Tag Archives: coding class

Education

How to Reinforce What Your Child Learns in a Coding Class

At CodeREV Kids, it’s been our experience that most parents want to be involved in their child’s education and extracurricular activities but they often struggle when it comes to coding for one simple reason: Many parents don’t know how to code themselves. While it would likely be worth your while to learn to do so, we understand that not every parent has the interest or time to do that. That’s why we’ve provided several ways you can help reinforce what your child has learned in their coding class.

Check up with them regularly

The easiest way to ensure that your kids are progressing is to ask them. You may not understand everything that goes on in their coding classes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask how they’re going. If they’re having trouble, talk them through it – and then talk to us so we can adjust their coding plan accordingly.

Keep in touch with us

Our goals are simple: To educate and inspire your child. If we’re not doing so, we want to know about it. Likewise, if you want to know how your kid is doing, just reach out to us. We’re happy to provide progress reports and to give you tips on specific ways your child may need help at home.

Have rewards and consequences

We set up our classes so that they are a reward in themselves. That said, your child may come up against something that’s particularly challenging and they may have the urge to quit instead of working through it. These are the points at which it’s important to have a simple reward for their continuing progress, such as extra time on our Minecraft server, and a simple consequence if they skip classes, don’t prepare appropriately, etc.

Encourage them to make friends in their classes

We work hard to ensure that your kids are having fun in our coding classes but of course they’re going to have a better time if they make a buddy or two. Encourage them to hang out with their new coding friends outside of class. Be willing to drive across town to facilitate a play date. The more they look forward to going to class, the better they’re likely to do.

Do you have questions about the way our classes work or how your child could benefit from them? We welcome your feedback and are always happy to answer your questions. Reach out today!

 

Coding Education

How Important Are After-School Programs?

Most parents know that after-school programs are more than an option for kids to have fun – they’re actually very important within a community. But how important are they? Some recent studies and anecdotal evidence from after-school programs across the country have shown that they’re actually more important than you may think.

Many kids have nowhere to go after school. For kids with two-parent families, it’s more common now that both parents work. It’s easy to see that elementary kids need after-school care but what do you do when your child is old enough to be on their own yet you don’t want them to just sit in front of the TV and veg out every day after school? That’s where after-school programs can come in.

Estimates show that about 11 million kids have nowhere to after school most days. Some areas have clubs like the Boys & Girls Club, and they can be a great choice for some – but not for everyone. Many kids view those types of clubs as nothing more than glorified babysitting. But what’s a better option? At CodeREV Kids we recommend more targeted after-school activities, like our after school membership program that’s a ton of fun for kids while also teaching them valuable skills.

Remember that studies have also shown that the vast majority of juvenile crime happens between 3 PM and 6 PM – the hours after kids are out of school and before their parents are likely home for the evening.

Consider another study that showed that kids who participated in after-school programs had a smaller math achievement gap between high- and low-income families and generally score higher on tests. 80% of parents who have a kid in an after-school program said that the programs allowed to keep them working.

Of course, these are all great reasons but they’re tied to after-school programs in general. At CodeREV Kids we want to emphasize not just that kids have something to do after school, but that it’s an activity that’s fun and ultimately useful. Not sure a coding class is right for them? Consider why coding is now being taught in many schools around the country. The job prospects are excellent for people who know how to code – and not just in computer fields. Coding is, and will continue to be, an asset in a wide variety of sectors.