FAQs from Codekids student parents
Q: I would like to enquire about the Python Beginner Club.
Just one question: I understand that you usually want the student to attend for a year at Beginner level before going to the intermediate level.
Does that mean the Beginner Club starts from start of year (and is really a year long course) – and so is not suitable for a total beginner to join the club in Term 4?
A: Thanks for your enquiry. New students can join the Python beginner club in any school term.
The club will be taught at the beginner level, so it is suitable for both new and current students.
The students will improve their understanding of the Python programming language by taking more hands-on practice and gaining experience. New coding projects will taught each term.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Q: How long do you recommend studying in the Scratch club? Why do children need 4 terms to graduate from the program? Are you repeating the same content every term?
A: Honestly, coding and programming are not easy, even for adults. At Codekids, we use different and similar projects to teach students computational thinking through creating games and stories. This approach allows children to improve their practical skills and understanding of programming language logic. There are also numerous long-term benefits.
The Codekids approach is hands-on, allowing children to acquire essential programming and computational thinking skills without realizing it. This is actually the best way to learn!
Learning coding is similar to learning to drive a car or another human language—practice, practice, and practice! Four terms equate to about 32 hours of classroom learning, which is suitable for new learners of this visual-based programming language.
Q: Why should kids learn coding? What are the long-term benefits?
A: There is a comprehensive summary from a leading university outlining the seven reasons why kids should learn to code. You can find it here: https://codekids.com.au/7-reasons-why-kids-should-learn-coding-and-programming/
Q: My child is in year 5 now. He did the Python beginner club for the past 3 terms and wants to try the challenge course.
A: Thanks for the email. Programming is not an easy subject, and our goal is to get our students to the highest level possible while they enjoy the learning, which will take multiple years of effort. We find that students with a very solid foundation will be more confident and successful in their later studies.
If your child is very confident with the class contents from the last term, it will be time to go to the intermediate club/class.
If there are still some contents about which he has not mastered them practically, study another term at beginner level is highly recommended.