[racket] Advice: simulating stateful API in functional setting

On Jul 16, 2011, at 10:55 AM, Stephen Bloch wrote:

> I have a hard time believing that EVERY CS educator who evangelizes for something other than PBD "has no scruples".  


I made a typically Matthias-strong statement and I need to explain what I mean. 

1. We want to teach every child how to program. 

2. We need a reason for that. 

3. It can't possibly be that "it's good for you" or "you will program when you grow up." It's not (really) true. 
	(Yes, I know I wrote the introduction to HtDP.)

4. It isn't that the acquired skills transfer. Emmanuel has pointed to substantial evidence against this generic claim. 

5. The only good reason I can currently imagine is that we wish to transfer skills to mathematical education. 

And that leaves only one option: start with mathematical-style programming because we know that this is mathematics and there is no transfer needed. It is the *same* skill. 

;; --- 

If you can justify 'programming for all'  in any other way, I am listening.