Potter's School - Basic Web Design I

[Jackie in AR]

My boys (rising 9th graders) are considering this class for next year. It is being taught by Mr. Connor.

 

The website indicates that the target grades are 9 - 12, and that there are no prerequisites.

 

Any experience / feedback?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Jackie in AR]

bump

[Laura in CA]

Hi, Jackie -

 

My son (11, turning 12) took this class this year. It's the first year Mr Connor has taught it. There was a wide range of ages (11-17) and abilities in the class, and Mr Connor was a novice teacher, so he had to scale back his syllabus quite a bit so the kids could catch up. Some kids had had *no* computer experience, and some kids knew several languages already; I'd say Mr Connor figured out a good pace and it's doable if your kids are motivated. My son is a real computer geek and was (barely) managing to keep up at first (when Mr C was using a college text & going at a college pace, he said), but like I said he slowed the pace down & sometimes my son had nothing to do for a week, but that's fine - it gave him time to work on other projects.

 

My son *loved* the class and is planning to take the second year of Web Design from Mr Connor next year. (*I* was thinking he should take the Java class, but I think he's right that he should finish the sequence so he really knows web design.) We can't say enough good things about Mr Connor. Several times when my son was confused, he tutored him one-on-one (once was on a Saturday morning). They could hear each other and see each other's computer screens, even though they were 3000 miles apart -- it blows my mind. He also has group tutoring sessions when kids need it so you can log on (if the time fits you) and hear other kids' questions being answered. My son only needed the tutoring a few times but it was very helpful.

 

Also, he recorded every class, and posted the links on the class page, so if you missed class one day, or were a little confused and wanted to see it again, it was very easy to watch a class later.

 

Mr Connor answers e-mail requests for help usually the same day. He's also offering Python classes this summer, which (if your sons are interested & have the time) would give them a head start -- they use Python in the second semester of the Web Design class. Registration for these summer classes closes this Sunday 5/31.

 

http://mrconnor.com/cgi-bin/mrconnor.cgi

 

My son is planning to take the "Practical Programming with Python" course -- it will cover Python applications that Mr Connor wanted to get to this past semester (which he says the kids can use in later physics classes, etc.) but didn't have time to.

 

If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to ask my son. He highly recommends this class!

 

~Laura

Edited May 28, 2009 by Laura in CA
clarity