So, you’ve decided to enroll your child in online coding classes. Terrific! It’s a great first step to giving them the digital tools needed to thrive in the modern world and even forge their own path.
Kids will have so much fun learning to code that it’d be worth signing them up even if they didn’t leave with skills the economy values! But you should know a few signs of a great coding program, so you don’t select one that’s inferior.
Read on for some helpful hints.
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Fun Above All
As mentioned above, extracurricular activities for kids should be fun first and foremost. That’s why the best weekly online coding classes for kids revolve around teaching students how to create a video game, one they can design themselves and play with friends and family.
They’ll see that programming a video game can be more fun than playing one! Gamification concepts make the classes more engaging because they harness the dynamics from games for learning purposes.
Students get extremely motivated to learn when they’re chasing such an attractive carrot.
Coding Languages That Matter
There’s a major difference between learning how to code in high-demand languages and learning something obsolete or not especially useful. Learning how to write code in the languages that power popular apps like Netflix or video games like Minecraft prepares people for carving their own path in the industry or getting an exciting tech job.
Look for a program that teaches coding languages like:
- Python
- Java
- JavaScript
- C#
- C++
It’s excellent for kids to gain general computer skills, but even better when they learn the specific languages that drive the tech world forward.
Orderly Classes
Students learn best in orderly environments that aren’t disruptive or too busy. That’s why the leading online coding courses cap class sizes, some even as low as four students per teacher.
That way, no kids don’t have to struggle to be heard or get attention from their teacher. Leading programs offer no mandatory minimums, so parents know the class will go ahead when they enroll, even if their child is the only student.
Also read: Career Outlook With a Software Engineering Degree
Young Teachers
Finally, the best online coding classes tend to hire young teachers from computer engineering or computer science backgrounds for two reasons. Coding experts in undergrad have recent practical coding experience in academia and the workforce. Teens interested in coding have the perfect resources to learn more about where coding can take them and how to get there.
On a more basic level, learning how to code video games from people young enough to have also played them at home when they were kids makes the perfect teachers. They have the same first-hand experience playing games as a youth, and they’ll relay their authentic passion for gaming to students.
Most parents understand that the ability to code is a crucial life skill in this digital world of ours. However, you can’t just sign up for the first class you see. Make sure the program you select touches on all the above points, and your child will learn foundational computer skills with a smile on their face.
