blue plaid Posted May 22, 2021 Share Posted May 22, 2021 Does anyone have any experience with this? I'd like for my daughter to learn some programming, and am looking for something solid but gentle. Wondering if this would be a good fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 20, 2022 Share Posted July 20, 2022 Did you ever try this? I am considering this for DD soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammish Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 My son took this class this past year, and really enjoyed it. He started taking it the first semester, and got tripped up by some things he didn't know (like the mod function), so at their recommendation, he switched to the teen Scratch programming class first. He enjoyed it, learned a lot, and then took the Python class second semester, and it went great. So maybe have her try the Scratch teen programming class instead? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 I was thinking for the middle school level. She is 12 and will be 8th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammish Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 On 7/22/2022 at 2:43 PM, shawthorne44 said: I was thinking for the middle school level. She is 12 and will be 8th grade. In that case, maybe you might try their beginner Scratch 5 week course? It's self paced, but is the same material as the beginning of the teen class. Alternatively, I'm pretty sure Outschool has a bunch of programming classes aimed at middle schoolers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domestic_engineer Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Sammish said: In that case, maybe you might try their beginner Scratch 5 week course? It's self paced, but is the same material as the beginning of the teen class. Alternatively, I'm pretty sure Outschool has a bunch of programming classes aimed at middle schoolers. Do you think a kiddo needs to do all three levels (beginning, intermediate, advanced) of scratch before jumping to python? Or would the beginning scratch course be a sufficient prerequisite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemsondana Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 33 minutes ago, domestic_engineer said: Do you think a kiddo needs to do all three levels (beginning, intermediate, advanced) of scratch before jumping to python? Or would the beginning scratch course be a sufficient prerequisite? If I remember correctly, the 3 5-week Scratch courses are similar to the full version, just broken into 3 parts so that younger students can do it in smaller increments rather than committing to a semester course. I usually don't post about Fundafunda classes since I teach there (and several of the teachers teach together at the same co-op, and some coach Science Olympiad together) and I don't want to violate rules about promoting a business I'm in volved in on the site. But, among the tech-interested co-op kids who take these classes, most take the full Scratch program some time in middle school, whether all at once or over a couple of years. My older did Python over the summer before 9th grade, and I know that kid has had friends who did it a little younger and also friends who took it later in high school. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 That is very helpful. DD has done a bit of Scratch with the Lego Robotics. I do scripting for my job, so I can assist DD with programming logic. I think I'll also follow along with her class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue plaid Posted July 25, 2022 Author Share Posted July 25, 2022 My daughter did the class, and the next semester my son did it. So I think it was a good class — my husband and I both thought some of the programming projects were excellent. However I wouldn’t consider it gentle (which is what I was looking for for my daughter.) She was willing but not super interested in programming and it was kind of intense for her. For both kids it got pretty time consuming by the end of the semester. I think the Python class is available as 3 modules which don’t have time limits as well as the semester class. In hindsight that would have been better for one of mine. The other had more programming interest and experience. He a couple of times needed extra help but mostly did well and liked it except for kind of running out of time at the end of the semester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 I really love Code Wizard HQ's classes. Finally I found a place where the scope and sequence was well thought out and flexible in terms of timing. https://www.codewizardshq.com/ My son completed the Middle School Level 1 series. Then he did the entire High School Python series this past summer. We will take a break in the fall and then pick up when he feels he is ready to return because classes begin all the time and you jump back into the sequence and start back into where he will place in the High School series at a time and day that works for your schedule. The grading of projects and the feedback is great as well as daily open office hours for help on your coding work is great as well. The classes are fairly small usually about 6 students and the instructor can see everyone's screens and give feedback in real time on their coding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 26 minutes ago, calbear said: I really love Code Wizard HQ's classes. Finally I found a place where the scope and sequence was well thought out and flexible in terms of timing. Do they ever offer non-evening classes? My kids usually work until early evening (and we are EST) so none of their times work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 1 hour ago, blue plaid said: . He a couple of times needed extra help but mostly did well and liked it except for kind of running out of time at the end of the semester. When this happened, how did he get the help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue plaid Posted July 25, 2022 Author Share Posted July 25, 2022 9 minutes ago, cintinative said: When this happened, how did he get the help? I know there is a TA you can contact for help — just asked my son and he said he did that once and that worked. But my husband does a lot of python programming so other times he just asked Dad. 🙂 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal_Bear Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 I have seen day time sessions. They are based out of Texas so Central Time Zone. They can also put a time up to see if there are people who will enroll. You just have to keep checking back to see what new sessions get added. Of course, the bulk of their students are afterschooling and on weekends. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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