VS Code, for example, works well. Another option is to keep using the Python kernel, but compile and run your C code via the operating system.

In class, we have linux computers, and use the g++ compiler to compile and then can run these programs in linux also, just simple programs in the terminal, how would I do the same on a Mac.

Find out how source code is compiled for different programming languages and computer architectures, including the evolution from FORTRAN to CLR and JIT compilers.