questions, and explain the melody lines that give them life.
Vibe Coding
Writing programs through natural language has been dubbed “Vibe Coding.” Admittedly, there was skepticism — until a substantial, marketable program was produced without a single line of traditional code. Not a future dream. A current reality.
Are we still writing traditional code? Absolutely — but often in smaller, more purposeful snippets rather than full programs from scratch. Students develop apps using a mix of approaches: some traditional, some automated. Then they must demonstrate what they truly know.
Our current approach leans into reverse engineering: we study the completed “song” to understand its notes, its rhythm, and its theory. The process begins and ends with clear communication — something we’re all still working on, ourselves included.
It’s a tightrope we’re walking — a careful balance of core knowledge, syntax, and automated creation.
Class Culture
Every class develops its vocabulary. Ours came naturally — a parody refrain that became a creed, then a second verse for a new era.
“When you have the power to code,
special blessings are bestowed.”
“Collaborate with your machine,
then code what is yet unseen.”
As one student affectionately described it: our “cult phrases.”
Both still hold up. Both still ring true.
Want to see a good example of AI collaboration? Visit our TNT Image Gallery and
view the mix of AI-generated and human curated image descriptions.
Above the classroom door hangs a phrase from a famous sci-fi film — Morpheus’ greeting to Neo when he wakes up from an AI-constructed illusion in The Matrix: “Welcome to the Real World.”
It has always been the intention that students engage with real-world materials. The goal is for them to leave here experienced, thoughtful, and prepared — able to sing and dance through complex problems with the same energy and confidence Maria brought to the hills of Austria.
“If they’re ready to sing and dance their way through complex problems, I’d say we’re doing something right.”
Explore the student speeches — or dive into the tools and resources behind the process.