Technology: Love it or leave it? Personally, I’d prefer to just leave a lot of it but our kids are growing up in a tech-saturated world and my 12-year-old son Bode looooooves video games. I, however, do not love the time wasted with video games. So, how can we reach a comprise where I feel like his time online is well-spent at least some of the time?
CodeWizardsHQ Curriculum
Enter: CodeWizardsHQ which offers a structured and comprehensive multi-year online curriculum available for grades 3rd-12th. Their unique approach combines the benefits of teacher-led instruction and the ease and convenience of online classes. Students attend weekly online classes from the convenience of your home. Classes are teacher-led, student-centered and project-based. Beginner to advanced experience levels are offered. As students progress course to course, they learn popular programming languages including; Scratch, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Python, MySQL, and more.
Bode learned more during his 3-week-long beginner Python class than he did after attending Scratch classes at our local library for 2+ years. So, what’s the difference? He says CodeWizardsHQ is “interactive, fun and it does a great job building upon the principles of coding.” The courses are deliberate, well-orchestrated and with class sizes under 8 students, instructors are not overwhelmed on the live chats or video conferencing.
Bode says, “I loved learning how to build my own games. My favorite project was when we designed a game so the fruit would come off and you would click the fruit before it would disappear. There was a scoring mechanism and it was cool to create something I would play in real life.”
Homework: The Fun Kind
After each class period, they had a homework project that would supplement what they learned every day. It would take Bode between 5-30 minutes and they were enjoyable since they were in the format of a game. If he had questions, students get 24/7 access to course materials and recorded sessions to review course content. They also get 24-hour email support from instructors and also live 1×1 instructor help during our office hours. This support is included in course fees.
Progress Report
Does your child ever go to camp and school and you wonder what they’re doing all day? CodeWizardsHQ sent a daily progress report including their “grade” in the quizzes.
Missing Class
Have to miss a class because, you know, life? CodeWizardsHQ records every class as it is delivered. Shortly after the class is over, they make those recordings and the class slides available to the students in that class. These recordings and slides make it easy for students to have another look at the material or catch up on a missed class.
Keep Learning
At the end of each students are assigned a capstone project that incorporates all the skills learned during that course. Every student who successfully completes this capstone project receives a certificate of completion, recognizing the skills they’ve learned and the level of mastery they’ve achieved.
Before Bode’s Python class was complete, I was impressed to receive an email detailing next steps:
They have a structured, long-term coding program that prepares your child for academic and professional success. The program finalizes with a capstone project, internship or a la carte courses that give students real-world web development experience or preparation for exams to earn college credit. Their student’s portfolios stand out in college applications and give them a competitive edge.
Whoa…an Internship?
After completing all of CodeWizardsHQ’s courses, students are eligible for a 6-month internship with a partner nonprofit organization. This internship will give students real-world web development experience, allowing them to build a portfolio and stand out on college applications.
Testimonial from a Pro
My husband owns a Denver-based web development firm and he has been really impressed with the skillset that my son is gaining. “This place [CodeWizardsHQ] is the real deal. I like how they covered a wide range of topics and taught kids in an engaging way to get them excited and interested about an awesome field of work.”
Go to Code Wizards HQ for more information about their late-summer and (soon) fall courses.
Author: Amber Johnson
Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.
