In a world where kids are constantly consuming content and games, coding gives them the opportunity to be the creator. This will stretch their creative muscles and help them develop their self-confidence.
Tynker’s curriculum is designed with teachers in mind and offers a wide range of courses for students from early elementary to middle school. It features interactive lessons that teach coding fundamentals through a visual programming language.
1. Critical Thinking Skills
As educators, you have a lot on your plate. Teaching core subjects, managing student behavior, and finding time to plan are just a few of the challenges you face each marking period. But coding in middle school can be an easy add-on to your curriculum that will make a big difference for students. Plus, tons of resources will support you along the way.
One of the most important skills that coders learn is critical thinking. This type of thinking involves evaluating and considering all angles of a problem before making a decision or coming up with a solution. It also involves recognizing logical fallacies and analyzing evidence. It requires patience and grit to be an effective critical thinker, but it is vital for students to develop these skills.
Coding is a great way to help students build critical thinking skills because it requires them to think creatively, evaluate their work, and try again when they make a mistake. This helps them see that mistakes don’t equal failure and encourages them to keep trying until they reach their goal.
Another way coding can help students think critically is by encouraging them to compare and contrast different concepts. This can be done by asking them to consider how two things are similar or different and then finding ways to apply their findings to other problems.
Finally, coding is an excellent way to teach students how to break down complex problems into smaller parts that are easier to solve. This is a skill that is important for all types of students, but especially for those who struggle with math or science. When kids see that they can take what they have learned in these subjects and use it to create games and apps, they are more likely to be excited about these topics and want to continue learning. This can lead to higher academic motivation and better performance in school.
2. Career Opportunities
The best coding programs offer a wide variety of activities that can teach kids how to program while also exploring their interests. Programming is more than just a technical skill—it’s a way of thinking that can help children develop many vital life and career skills. For instance, it can foster creativity and problem-solving while also encouraging perseverance and communication. These are skills that can serve children well throughout their lives and beyond, whether they choose to pursue a career in programming or not.
Middle school is a dynamic time of growth and development, and it’s an ideal age for kids to learn about career opportunities. This is because middle school students tend to be more curious, creative, and brave when it comes to learning new things. It’s also a time when many young teens are trying to figure out their identity and how they fit into the world.
Fortunately, career exploration programs are becoming more common in schools across the country. However, a lack of funding and packed schedules makes it difficult for many students to explore their options. Plus, the rise of “tracking”—the practice of steering certain students, often from low-income families, into vocational tracks that lead to lower wages—has raised concerns about limiting students’ choices.
Introducing coding to middle school students is an excellent opportunity to help them explore careers and find their passions. Students can use coding to create interactive simulations of scientific experiments or code their own digital stories that incorporate language arts concepts. They can even learn to build websites or apps, a high-demand skill set across various careers.
Moreover, quality coding education can help break down the stereotypes and biases that surround computer science as a field for only the most gifted students. Making coding accessible to all students, regardless of their background or gender, can encourage more kids to take up the field and change the way we work. This will help us address the tech skills gap and ensure that all kids have access to future jobs.
3. Bridging the Digital Divide
While technology has opened the door to countless opportunities, it has also created the digital divide — the gap between those with access to technology and those without access. This gap can be based on many factors, including age, social class, education, location, and race. It can even be based on how much money a family makes or whether they have a home internet connection.
Learning to code can help bridge this gap by giving students the skills they need to create their own tech products. In addition, it can encourage more women and minorities to pursue careers in the tech industry by showing them that coding isn’t just for wealthy white males.
It also promotes grit by helping kids build concentration skills. Coding requires students to think through and execute each step in a program, which requires them to focus on a task for long periods of time. This helps strengthen their cognitive skills and can carry over to their performance on standardized tests.
In addition, it encourages them to keep trying when they fail. While it’s natural to be discouraged by failure, coding teaches students that it is possible to overcome challenges and keep going. This mindset will be incredibly valuable as they progress through their lives, both in school and beyond.
Many schools have implemented coding programs to help students learn how their favorite apps, websites, and games are made. These programs can also be a great way for kids to get hands-on experience with the latest tech, such as VR and AR.
Schools can also use coding to teach students the fundamentals of computer science. For example, Yeti Academy offers a comprehensive curriculum for middle school students, including modules on data visualization, physics, and programming. This curriculum is designed with teachers in mind, and it is a great way to help students stay engaged and on track. It is available for both iOS and Android devices, and it comes with built-in assessments, presentations, and other resources to make teaching the course easy.
4. Encouraging Entrepreneurship
Whether or not children end up going into coding as their career, quality coding education can help them build essential skills. It can encourage them to think creatively, to problem-solve, and to create their own solutions. These are all important for helping kids succeed in life.
One of the most beneficial skills that coding can teach kids is perseverance. This skill is necessary for many aspects of life, including school and work. Kids need to be able to keep trying when they don’t succeed at first, and debugging is an excellent way for them to learn how to do this.
Another important skill that coding can encourage is flexibility. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, it’s necessary for kids to have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Coding can help them develop this flexibility, as they will need to be able to modify their code to accommodate new technologies as they become available.
In addition to developing these skills, coding can also encourage entrepreneurship. By allowing kids to create their own apps and websites, they can learn the basics of creating digital products. This can give them a sense of accomplishment and pride and help them feel confident in their technological abilities.
Coding is a valuable educational tool for children of all ages, but it’s especially important for middle school students. These students are at an age when they can take the most advantage of a coding curriculum and are in an environment where it’s safe to be creative and try new things. By encouraging them to learn to code, we can give them the tools they need to succeed in today’s technologically driven world. Whether they want to be an organ creator, an earthquake forecaster, or a mechanic for self-driving cars, these skills will help them achieve their dreams. With the right support, they may even create their own company someday!
