Code for Teens - TOS Review

In this age of computers and digital life, knowledge of computer language, and how this whole world works can be a real asset for kids to have. Computer programming curriculum abound and deciding on which one to use to expose your child to coding or computer science can be a daunting task  That said, the crew was offered one  for review, and I took the opportunity to give it a try. The curriculum in question is Code for Teens: The Awesome Guide to Programming by Code for Teen.

We received a digital copy of this program so we were not able to benefit fully from all the aspects offered by the program, but it definitely is very appealing. The book is written by a husband and wife team, Jeremy Moritz, a software engineer, and Christine Moritz, an illustrator.

Code for teen teaches kids steps by steps how to write and understand computer language. There are a lot of different computer languages but because Java Script is the most commonly used, this is what Code for teens focuses on. 

As the name suggests, this program is best suited for middle schoolers and high schoolers.. It start at the very beginning and bring them to a level, after 9 chapters, where they can build a game. Each chapter follows the same pattern:

• Lesson (5-6 pages long at last on my PDF copy)
• Practice example
• Quiz
• Concepts review
• Drill
• Aggregate review

The lessons are written in a very friendly an readable way. It is written in a very engaging way that is bound to keep your child's attention. All the answers to the quizzes, drills and reviews are to be found at the back of the book so the child can self-correct himself, since it is supposed to be a self-taught program. In the couple of pages dedicated to parents, at the beginning of the book, they are strictly told to "stay away". The chapters build on each other and the whole program is rigged with so much practice and exercises that parents can be reassured their child will be learning. 

At the end of the book, the student can also find a glossary of terms to help him grasp the concepts taught as well as review them.

You can find a sample chapter on their website.

I had my soon to be 8th grader give this a try and he thought  it was pretty easy to follow and taught "cool" stuff.

So, if you are looking to expose your child to computer programming, or are just looking for a new one to try, make sure to check Code for Teens. Visit them  on their Facebook page, and check the other crew members' reviews as well.