It’s become a cliché in parenting that children need to learn STEM skills to be ready for their eventual entry into the workforce. Everybody knows the role digital technology plays in modern life and that it’s crucial to have the tools to shape this world before it moulds you.
But how can parents know whether a coding class is good or not? Here are some of the telltale signs.
Vital Languages Only
Some coding classes teach kids drag-and-drop programs like Scratch that only approximate what coding is like. Even if they manage to simulate coding effectively, no professional coders work in Scratch.
Kids must learn the languages used to make popular video games, apps, and websites, such as:
- Python
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- C++
The best school season Python courses teach kids as young as seven how to write code in a language that drives Netflix. Don’t think coding is too hard for young novices. Give them real languages with which to work.
Video Games
You don’t need to push children very hard to play video games, and you may be surprised to learn how driven they are to code them! That’s why the best online coding programs for kids revolve around how to create their own games.
They’ll be busy designing and writing code, which becomes their own type of game. When the video games are finished, they can play them with friends and family, which provides an enormous sense of achievement.
Leading programs embed gamification concepts into the lessons, harnessing the dynamics that make games addictive and fun for kids for learning purposes.
Young Teachers in Small Classes
The most suitable teachers for young students are young teachers from computer science and computer engineering backgrounds. Such teachers also grew up playing video games at home and have very recent professional and academic experience in coding at school.
Their passion for gaming will transfer to their students, and they can also be a sounding board for practical questions about where coding can take you after high school.
Finally, the best online coding programs have a limited class size, some even as low as four students per class. That way, teachers can effortlessly devote their full attention to each student without worrying about the disruptive learning atmosphere that can arise in crowded classrooms.
Whether the session is online or offline, there should be a low ratio of students per teacher. Especially after the disruptions students faced in the past couple of years, every measure should be taken to prevent kids from slipping through the cracks.
Along the same lines, some coding programs have no mandatory minimums, so parents know the class will run as scheduled even if their child is the only student.
Knowing your child should learn how to code is a great starting point, but the next step is finding the right learning environment. Pick a course that teaches in-demand coding languages in a fun and supportive environment, and your child will be well on the path to success.
