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Learning to Code With Compassion: An Interview With April Wensel

10/22/2020

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PictureApril Wensel
We sat down with April Wensel, CEO of Compassionate Coding to discuss emotional intelligence in technology and how developing a strong sense of compassion is connected to solving problems—large and small—in computer science. 

Hi April! Thanks for being here. To start, please tell us a little about you.

I started coding in high school and loved the way I could create virtual worlds using the computer. I continued studying computer science in college and got my first job at Sony working on PlayStation software. For the next decade, I worked at a variety of Silicon Valley startups in gaming, education, and digital healthcare. I ended up starting my own company because I realized that as much as I loved working on the technology, I didn’t find there was enough discussion about the humans who would use the technology. So, I started Compassionate Coding to address that by teaching emotional intelligence to my fellow coders.

What exactly is Compassionate Coding?

Compassionate Coding is an approach to software development that’s centered on the human beings involved in and affected by technology. Compassion in general is about noticing suffering and working to alleviate it. So when you apply it to coding, it means addressing pain points throughout the software development process.

In practical terms, there are four areas for Compassionate Coders to consider in their work: their own well-being (e.g. managing stress), the well-being of their teammates (e.g. collaborating with empathy), the well-being of the software users (e.g. making software user-friendly and accessible), and the well-being of society at large (e.g. anticipating possible social impacts of the software we’re building). For example, Facebook is scrambling to address issues like false information on the platform because they didn’t think about these issues earlier on.

With Compassionate Coding, I help other coders see why it’s important to care about human issues. Our training focuses specifically on teaching emotional intelligence to technologists because I feel that is the foundation for understanding and addressing all other human issues. I see my role as planting seeds of compassion and encouraging people to continue growing them for the rest of their lives. It’s the start of a journey, not the end.

That makes a lot of sense! TCS is passionate about teaching kids the skills they need to solve problems creatively. How can developing compassion help them in this area?
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Being compassionate with ourselves when we make mistakes gives us more courage to experiment with creative ideas. Also, being able to collaborate compassionately with others who have different experiences and perspectives will also open you up to their creative ideas.
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April speaking at the Swift NYC Conference in 2018

I love that more compassion can lead to greater courage. Our curriculum also aims to help kids develop grit, determination, and a growth mindset. How would you describe a growth mindset? Why is it important to coding?

These are all essential skills for coders. Some people think, “Oh, I could never be good at coding. I’m just not born that way.” That’s an example of a fixed mindset where you think your skills are limited. A growth mindset, on the other hand, means recognizing that though we all may have different skills right now, we can choose what skills we want to develop with practice. Since we are constantly learning new programming languages and technologies, a growth mindset is essential for any coder to thrive in their career.

​Is there anything you think parents and educators can do to encourage compassion in kids?

One exercise for parents and children is to pause to imagine what life is like for someone else. For example, if you’re driving and someone cuts you off, do you yell—and does your child see this? What would happen if you tried pausing and saying, “Hmm, that person must be in a real hurry to do something dangerous like that. I wonder if they are rushing home to take care of their own sick child.” Difficult moments are great opportunities for practicing compassion.

I would also encourage parents and children to seek out stories from different cultures in their community and around the world to develop empathy and compassion.

At TCS, we’re dedicated to closing the gender gap in tech and are proud that over 50% of our students are girls. As someone who has found such success in the tech industry, do you have any advice to young women looking to follow in your footsteps?
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We definitely need more women in tech! To young women seeking a career in tech, I would say this: you all have a wise voice inside your head that knows what is right for you. Other people may offer you advice based on their own experience, which can sometimes be helpful, but it’s not always relevant to your unique path. So my advice is to learn to listen to and trust your wise inner voice. Mine is what led me to start my company!

Many thanks to April Wensel for taking the time to chat with us at The Coding Space. You can learn more about her work at www.compassionatecoding.com and check out our full- and half-semester class options here.
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Code 4 Change: Teaching Topics for Early Elementary Learners

10/15/2020

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This fall, we’re kicking off the next awesome Code 4 Change challenge: Kids Teaching Kids. While you might have heard about our first C4C event this past spring, which asked kids to code solutions to some of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the Fall 2020 event is even more relevant—especially for kids.

Inspired by the move many students have made to remote and hybrid learning as a result of COVID-19 disruptions this year, the theme for this semester’s event is centered around digital education and interactive learning, primarily for early elementary (kids in grades PreK-2). These young learners are just starting out on their educational journey; many may have started their first school year ever on a computer, outside of the classroom, away from friends and their teacher. That’s a tough way to get used to school. But we believe that our intrepid coders—armed with problem-solving skills, creativity, and coding—can help!

We’re asking our coders to use their smarts and skills to help other kids: how can we make learning fun and engaging for young students? How can we use technology to introduce them to new ideas, help them understand tricky concepts, or to reinforce what they’ve learned so far? Another way to think about it might be: If you could teach your younger self anything, what would it be? And how would you teach it? 

We’ve put together a list of some potential subjects and concepts that most early elementary students learn. While this is not intended to be all-inclusive, we hope it provides you with some ideas when selecting the topic you want your project to teach. 

Math
  • Numbers and counting: Can you help a student learn their numbers and count 1 through 10? Can you add a challenge level to teach them to count up through 20?
  • Basic addition and subtraction: Using the numbers 1-10, teach a student how to solve beginner math problems like 2+4, 3+6, 5-3, and 8-4.
  • Identifying shapes: Help students recognize and name shapes like a square, circle, triangle, rectangle, cube, cylinder, pyramid, and more.
  • Simple word or visual math problems: Use words and images to teach a student a math problem. For example: Brad saw 2 birds. Then he saw 4 more. How many birds did he see in all?

Literacy
  • Recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters: Teach a student the difference between upper and lowercase letters, from “A” and “a” to “Z” and “z”.
  • Matching uppercase and lowercase letters: Can you help a student learn how to pair uppercase and lowercase letters like “Aa,” “Bb,” and “Cc”?
  • Consonant and vowel letter sounds: Use audio or sound clips to teach students letter sounds, then help them identify pictures that start with that sound. For example: /n/ is the sound of the letter “n” in “net”. Check out this video to hear the correct sound for each letter as it should be taught.
  • Beginning reading and spelling: Teach basic consonant-vowel-consonant words such as “cat,” “fed,” “bit,” “hot,” and “cut” using picture matching or letter pairing.

Science
  • The five senses: Help students identify each of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell.
  • Seasons and weather: Teach students the difference between the four seasons or different types of weather, such as rain, sun, and snow.

Social Studies
  • Identifying emotions: Use emojis, sprites, or other icons to teach students how to recognize different emotions and when they might feel those emotions.
  • People who work in your neighborhood: Help students identify and learn more about the people who serve their communities like postal workers, firefighters, doctors, and more.

Once you have your project selected and are registered to participate, and then you’re ready to begin working. Here are a few tips from our team on how to create a project that will truly help other kids learn:

  1. Approachability: When creating your project, it's best to assume that students cannot read independently at all. This will allow for the greatest number of students of different ages and skill levels to interact with your project.
  2. Use clear visuals: Young kids can easily become overwhelmed by too much to look at, so try to use simple, clear visuals and images that won’t overwhelm the viewer.
  3. Provide easy-to-follow directions: Make sure directions are simple to understand, limited to a few steps at most, and either read aloud or provided using simple images or words. Remember: most kindergartners are still learning to read!
  4. Keep rules simple: Offer rules that are easy to follow and not overly complicated.
  5. Take your time: Learning happens at all paces, so try to slow down games, actions, and timers to make sure kids can keep up. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our team at admissions@thecodingspace.com. In the meantime, good luck and get coding!
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Deep Dive: The Coding Space Weekly Coding Challenges

9/25/2020

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Did you know that The Coding Space offers special assignments to students looking to take their coding skills to the next level? We asked John Bujalski, TCS New York Metro Program Manager, to give us the scoop on these cool opportunities. 

Hi John! Thanks for chatting with us. Can you start by telling us what The Coding Space Weekly Challenges are and how they support TCS curriculum?
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John Bujalski, TCS New York Metro Program Manager
Of course! The Coding Space Weekly Challenges are a set of challenging programming tasks we present to students at the start of each TCS lesson. While challenges are optional for all students, they are an excellent place to start if a student is looking for motivation, ideas, or, well, a challenge! Challenges can be especially good for guiding students through concepts they might miss when working on their own projects during project-based learning and un-tutorials or want to revisit.

What can students expect from a challenge?

There are three challenges for each level of our curriculum: a small, medium, and big challenge. Each challenge is just a short sentence describing what the student should do, but they are intended to be the perfect starting point for students to learn and explore new concepts. Students can pick whichever challenge they think sounds most interesting or their teacher can select a challenge for them which is most appropriate for their growth as a coder.

It sounds like there is a challenge for every skill level. Can you tell us the difference between small, medium and big challenges?

The difference is about the length of time necessary to complete the challenge, not difficulty. A small challenge may be easy or tricky, but it will generally only take a student 5-15 minutes to solve. A medium challenge will typically take at least half of a class, if not a whole class, to complete. A big challenge is the jumping off point for a project which will span multiple classes.

What cool concepts might coders get to explore with challenges? Any favorites?

Challenges will allow coders to explore all sorts of cool concepts: boolean logic fundamentals, manipulating coordinate systems, optimal code organization, loops, arrays, sorting algorithms, recursion, using time and weather data in projects, integrations and APIs… just to name a few.

As for favorites, I don’t want to spoil any of the upcoming challenges, but I really like Week 2’s large challenge: Use the WoofJS pen to draw a starry sky on a solid color background. I’m excited to see some of the clever ways students accomplish that.

What happens when a student finishes a challenge?

Our teachers instill grit and a love of learning into our students, so completing a tricky challenge and learning from it is its own reward! But students who complete challenges can ring the gong (or virtual gong for our online classes), brag about their accomplishments, or show off the project they made to complete the challenge.

Who can tackle these challenges? Do you have to be a TCS student?

While the challenges are written specifically for our students to use within their TCS classes, they are available for anyone to try. Like most of our curriculum, the challenges are available publicly online for free—but the guidance of a TCS teacher in our classes is what really gets a child to push themselves to learn and build amazing projects.

Anything else we should know about this fun opportunity?

The Coding Space Weekly Challenges are one small part of our comprehensive approach to teaching TCS students not only computer science and coding, but also critical thinking, creativity, logic, and the grit necessary to take agency over their learning and pursue their passions—wherever they may lead.

Thanks for stopping by the blog, John! 

To learn more about being challenged in coding classes with The Coding Space, check out our fall classes here.
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How to Encourage a Love of STEAM in Girls

9/16/2020

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Photo credit: Designed by peoplecreations / Freepik

“That’s just for boys!” 

Likely, you’ve heard a young girl make this comment at one time or another. While the context might be innocent, it's alarming how many things are deemed to be "for boys" when, in reality, this couldn't be farther from the truth.

Science- and technology-related fields of study and employment are often treated this way, even though women have historically been at the forefront of groundbreaking scientific and technological advancements. Given this, it’s understandable that young girls could internalize a "boys only" mindset when approaching science, technology, engineering, and math.

While there is still a considerable amount of progress to be made, there are signs that more girls are being exposed to computer science earlier on in their K-12 education. In 2018, there was a 39% increase in the number of female students who took the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science exam. And here at The Coding Space, girls account for more than 50% of our students. Still, in 2015, only 18% graduates with a computer science degree were female. Why is this?
  • Lack of early exposure. Studies show that students are ten times more likely to major in computer science if they are introduced to it early on to build their programming experience, like in an AP Computer Science class.
  • Misconceptions about programming as a career.The media also portrays programming as an independent and "nerdy" discipline, whereas building software is actually a very collaborative and creative process.
  • Afraid to make mistakes. Code rarely runs perfectly the first time you run it. Thus, learning how to problem solve, think critically, and debug code is a key programming skill and applicable in a variety of disciplines.
  • Lack of female role models. The computer scientists and workers in STEAM fields we learn about in history class or see on TV and in film are usually men. This lack of representation means computer science jobs often don't get added to girls' lists of career aspirations.

So what can parents do to spark an early love of STEAM learning in their daughters?

Teach girls (and boys!) about famous female computer scientists
Storytelling matters. Tales of prominent female figures in STEAM careers simply aren’t taught as often or shared as widely as their male counterparts. Here are just a few to talk about with kids:
  • Ada Lovelace was a talented mathematician born in 1815 who is considered by many to be the world's first computer programmer.
  • The story of Katherine Johnson was recently featured in the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. An incredibly gifted mathematician, Katherine was hired by NASA to perform calculations. Her skills were so strong that once computers were introduced, she was asked to double-check the work of the machines! 
  • While it’s important to highlight historical female influences in computer science, it’s essential to showcase modern programmers, too. Recently, 12-year-old Samaira Mehta has been featured in the news and invited to speak at conferences for her work as a programmer — a title she earned at just 6 years old! Her work has helped children all across the US learn to code.

Encourage opportunities for girls to explore STEAM
Extracurricular activities are important to help children develop their interests and passions; the same is true for encouraging a love of STEAM. At The Coding Space, we aim to help boys and girls alike to explore programming concepts through games, hands-on fun, and coding challenges appropriate for a child’s individual skill level. From kitchen science experiments to opportunities to develop board games and engineer the tallest tower, kids are invited and encouraged to put their thinking caps on and solve problems, on and off the screen. You can learn more about our curriculum and approach here. 

Demonstrate how STEAM fits into what girls already enjoy
Did you know that the “A” in STEAM stands for “arts”? Encourage kids’ creative side by showing young girls how science, technology, engineering, and math skills can be incorporated into whatever activities and hobbies they already love, like arts-and-crafts, music, and more. For fashionable kids, check out this DIY project for binary bracelets. And for playtime, consider STEAM-based toys like GoldieBlox or subscription services like KiwiCrate that encourage engaged play and foster critical thinking skills. 

Provide a safe space to learn. 
Confidence is key in many areas of life, and learning is no different. Because young girls may initially feel unsure about their abilities in STEAM areas, it can be difficult for them to thrive in co-ed classes. That’s why we’ve created GirlCode. This girls-only class provides a supportive community environment where girls are encouraged to try new things, make mistakes, and build confidence and creativity through learning to code. By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for girls, we can help change the gender gap in tech. 

Interested in learning more about how The Coding Space can spark a love of STEAM learning in your child’s life? Fall classes are now in session. Check it out here. 

A version of this article originally appeared on junilearning.com 
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Creating a Remote Learning Environment

9/7/2020

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Providing education from home can be a less-than-ideal situation. As many students are transitioning to an online learning environment, we’re here to help with some sound advice for how to set your child up for success. (Many thanks to Seesaw for the base of this information.)

Maintain a schedule

In the midst of this transition, students need consistency and routine.
  • Keep normal meal and bed times, and start learning when school typically starts each day. 
  • Write your child’s schedule where they can see it. (Tip: Put all family members’ schedules up together!)

Create a designated learning space

  • Organize learning materials and designate a common area for learning. That space should have a strong wireless connection, can be blocked from noise, and should be located where family members can participate in the lesson. Young students often benefit from having a mouse to use instead of a trackpad.
  • Distractions like smart phones, tablets, and other kids should be removed from the learning space during lessons. 
  • Before a lesson with a teacher begins, make sure they have water and a snack within reach so they aren’t tempted to wander.
  • Make sure your student can sit high enough in their chair to comfortably access the computer.
  • Keep computers plugged in throughout the lesson to avoid unexpected shutdowns.
  • Not only do headphones shut out unwanted noise, they allow students to work on projects with sound and to improve overall call audio clarity. If headphones are available, they should be used by students. 
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Getting started with Zoom

  • Please read this blog for information about downloading and setting up Zoom Client for Meetings. 
  • For every lesson, please be prepared to be physically present to support your child in the first few minutes of class. They will likely need your help to manage technical issues, to screen share, and to follow the prompts of the instructor. After your student is set up and class is running, please be “on call” in case they run into any hiccups.
  • When your student is asked to share their screen, please select the option to share the entire screen.

Connect with their instructors

We no longer have the pleasure of crossing paths during drop off and pick up, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to hear from you! If you have questions or concerns about your student’s progress, please send an email or schedule a video call to discuss with their teacher. And don’t hesitate to call the instructor if there’s a technical issue you can’t solve during class! We are here to help.

Pay attention to their experience 

For your student, remote learning is likely a new experience and may feel isolating or disconnected. Let them know that technical issues are inevitable, and keep tabs on what your student needs. If they are enjoying the independence of learning remotely, encourage them. If they seem hesitant or unsure, they may need someone there to share the experience with them. You can help support their transition by sitting in for parts of their classes to keep them company. When they seem more settled, let them know you need to go get your own work done and you’ll be back to check in later on. 

If parents do want to sit in on class, we ask that they allow students to "steer". Our teachers are monitoring the progress of all students on the call and will make sure that your student is working productively on challenging material appropriate to their level.

Begin and end each day with a check-in

Taking the time to reflect on your child's experience will go a long way toward making sure they feel secure and supported as they settle in to virtual learning. In fact, there is a designated part of our classes at the end where students are asked to share their reflections on what they're learning with each other. Reflection within our classes helps us build community and is essential to giving students agency over their progress. You can continue this exercise by checking in with them after class, when they've had a chance to process what they've learned. Try asking: 
  • What are you learning today? 
  • What did you enjoy learning today? 
  • What was challenging? 
  • How did it feel? 
  • Will you show me what you’ve been learning or making?

Schedule physical activity and social interaction

Physical and social activity are essential to your child’s wellbeing, and they need to be prioritized even more now that we are moving to remote learning. Scheduling time for movement, social interaction, and play helps your child have a positive experience at home and helps them focus when it’s time to sit down in front of the computer.
Ideas: 
  • Create a family dance
  • Act out a scene from a book
  • Interview a family member
  • Play your favorite game
  • Cook or bake your family’s favorite recipe

Support your child’s emotional needs

In stressful times, children need supportive and stable relationships with trusted adults. Stay close with your child and provide age-appropriate information. For instance, here’s a kid-friendly comic about COVID-19.
As always, we’re here to help. For more resources, contact us.
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Preparing for Fall 2020 Virtual Coding Classes: What Parents Need to Know

9/4/2020

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Fall semester is an exciting time at The Coding Space. This year, with classes launching entirely online, our team is continuing to fine-tune our remote learning environment both through training and developing best practices. To that end, we’ve put together this brief guide to make sure that things go smoothly as families shift to online lessons.

Getting Started

If your child is a new student, our team will be in contact to schedule a technology Pre-Check. This brief virtual meeting is to check students’ hardware setup and catch any issues before their first class. It’s important for parents and students to attend to ensure the best quality performance and to use the computer the student will be using for class. Students who have already taken a TCS class on the same computer do not need to do a Pre-Check; only new students or students who are switching to a new computer.

In order for your child to participate in an online lesson, they’ll need to download Zoom. This is the platform we use for online work because it uses lower bandwidth which allows for smoother audio and video than other platforms. It also provides multi-screen sharing, the ability to break out into smaller groups, and an interactive whiteboard which makes for a highly engaging learning experience. Using the waiting room feature, our teachers are able to monitor who is accessing the call, providing a secure learning environment.

  1. Download Zoom Client for Meetings (if you have trouble with this step, please don’t worry as the program will automatically download when you launch the first meeting). If you are using a Chromebook, you’ll need to follow slightly different instructions, which can be found here. 
  2. Once you’ve downloaded the Zoom Client, test your audio and video by clicking on “New Meeting.”  Zoom’s default is to start all meetings with microphones muted and cameras turned off. You can activate each of these things by clicking on the buttons in the bottom left of your Zoom screen. When you click on the small up arrow next to the microphone, you’ll be given the option to test your microphone and speakers.  For a more detailed walk through of getting started you can read this article from Zoom (or this one for Chromebooks). 
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Troubleshooting
To ensure the best experience, please login to Zoom five to ten minutes before class. You may be placed in a waiting room until class begins:

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​When you attempt to join the Zoom session, it’s possible that you will receive one of a handful of messages indicating that the Zoom session is not ready to begin.  Here are some examples of what you may see: 
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The meeting has not yet started. When the teacher arrives, you will be admitted to the class.
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You may receive a locked-room message if you are late to class. If this happens, please call or text your teacher and/or email support@thecodingspace.com. But, due to the disruptions caused by late arrivals, be advised: students who arrive to class more than 10 minutes late are not guaranteed admittance.

If you run into any other problems when you start your session, text your teacher; they are prepared to offer basic troubleshooting. Please keep in mind that many teachers will have multiple lessons in a row, so they may not respond immediately. Still, the text will alert them to the fact that you are trying to connect, and they can call you at the lesson’s start time to offer support. Teachers know to allow additional time for each student’s first remote session so that they can troubleshoot without needing to sacrifice instruction time. Have your child store the teacher’s phone number so they can reach out with any troubleshooting questions.  

If you are unable to reach your teacher, email support@thecodingspace.com for assistance.


Best Practices
  1. Make sure to attend a Pre-Check for your computer setup before your first lesson. All new students will be contacted to set up a short Pre-Check.
  2. Make sure your child has Zoom up and running before class and that all extraneous applications and windows have been closed completely. Additional software running during a lesson can cause unexpected technical issues.
  3. Use the Zoom Desktop client. 
  4. Use the same computer for all lessons (the same computer you completed your Pre-Check on). iPads and other tablets will not work for group classes. In general, computers are highly preferable.
  5. Conduct online sessions in a quiet, well-lit space with a strong internet connection.  Background noise is even more distracting for online work than work in person.
  6. Transitioning to online learning can feel overwhelming, especially for our younger ones. We've put together this guide to supporting your student during the transition to online learning.

Enhancing the Virtual Learning Experience

There’s no doubt that learning remotely is a different experience to learning in person, but our teachers have identified a number of pedagogical approaches that can help students transition.  If students have an open mind, they might just find they prefer online work to in-person work. Here are some practices that our teachers have found to be helpful for students:

  1. Narrate the work: Students may be asked to describe their thought process as teachers record the resulting work on a shared whiteboard.
  2. ​Participate in group projects: Teachers may have students all collaborate on the same project during class. You can read more about collaborating in groups here.
  3. Take physical notes: Don’t underestimate the power of the pen! Students can greatly benefit from writing down notes and plans for their projects using physical paper off of the screen.

Have other questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us at admissions@thecodingspace.com. We look forward to having your child in class this fall. 
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A Look Back at Camp Coding Space Online

9/3/2020

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Summer may be coming to a close and fall classes are just around the corner, but we at The Coding Space wanted to take a minute to reflect on the success of Camp Coding Space Online and the incredible campers who joined us each week. 

With the delay and cancellation of many in-person day camps, there’s little doubt that this summer was full of unexpected hurdles for families. Our team also faced a big decision: cancel in-person summer camp outright or offer a virtual program. Not wanting to disappoint our campers, we took a leap and moved our traditional summer camp entirely online. 

Though the majority of coding instruction adapts well to a virtual environment, there were still some challenges. We wanted our campers to receive the top-notch coding education they expect from TCS while not missing out on important elements of the camp experience like hands-on fun and finding new friends. So our creative curriculum team got to work mapping out a solution: a virtual camp experience combining programming projects, team challenges, STEAM exploration, and unique physical activities. It looked good on paper, but then came the real test of running it past our experts: kids.
And the result? Eleven weeks of jokes, laughs, teamwork, friendship, creativity, problem solving, and of course, coding. Campers got to interact with a whole host of fun and interesting experiences, broadening their horizons and getting them moving. Here are just a few of the camper favorites. ​
Our STEAM electives introduced kids to new concepts in the worlds of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. With multiple options available everyday and the opportunity to revisit their favorites at the end of the week, campers had the opportunity to explore and uncover their own passions. From creative outlets like graphic novel design, font making, and pixel art to deeper dives into topics like how computers work and where programming languages come from, these subjects opened the eyes and minds of our campers.
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Exploring the super cool world of graphic novel design during Elective hour.
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Campers showing off what they've made (memory maps and origami) and the theme of the day: masks!
But the camp experience also meant playing fun games and embarking on cool projects, even if campers didn’t leave their house. Our kick-off and hands-on activities brought the fun to the kitchen table, dining room, or wherever our campers found themselves. Whether kids were doing Pokemon yoga, having a scavenger hunt around the house, whipping up a new culinary masterpiece, or showing off a funny hat for Theme Day, there was always something new to get them moving, thinking, and interacting with one another.
In the end, kids crafted games, animations, stories, and even musicals which they proudly shared with everyone at the end of each week. ​All this fun only added to the heart of our mission: helping kids develop critical and creative thinking skills, tackle challenges, and express themselves through learning to code. ​​​
The coding challenges this summer were self paced and as challenging as the individual coder needed them to be. Our team was there to help along the way with small group breakout sessions to keep coding instruction personal. We witnessed many achievements made by our campers, from taking their first steps in a new programming language, to offering constructive feedback to others on how to improve their projects, to discovering answers by asking themselves questions first.
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Projects were shared for play-testing on Fridays as a chance for campers to try out one another's creations.
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Our TCS counselors getting in on the action.
This summer also was a magical experience for our counselors who never hesitated to join in on the fun. They brought tents and sleeping bags for Wilderness Day, helped their brave team of campers pull off digital Relay Race upsets, and revelled in the weekly TCS Cup competition, where campers faced a series of challenges throughout the week, even holding their own Counselor Cup in solidarity. The collective energy and social engagement among campers and counselors transcended the screen and allowed us all to leave with a sense of real connection.
It’s always sad to see summer end, but this year, it’s bittersweet: while there was apprehension about taking our program online, our inventive, pioneering campers and counselors made it into a truly memorable summer. Now, looking ahead to our fall classes, which will be held virtually, we’re excited about the possibilities and can’t wait to share the experience with our coders. Thank you to our campers and their parents for such an awesome summer; we hope to see you in class very soon!
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Fall 2020 Updates For Families

8/17/2020

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Dear Coding Space Family,

First of all, we want to convey our gratitude for your continued trust and support. During these challenging months, we have not taken for granted how fortunate we are to continue to serve our community and see smiling faces and inquisitive young minds every week. We are amazed by the creativity, perseverance, and humor that we’ve seen in each of our students and inspired to show them a bright future ahead.

Taking into consideration the current public health projections, as well as the limitations of a socially distanced classroom, we've decided to keep our classes online this fall. While we'd prefer to hold class in person, we've found a silver lining in using the present circumstances to develop a more balanced and dynamic learning environment that allows our students to flourish in any format.

To this end, our focus this fall will be on integrating time spent coding on the computer with STEAM-based activities that invite students away from their screens. Exploring the worlds of science, the arts, and engineering, these exercises not only will stretch students’ minds in new ways, they'll encourage social interaction and collaboration in a time where they need it most. We’ve seen how well this works at virtual camp this summer and are excited to apply it to the fall.

We also understand that making plans right now can be difficult and stressful. We hope that by offering half-semester options and a flexible refund policy, you’ll feel comfortable making a commitment and confident that your children will be in careful and caring hands. 

We're looking forward to seeing everyone in person again. In the meantime, we are energized by all that we've learned from constructing our virtual classroom and all of the possible applications of this knowledge and experience. We will continue to tinker, develop, and grow along with our students and be humbled by and in awe of the journey.
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Be well, and we hope to see you online this fall.

Sincerely, 
​
The Coding Space team


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Careers for Coders: Where Computer Science Can Lead

8/12/2020

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There’s no doubt that computer science is a quickly expanding industry. In fact, back in 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that, by 2020, there would be 1.4 million programming-related jobs available and only 400,000 graduates with the coding skills required to fill those roles. That means there is a huge demand and opportunity for young coders down the road to put their grit, determination, and problem-solving skills to work. 

​Far from the boring, lonely jobs one may imagine when they think of programmers, on the whole, careers in computer science require creativity and collaboration. These roles often balance teamwork with technical challenges such as identifying problems, designing solutions, and testing functionality. Rather than working alone, programming actually encourages a team-oriented approach with people working together across departments like design, marketing, and sales.


​But what kinds of careers can await kids with a passion for computer science? The opportunities are endless, encompassing everything from artificial intelligence and app development to cybersecurity and robotics. Here are a few ideas to get young programmers thinking about the future:

UI/UX Designer

UI/UX designers focus on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) by designing the interface that a user interacts with in programs, like Spotify or Instagram. They have to consider how to make the design simple and intuitive and also unified with the company's branding. They use tools like Illustrator, Sketch, and Figma to create and collaborate on design mocks. It is incredibly helpful when a UI/UX designer understands how the interface would be implemented in code by a web developer, so they often have a good understanding of programming languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

Data Scientist

Data scientists are charged with finding patterns and insights in business data to recognize trends, inform decision making, and predict future outcomes. Oftentimes, data science is linked to Machine Learning, which is used to model existing data and make predictions.
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Data science is relevant to many fields and industries. For example, Southwest Airlines has used sensor data to improve the daily operational safety of its aircrafts. The IRS recently uncovered $10 billion worth of tax fraud using advanced data analytics and detection algorithms. Many companies—like Target, Walmart, and even Etsy—use data scientists to better understand their customers.

Security Engineer

In today's world, we rely on the internet for everything from online shopping to playing games. With so much private information, like our credit card numbers and healthcare data, stored online, security engineers and security analysts are extremely important to protecting everyone's sensitive information. They protect computer networks and systems from security threats and attack. Thus, security engineers have many different responsibilities, such as installing preventative security protocols, monitoring for threats, and responding to potential attacks.

Software Engineer
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In general, software engineers manage the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of software. They build software products, develop computer games, and run network control systems. Here is a sampling of the wide variety of work that happens in software development:
  • At Microsoft, computer programmers built Seeing AI, an app to help people who are blind read printed text in their world from their smartphones.
  • At Airbnb, developers built a knowledge graph to provide useful travel information about the cities users are visiting.
  • At Instagram, engineers launched Type Mode, a way to post status updates to Instagram Stories with no photos or videos.
As you can imagine, all of these projects require collaboration with many people, many of whom may have a background in programming even if their titles are not software engineers. Some of these people may be in roles we've already mentioned, like UI/UX designers or data scientists. Building software is a complex team effort!

Help your child take the first step towards a rewarding and challenging computer science career with our coding classes. Fall registration is now open with virtual classes offered for every skill level. We can’t wait to see your child in class and help them on their coding journey.

A version of this article originally appeared on junilearning.com
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Get a Sneak Peek of Camp Coding Space Online

7/16/2020

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Curious about our online summer camp experience? Now you can try out a bit of Camp Coding Space Online right here. While our camp ranges from three to six hours, this bite-sized video will provide a sense of the structure and range of activities our campers can look forward to in a complete session. In this special 30-minute demonstration, kids are invited to participate as we dive into a pixel art STEM activity, get coding with Scratch, and play a fun hands-on game with TCS teacher, Madison. Come code along and see what the buzz is about!
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