{"id":4137,"date":"2015-10-23T20:00:37","date_gmt":"2015-10-24T01:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com\/blog\/?p=4137"},"modified":"2021-02-09T21:57:32","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T05:57:32","slug":"code-like-a-girl-finding-a-female-friendly-computer-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahblog.activityhero.com\/code-like-a-girl-finding-a-female-friendly-computer-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Code Like a Girl: Female-Friendly Computer Classes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Does your daughter love STEM subjects? Enrolling her in a computer coding class may preserve her confidence. Here’s how to find one she’ll love.<\/h2>\n

By Laura Quaglio and Reesa Lewandowski<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Code<\/p>\n

Many young girls who love STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects may wind up abandoning these interests before high school or college, according to a recent study from Florida State University<\/a>. That\u2019s a shame, because it means that many highly-intelligent women are not bringing their talents to bear in these fields\u2014ones that typically offer excellent job security and higher-than-average salaries.<\/p>\n

The study reveals that part of the problem lies in a tendency among high-school girls to underrate their abilities in subjects like math, which may lead them to pursue other interests instead. \u201cI think the real issue, which research supports, is that girls need extra encouragement regarding STEM interests,\u201d says Jessie Arora, Founder and CEO of Embark Labs<\/a>, a company that is dedicated to inspiring diversity in the field of computer science. And the sooner the better: Arora says that she sees girls begin to drift away from their STEM-related interests as early as fifth or sixth grade.<\/p>\n

\u201cParental support is vitally important to children, regardless of the content area,\u201d adds Arora. One way to champion their efforts? By helping kids find classes and camps that will invite them to explore these (and other) areas of interest. \u201cI would encourage parents to introduce their children, both boys and girls, to a variety of STEM-related activities at various points in their lives,\u201d says Arora. \u201cThe more exposure to different learning opportunities kids receive, the more likely they are to find the right fit for them.\u201d Computer science, she adds, is a good subject for every child to explore at some point. \u201cAt Embark Labs, we believe computer science is the ideal vehicle to teach kids how to think, focusing on creative problem-solving and critical-thinking skills,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Find computer\u00a0classes & camps near you > ><\/a><\/h4>\n

Here, Arora offers a few suggestions of what to look for when shopping around for a computer science class or coding camp.<\/p>\n

Find a Program That\u2019s Engaging<\/h3>\n

If you pay a visit to the classroom, you shouldn\u2019t see kids just staring at computer screens, says Arora. This approach can become dull, and it doesn\u2019t help students understand how science and technology relate to the world outside the classroom. \u201cEngaging programs give kids a chance to build something that they<\/i> are interested in,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen equal enrollment of boys and girls in our programs, which we attribute to our project-based, student-centered approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ask About Learning Goals<\/h3>\n

Before signing up, request an overview of the curriculum and the materials that will be used, such as programming tools. Also find out what tasks the students will be performing, and what projects they will tackle. \u201cLook beyond the buzzwords,\u201d advises Arora. \u201cAsk what the learning goals are. What will your child be able to do after the program is over? What do the instructors hope the students will take away from their experience?\u201d
\nInquire About the Approach<\/p>\n

Teamwork and problem-solving both hold a strong appeal for girls. \u201cAs we\u2019ve seen with Embark Labs, the more that computer science programs focus on problem-solving and working in collaborative teams, the more girls will participate in\u2014and enjoy\u2014their experiences.\u201d Again, the program\u2019s director should be able to tell you if these components exist within their curriculum.<\/p>\n

Find the Right Level<\/h3>\n

You might think it\u2019s best to put your child in a program based on her grade level or age, but that\u2019s not always the case. \u201cOften times, students fall across developmental stages, rather than right at their age, so being in a mixed-age group is better,\u201d says Arora. \u201cIf possible, look for programs with an age range, such as 7 to 10 year olds or middle school students.\u201d Also remember that it\u2019s never too late\u2014or early\u2014to begin. There are some great kindergarten-level STEM programs that work on skills such as logical thinking, patterns, and sequencing, which form the foundation of computer programming.<\/p>\n

Continue to Support Girls\u2019 STEM Interests at Home<\/h3>\n

On November 1, 2015, a new documentary called CODEGIRL is being released. It follows the journeys of a number of real high-school girls who are competing internationally to develop meaningful and useful apps (codegirlmovie.com). Set up a time to watch this with your daughter, and do some additional research on women who are currently successful in STEM careers. This gives you some great face-time with your child, shows your support of her interests, and provides role models to inspire your daughter to pursue her dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cGirls showing other girls that they can be successful in STEM fields in extremely influential,\u201d adds Arora. \u201cAt Embark Labs, our goal is to inspire the future generation of innovators and creators. We hope that in the future, women will be more equally represented in all fields, not just STEM.\u201d<\/p>\n

Learn more about classes and camps offered by Embark Labs\u00a0> ><\/a><\/h4>\n

Find computer\u00a0classes & camps near you > ><\/a><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Does your daughter love STEM subjects? Enrolling her in a computer coding class may preserve her confidence. Here’s how to find one she’ll love.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":4146,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"templates\/template-cover.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[738],"tags":[783],"class_list":["post-4137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","tag-coding-for-girls"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4137"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9477,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137\/revisions\/9477"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.activityhero.com/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}