Computer Programming for kids

[conorsrockers]

Does anyone know of a club/person/child friendly geek in the Kent area that teaches or would like to teach computer programming to kids? We have used Alice etc... for a while, but I am afraid I don't have the enthusiasm/time for it....

have you heard about this project?

codeyear.com/

Don't know of anyone, but would like to mark my spot since we are looking for the same thing...

What area are you in singinggirl?

Near Canterbury.

We are very close! I will keep my ear to the ground and message you if I get anything.

I'll do the same!

My 11 yr DS wanted me to teach him program (thats my job) but after 15 minutes he realised he wasn't anywhere close to being able to program his own PC games :) and promptly lost interest.

Teaching children programming isn't easy. I would suggest that you self-teach DC the Microsoft products like Word, Excel and Powerpoint if you want DC to be PC literate as opposed to programming. Excel comes with its own programming function. Perhaps you could get DC to set up a spreadsheet for a shop selling teddy bears for example.

Thanks Pushy - he uses the Microsoft programs quite alot. There are some good programming summer schools, but they are the other side of the M25! DS's school are keen to set up a club, but we are struggling to find an 'inspiring' teacher - as you say, if it doesn't move quickly enough it can get dull. Alice is good - but again, something that a programmer could do something exciting with alot better (and genuinely more excited) than I could!! Please do let me know if you know anyone that has/would be interested in this sort of thing. Thx.

Hi....I am constantly looking for programming clubs for my 11yr DS, he is very advanced and has been teaching himself programming for quite sometime, unfortunately there are no clubs for children or adults around me (Faversham). It is such a shame that there just doesn't seem to be any encouragement in this field, I find this quite amazing! His school is a specialist grammar and specialises in IT - they have just started up a programming lunch time club but, it is teaching from scratch and he isn't learning anything and so I don't think he is interested in going to it anymore, there are no advanced clubs either....Canterbury is just down the road from us, so please post if you find anything and I will do the same....:)

I don't have any info to volunteer - I'm just curious. What type of programming are your kids interested in - web? games? phone/iPad apps?

I just gone to Alice.org. I never heard of the site but the demo video looks very impressive.

DS is at Year 7 at an Indie and, as far as I know, there are no plans to teach them programming. Pity.

Games mostly - mine at Indy too - yr4/1/rec. Suggested it to the year head and she thought it was a good idea but need to find a good teacher, said I would help, but now struggling!!

Try to use codeyear I sent a link to above, it teaches basic programming skills with javascript.
Have they tried it yet?

Teaching of ICT at schools is done by non-IT specialists, usually teachers fall into doing it and have no knowledge of anything apart of the ICT schemes of work.

Sad but true :(

My son tried The FUZE, it has given him a good grasp of text based computer programming. He did a bit of scratch at school but found that he had reached a limit with it. It comes with step by step project cards - really easy to follow. He is now writing programmes for the robot arm too.