Very timely thread and I am surprised at the negative comments initially. My son participated in the USACO today using Python and could not get to the Silver level. He likes to code and uses Python. He has been advised to learn Java as it is easier for these competitions but he wants to stick with Python as he likes the structure of it…he thinks Java is like writing a novel.
I disagree that if a kid likes something they will spend all of their time doing it. In DS case, he likes to do things with others and would love to go to a camp which does USACO type questions, preferably in Python. I will probably sign him up for AoPS second Python course this summer but he would much prefer a summer camp if anyone knows of one like this.
@livinginNOLA – I don’t know anything about summer camps but I would find a way to ease your D into using the computer for production of material (not just writing docs in Word, etc.). For example, use a tool to create a website then look at the underlying HTML text to see how it works. Change the HTML and refresh the browser to see how it changes the content. That gets kids used to editing text to produce results.
A more advanced introduction would be to use P5.js (p5js.org). Very easy JavaScript tool to produce nifty web graphics. I always think that a graphical result is better for kids rather than text output. Anyway, you can create the content on the computer and view it locally in your browser. JavaScript is a lousy language but it gets the job done.
My D is a junior and is just getting interested because she’s taking AP Computer Science Principles (a very easy introduction to computers). She wants to make a “Snake” game, so any day now I’m going to get her to use P5.js for it.
I work in IT, and I really don’t think everyone (or even most people) need to know how to code. They need to know how to use computers as tools, and be familiar enough with basic computer skills to learn new applications when they encounter them. But most of our kids are soaking that up pretty regularly anyway.
I agree with intparent and other posters on this thread. There is a difference between doing actual coding and be computer literate. People are using computer to create music and art. Doctors are using computer to help them diagnose and cure their patients. Social workers are using computer to help them find benefits for people. Underwriters at insurance companies are using computer to comb through various state’s regulations. Architects use computer to help them with designs. Most jobs today require employees to be computer literate. I think parents are doing a disservice to their kids if they don’t want “force” on their kids on how to be computer literate. It is a life skill.
I think it is also important to expose our kids to programming early on in life. They may not go into CS, but it is good to have some basic understanding. We used to think well rounded educated people should be exposed to literature, math, science, music, and art, but now we need to add technology. I “forced” my kids to take piano, dance, and art on top of their studies at school. I didn’t do it because I wanted them to be great piano player or dancer. I did it because I wanted them to have appreciation for those things.
I’m usually the first to say kids should do what they are interested in, but I think there’s so much resistance in our culture to girls and coding that it’s not the end of the world for the parent of a 14 year old to say, I think you should give this a whirl for a few weeks. I took a semester of CS freshman year in college and knew it wasn’t for me, but both my brothers went into CS and so did one of my kids. That was a kid who got exposed by watching his Dad do some Visual Basic programming and he started experimenting on his own at age 7 or 8.
I don’t have good suggestions as my kid was largely self talk. He did go to a one week camp when he was in 7th grade, and to a summer program at Columbia for high schoolers. It was programming through graphic design and might well be of interest to someone like the OP’s kid. I know that there’s a very popular Minecraft class/program at our local art center. (STEAM is a big buzzword around here these days - combine art and STEM and make everyone happy!) I also think looking at programs at the women’s colleges would be worth a shot.
I haven’t read all the posts, but I think I’ve got the general tenor of things.
OP, you’re getting the responses you’re getting because you did NOT start by saying “my daughter’s education in STEM topics has been inadequate and I’d like her exposed to some of it in a good learning environment so she doesn’t make a premature judgement about her interest and ability.” What you did say was “But reading a recent news article that pointed out how MIT grads were swooping up jobs at Google and Apple (in design, no less!) and how computer skills were highly sought after in the finance industry, make computer skills an undeniably important asset when it comes to applying for a job.” And you got very specific about coding camp. People reasonably drew the conclusion that you want to push your daughter towards a career that requires computer skills. I promise, there are still and will continue to be plenty of good jobs that don’t require a bit of coding. And, even if you succeed in pushing her into a major and a career that she’s not interested in, the odds of her being happy and successful are very slim.
STEM is much, much broader than coding. My son loves coding and is planning a CS major. He has a friend who has zero interest in coding, but loves biology and wants to go to med school. My son thinks biology is boring and kind of gross. They’re both STEM kids. So getting your kid exposed to STEM, maybe sparking an interest in that area, covers a lot more than coding.
I’d also remind you that if your kid ends up at a school with a core curriculum or with distribution requirements, she’ll most likely have to take some math and/or science.
But, sigh, if you insist that she get some coding experience, I’d also recommend ID Tech. They run both day camp and overnight camp sessions on college campuses all over the country, most likely on some near you. The camps are only a week at a time, so she doesn’t have to commit her whole summer to it. I’m sure she can suck it up for a week. Register her for one at the beginning of the summer so just in case she does turn out to be interested, you might be able to sign her up for more sessions. Prepare to spend a good chunk of money. My son has done ID Tech for 3 summers in NY and CT. The teaching (college students with relevant majors) has been good and the kids have been nice. The classes have been overwhelmingly boys, which some girls are fine with. But, as someone mentioned, they also run programs specifically for girls (Camp Alexa, maybe?) if your daughter would be happier than that. Overnight programs are obviously more expensive than day programs and we live in a pricey part of the country, but expect to spend $800-$1000 for a week.
Many have mentioned IDTech. They do have a program, Alexa Cafe, that is all-girl.
Just as an aside, you never know where your kid will end up. My son loved IDTech in middle school. Couldn’t go in high school because we’d moved and couldn’t afford it. Then, his second college summer he got a job teaching there and loves it! He’s going back this summer, and may end up teaching at least for a while even after graduating with a CS degree.
For those suggesting to start with her high school class, not all high schools offer CS. My daughter was clearly a math/science kid. I suggested various summer camps to her, but she preferred to spend her summers doing other things. It wasn’t until senior year when she literally ran out of classes to take at our small high school, that I suggested an online CS course. She loved it and is minoring in CS now that she is in college.
I would suggest something along the lines of a girls who code camp. WPI also has a frontiers program that might expose her to coding. I think they have a different emphasis every week. Sometimes, small liberal arts colleges, like Union College, have engineering and CS summer programs just for girls. Someone suggested the online Scratch course at MIT. If you go with something online, that’s a good place to start as an 8th grader. I believe CTY has a Scratch class, too. I always thought the ID Tech camps looked like fun and high quality. I also thought the suggestions to start with HTML, which would feel slightly more connected to art, could be a good starting point. I have also seen some local ‘STEAM’ camps, adding the art component to STEM.
It’s all in how you approach it. Exposing her to CS is a good thing. Just understand, if she isn’t open to it, you might end up with a girl who won’t give it a second look when she is older. My son loved music. He was immersed in it, and there would have been no way to turn him towards a CS camp. At some point, we realized the best thing we could do for him was set him up as well as possible to be successful as a musician. While looking for CS summer programs, I would also look for art programs. You just don’t know how things will turn out.
Bot my kids got into coding after college. My stem kid fell in love with it and changed jobs in order to do more. My graphic art kid needed to learn to make programs work the way she wanted. Despite her dyslexia she is an awesome coder ( she codes in color …apparently its viewed by others as beautiful?!)
@livinginNOLA I get where you’re coming from … your daughter has never been exposed to coding and you want her to experience it to see if it’s something she might like because of future possibilities. It’s hard to know if you like something or not if you haven’t tried it, right?
I’m assuming you live in New Orleans by your user name. Rather than send your kid off to a computer camp that she may or may not like and may or may not be miserable, have you checked out any coding camps/initiatives in the New Orleans area (or wherever you live if not NOLA)?
My DD learned some basic coding in middle school - it was required at her STEM school. She hated it, but does admit that it was useful. She is very much a math kid, and I agree with those who say you can like one but not the other.
So, to answer your original question, I wouldn’t pursue recommendations for out-of-state camps just yet. Let her try a camp or workshop at a local university in the summer and see how it goes.
I would suggest making sure she goes to one of the all-female camps. My son’s friend did a game design summer camp and, despite going to a STEM high school, he found the group awkwardly anti-social.
Microsoft sponsors DigiGirlz camps, free to attend.
I am currently studying CS in college. I am no expert in pedagogy, but some exposure with an intro class would probably not hurt. Also, if your kids do not like it after a course or two, I would drop it. CS is a hard enough major for people who enjoy it - it would be hell for people who hate it.
My favorite website is edX.org - great intro online courses for all kinds of subjects, CS and beyond, facilitated (which you can audit for free!) by schools like MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Michigan, etc.
If they like the intro class, try further classes/camps, and websites like Hackerrank to practice!