One of the questions I’m often asked is whether you can teach machine learning to teenagers who don’t yet have a background in calculus or linear algebra. My answer is a resounding yes. As someone who teaches both calculus and machine learning, I’ve had firsthand experience bridging this gap.

When we think of artificial intelligence (AI), we often picture a machine detached from human beings. But this perspective misses a crucial point: AI is not machine intelligence in the sense that it emerges solely from technology. It is collective intelligence—the culmination of human contributions across many organizations, societies, and generations throughout time.

I have taught math for the Berkeley Unified School District for over 20 years. During this time, I have assisted many students trying to complete their math requirements for graduation. In the state of California, two years of math are required, and three are recommended for students applying to state universities. Four years of math is considered essential to get into elite schools.

In public education, the majority of focus centered around ChatGPT is how to prevent students from cheating. Teachers have cited many examples of students using ChatGPT to write papers for them. Some university professors are moving away from assigning papers and going back to blue book tests for this very reason.

Many people recall life-changing first experiences in education. Albert Einstein and Richard Feynman both recalled being changed the first time they viewed the rigorous beauty of Euclid’s Elements. I personally will never forget my first Astronomy Class, Birth and Death of the Universe, that forever expanded my view of reality.

It’s nice when YouTube recommends a tangential video (thank you Machine Learning) that I have not seen, but really want to see. This is how I stumbled across “A day in the life of an Astrophysicist at Oxford University”.

As an Independent Study teacher for the Berkeley Unified School District, I have worked with students 1-1 for over 16 years. During this time, I have served as a mentor, a teacher, and a guide to countless students of diverse backgrounds.

In 2019 I was recruited to write a flagship book, The Python Workshop, with Packt Publishing. Part of a new Packt series, the book would focus on education. Beyond just code, the book would include extensive examples, exercises, and activities for student practice. The idea was not just to write about Python, but to really teach it.

Passion for a subject is developed after exposure. After kids grow up immersed in the excitement of basketball, many want to become professionals. The wonder of looking through a telescope, becoming captivated by a planetarium, or taking a mind-bending astronomy class can drive the passion for astronomy.