Most parents recognize that preparing their children for the future means ensuring they know how to write computer code. Between video games, websites, and apps, the digital world isn’t going anywhere, and it all runs on computer code.
But how can parents recognize the best coding classes from the rest?
Here are four reassuring signs that a coding class is of high quality.
Vital Coding Languages Only
Some coding classes begin teaching young kids drag-and-drop programs, like Scratch, which provide a sense of what coding is like but are never used in the field. Scratch is a beginner teaching tool. Instead, look for weeknight coding classes that teach students as young as seven how to write in real coding languages, like Python.
The best coding classes teach in-demand lessons employers will expect them to know, such as:
- Python
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- C++
Start your child off on the right path by having them learn the languages used to create very popular apps like Netflix.
Video Games at the Heart
Extracurriculars need to be fun, first and foremost. That’s why the best coding programs revolve around teaching kids how to code and design their own video games.
If you think kids love playing games, just watch how much they love building them! They can play the game with friends and family once it’s complete, which imparts a wonderful sense of achievement. Plus, leading coding programs to put gamification concepts into the lessons, harnessing what makes games so engaging for learning purposes.
Small Classes with Young Teachers
Even the world’s best teacher is helpless if there are too many students in class. Crowded learning environments make for disruptive atmospheres. If there’s anytime kids need to concentrate, it’s when learning new skills, such as coding.
Look for a coding class that caps class sizes at four, so teachers can focus on the class material instead of classroom management issues. Ideally, young students should learn how to code video games from teachers young enough to have also grown up playing them at home.
Undergrads in computer science and computer engineering are perfect, as their love and first-hand experience as gamers will transfer to the students, and they can also field questions about where coding leads after high school.
Experience in the Field
Finally, many programs teaching STEM skills and computer coding opened up recently, especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. You’re better off with a program that has been in operation for one or even two decades.
Such classes offer curriculums that have been refined and tested over the years. The administrators and teachers are all more experienced, making everything from scheduling to the sessions themselves run like a well-oiled machine.
There’s a major difference between knowing it’s smart to sign your child up for coding classes and knowing which to pick. Look for a fun and supportive program that ticks off all the above boxes, and your child will be set up for joy and success.
