TheApprentice Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 This seems to be my night for posting. My ds is taking the AoPS Computer Programming course, and the first class met this past Tuesday. Well, already he is having a tough time solving the homework problems. Has anyone had their dc take this course? What has been your experience? My ds is struggling and he is feeling defeated (in the first week :huh: ). *Sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 dont they have a forum for kids to help each other? how old is your son? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdj2027 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My son is currently in the class and it is the first time that I see my live-in-tech-support display the deer-in the headlight-look. He said the most difficult part for him is to truly think a problem through from beginning to end before he does anything. That said, he very much enjoyed the class and it is at just the right level for him, difficult but not so difficult that he cannot see his way through the problem when he breaks it into several steps. He has two problems left on the homework, feel free to e-mail me through my profile if you have anymore questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 I've looked at this class. how old are your kids and did they have any programming experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My older kids are doing this class. My daughter was really concerned at the end of the first class. She said 'everyone' there knew more than she did and that it was really hard. She has no programming experience. She is working on the homework problems and the message board problems. My son was excited at the end of the first class. He thought it was going to be great fun. He has some programming experience. He is working on the problems, too. My son is loving it. My daughter is not. I am not sure what to think about the class yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhschool Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Will be watching this thread as this class is on our list for classes to take in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Is this the Java class? My son might want to take that one sometime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 My ds is in the class, too! He hasn't complained about the hwk yet, but I don't think he's spent much time on it yet, either! He is NathanZ in the class. I know he'd LOVE to do some collaborative problem solving, so please invite your son to PM him on the AoPS boards if he'd like to set up some time to meet in the classroom to work on hwk together. IME, having that collaboration in AoPS is hugely helpful practically as well as motivationally. My ds has been VERY excited to take this class, and had already been playing with the book and python for a month or two prior to the class beginning, but he is a newbie to programming. They have until the third class (before the 3rd class?) to drop and get a full refund . . . FWIW . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Is this the Java class? My son might want to take that one sometime soon. The Introductory Programming class teaches Python. They have a Java class, which I believe is just offered in the fall, that requires prior programming experience. I think the typical sequence is to take this Python course, THEN take the Java class. Apparently the Java class also prepares them for the AP exam if you desire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 My ds is 15 and it's his first time taking a programming course. He understands the problems, but is having a hard time breaking the steps downs into logical pieces. His user tag is Heyo. Maybe we can have them meet on the message boards and help each other out. StephanieZ, I will have my son contact your son. It would be cool to work collaboratively, he'd definitely get more out of the course. Thanks for the offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowbeltmom Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Well, it wasn't a good fit for my son AT ALL. This was my 8th graders experience as well. He had experience programming in Scratch, but not Python. He was able to complete the first two weeks or so of homework sets, but then the difficulty level really increased. I am a huge AoPS fan, but I do not think this class should be classified as a beginner course. Fwiw, my son is about a third of the way through eIMAC University Computer Science I class. This class has been great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 My dd tried the AOPS Python course in 2012 and it started right off the bat with programming assignments that were way above her level, being just a bit beyond beginner. So we dropped the class for a refund and continued with self-study. Now that she has some competency in Python, I'm having her take it again for extra practice. The first homework is WAY gentler than the first homework assigned in the earlier class. No actually programming assignments, just analyzing algorithms and writing pseudocode. I'm wondering whether they are still working out the kinks of this class. DD's user name is alohamaui, but she had to miss the first class. (We aren't from Hawaii, just fans of the state, LOL.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I'm excited that my son has now gotten answers for 5 of the 8 challenge questions, and has two days to go. :) I think 2,3 and 4 are his sticky questions. If any of your kids HAVE got answers on those three, if you could ask him/her to check the bulletin board and help out the class mate(s) who are posting needing help, that'd be so awesome. :) My son is still trying, but has left the door open to drop it next week if he can't get in the swing of things. He was SO excited about this class. I hope it works out for him and all of your kids, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 So how much homework would you say they're getting per week? I am thinking about letting ds choose to do either this class or the math contest class over the summer but if it's hours of hw, that may not appeal over the summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in NY Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 It's hard to say how much time the homework will take each kid. My dd1 is in the class, but my dh (a software architect) is working through the exercises with dd2 and ds. Yesterday ds spent about 3 hours working on the homework... and I think he has 3 more problems to go... the hard ones. :) He has zero programming experience. I guess if your son 'got' everything right away, he could probably get by with an hour or so a day. In our experience with AoPS math programs, though, the aim of the program is to challenge even the kids that 'get it,' so I'm not holding out a lot hope that it will be quick and easy. It's just not the way AoPS has gone for us over the years. After many years of happily spending hours puzzling over AoPS math, my oldest dropped out of the AoPS program to 'take it easy' in APCalcBC this year --- LOL. She finds that she can finish it much more quickly, but does miss the challenge and deep explanations of AoPS. It's just the price that had to be paid to squeeze in everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 The Introductory Programming class teaches Python. They have a Java class, which I believe is just offered in the fall, that requires prior programming experience. I think the typical sequence is to take this Python course, THEN take the Java class. Apparently the Java class also prepares them for the AP exam if you desire. My son hasn't had Python yet, but he has already had both HTML and Java courses, so the Java course might be a good fit for him. He'd like to go a bit deeper into the language than he has in the past. For instructional purposes, there isn't a negative to learning Python, so we could go that route as well. My husband is a technical executive in an international company & says from the standpoint of college acceptance and employability, there isn't a reason for him to learn Python, so we've stayed with Java, which will help him be employable late in high school and in college. Because of his job, DH will have a heads up on the development of any new languages that look like they will have a major impact on programming & we can adjust accordingly. I hadn't thought of him taking an AP exam. If he majors in CE, he'll have to retake at the university level anyway. If he doesn't major in CE, I wonder what the likelihood of him getting elective credit based on the AP exam? If it looks like the Computer Science AP would be something he could do, I'll explore that at a few universities at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingiguana Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Not Aops, but this udacity python course has been working well for us: https://www.udacity.com/course/cs101 BUT I know how to program (even if I didn't know python), so I guess my kids have a tutor in the house. Still, I'm not sure how much difference that makes. There are solutions to all the problems. The student may just not get them on their own. But I suspect there are very few people (if any) who learn how to program without getting informal help from someone in doing homework problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 OK wow! Doesn't sounds like a fun summer project then :) I guess it shouldn't be. I'll have to find an alternative. I will check out that udacity course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Brownie, if your kids havent done scratch yet, super scratch programming adventure is very much a summer fun project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 FYI, my son dropped this course tonight. Deadline for full refund is before tomorrow's class, and then no refunds. The second challenge set was tough for him, and he didn't work at it early enough, and it seems risky to not drop, so drop we did. So sad for him. He was so excited about it. I need to find him another programming alternative ASAP. How about the rest of your kids? Are they all sticking with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Alohamaui is sticking with it (ETA: she's online right now!), but this isn't her first exposure to Python. We started with Michael Dawson's "Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner." Then she took a Coursera Python course. She did a few independent programming projects, and now she's doing the AOPS class for more challenges and keep her from forgetting what she's already learned! PS, if you use Dawson's book, you can supplement with Hello World! (forgot the author's name). I'm using the Dawson book now with dd#2. It is a nice gentle intro to programming. Good luck! ETA: We had signed her for this class months ago when she had far less programming experience and dropped it then. It was so challenging, that at that time I decided to return to AOPS when she had more experience. So here we are again, and it's a better fit, though she does complain the lectures are review. But the assignments are still challenging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Alohamaui is sticking with it (ETA: she's online right now!), but this isn't her first exposure to Python. We started with Michael Dawson's "Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner." Then she took a Coursera Python course. She did a few independent programming projects, and now she's doing the AOPS class for more challenges and keep her from forgetting what she's already learned! PS, if you use Dawson's book, you can supplement with Hello World! (forgot the author's name). I'm using the Dawson book now with dd#2. It is a nice gentle intro to programming. Good luck! ETA: We had signed her for this class months ago when she had far less programming experience and dropped it then. It was so challenging, that at that time I decided to return to AOPS when she had more experience. So here we are again, and it's a better fit, though she does complain the lectures are review. But the assignments are still challenging. My son has that book, and had enthusiastically worked through the first couple chapters before the AoPS class began. I am glad to hear the endorsement. I think he'll continue with that. Which Coursera course is it? Is it this one? https://www.coursera...teractivepython I'm off to put the Hello World book in my cart . . . Thanks, too, for the reassurance that your daughter also had trouble the first time through. They really shouldn't market this for total beginners!! THANKS! ETA: We just registered my son for the Coursera class linked above. Free is so cool! Now that we are getting a refund of the $275 tuition for the AoPS class, I feel much freer to buy books, lol. THANKS so much for the ideas! - Stephanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Brownie, if your kids havent done scratch yet, super scratch programming adventure is very much a summer fun project! Thanks dmnamaz. Looks good but we're well past this. The boys have been self-teaching scratch for years. My 12 year old also codes in C, BUT I don't want him doing 5 hours of homework each week over the summer and he is young for the class so I am sure the maturity factor would compound the challenge. Oh yeah and the ADHD :p Anything AOPS sounds like an undertaking. In case anyone is unaware though, Raspberry Pi uses Python. I was interested in picking up one for ds and that is why I was specifically curious about this course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 StephanieZ, sorry to hear your son dropped the course. I know mine and your son tried to connect for homework, but couldn't quite get the timing. Every time my son responded and sent yours an e-mail, it sat in the outbox for hours/overnight. My son is going to stick it out. :scared: So he needs to put the time in, especially considering the cost. But free is better, so it's good that you got out so that you could get your money back. :thumbup: It's good that you found something else for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 continue with that. Which Coursera course is it? Is it this one? https://www.coursera...teractivepython ETA: We just registered my son for the Coursera class linked above. Free is so cool! Now that we are getting a refund of the $275 tuition for the AoPS class, I feel much freer to buy books, lol. THANKS so much for the ideas! - Stephanie Yes, I believe that is the course. Joe and Scott are pretty hilarious. In a low-key nerdy kind of way. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 In case anyone is unaware though, Raspberry Pi uses Python. I was interested in picking up one for ds and that is why I was specifically curious about this course. Just to clarify, Python isn't the only language that can be used with a Raspberry Pi. Java, C# and a number of others can be used as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 My husband is a technical executive in an international company & says from the standpoint of college acceptance and employability, there isn't a reason for him to learn Python, so we've stayed with Java, which will help him be employable late in high school and in college. Because of his job, DH will have a heads up on the development of any new languages that look like they will have a major impact on programming & we can adjust accordingly. Sorry for a slight derail but sorting through language priorities has been ongoing around here. DS Grade 10 is taking Java at the high school but the summer research program he wants to do next year mentions C++ and python experience as desirable. Next year he is taking Data Structures (comp sci 2 at the U), which uses java or C++ but Comp Sci 1 at the U uses python (DS does not have to take Comp Sci 1 since he is now in AP Comp Sci). We recently met an engineer who said the University core programming language is python (I really do not know what he meant by that). The informatics class at the U is based on python. Object oriented software development class is based on java. The high school robotics team uses C++...but the high school doesn't teach C++ (they have Visual Basic and Java). He will probably end up majoring in physics and minoring in Comp Sci or similar. Presumable he will end up knowing some about a few different languages, but it sure makes long term planning interesting. My other son is currently interested in a Comp Sci or Comp Eng major so hopefully we will have learned a bit from DS#1's experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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