Latest Craze for Chinese Parents: Preschool Coding Classes

[kamuimac]

I think it's rather odd to teach programming before you can read, write and count properly.

see you think this is odd and others may thing that its very odd to wait with teaching childreen reading and writing untill they go to school - children who learn this faster then other children with the same age have already a headstart in life - which is probably why more and more parents who can afford it prefer homeschooling their children to let them develop much faster

[unwirklich]

While I like the idea of offering education to younger children (I could read at an age of 4, no idea how I fared in the math department, though), I'd prefer actually useful subjects: biology or even some fundamental concepts of physics. Knowing a few things about, say, electricity might be live-saving.

[SodiumChloride]

While I like the idea of offering education to younger children (I could read at an age of 4, no idea how I fared in the math department, though), I'd prefer actually useful subjects: biology or even some fundamental concepts of physics. Knowing a few things about, say, electricity might be live-saving.

You should of course give a child the opportunity to get educated (early) if he/she shows interest and aptitude for something.

The thing here is though, these children are mostly send to these classes because it's what their parents want rather than having anything to do with the child. To some extend, it's really more for the parent than the child - kind of like funerals are more for the living than the dead; ya kind of a morbid analogy but it's the best I could think of.

[Adio]

And here I am having a hard time learning python as an adult.

[SodiumChloride]

And here I am having a hard time learning python as an adult.

Ha! You aren't the only one. I know C and Java, gave up on Python (not that I tried all that hard) ... couldn't understand it's scoping rules.

[Dsonsion]

Seems cool, but when you factor in how much time these kids spend on education, its barely a life worth living. You can keep your higher grade scores, I'd rather have a life.

This are my thoughts as well. I only study if it's entertaining, and if I find a subject boring, I'll have a hard time with it. Those lives of Asians madly devoted to studying feel like hell to me.

[procne]

And? It still doesn't represent whole China. Just like Helsinki doesn't represent whole Finland.

And it represents the education system of 25 million population, while Finland represents education system of 5.5 million population.
I have no problem discussing and comparing education system of Shanghai alone, or Singapore, or Japan with that of whole Finland

[Puupi]

And it represents the education system of 25 million population, while Finland represents education system of 5.5 million population.
I have no problem discussing and comparing education system of Shanghai alone, or Singapore, or Japan with that of whole Finland

....and the argument was that the Chinese school system is the best, when the only sample is from Shanghai. Shanghai doesn't represent whole China. That's what I was saying.

[Mithfin]

To be able to program you need some basic tools. Like the ability to read, write and count. Those are more important skills than programming. You should learn those first, then start learning programming.

Nope. There are programming games for kids. For example. one has a guy, a labyrinth and apples. You have a set of 4 arrows for directions and you have to create a sequence of arrows to help the guy to collect apples. Simple. without cycles, without functions, but hey, it is the very basics for really young.

[Breccia]

I don't understand. I thought languages were easiest to learn when you were young. Doesn't this make a lot of sense?

[Puupi]

Nope. There are programming games for kids. For example. one has a guy, a labyrinth and apples. You have a set of 4 arrows for directions and you have to create a sequence of arrows to help the guy to collect apples. Simple. without cycles, without functions, but hey, it is the very basics for really young.

Well that's hardly programming.

[Kuntantee]

The early you learn coding, the better programmer you will. That's how it is. 6 might be too early but 9-11 is old enough to learn basics.

[Concequence]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...coding-classes

Pretty cool. I remember Coding in Basic when I was about that age, on the Atari. Now I work in the field doing just that. Why the heck are we not doing that in the states...

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It may not be coding, but it is a nice way to introduce young kids to programming logic. There's a neat programme called Scratch that does a similar (albeit a lot more advanced at times) thing and serves as a good introduction to programming (this is anecdotal of course, but it did help give me understanding of the underlying programming logic when I was younger before I had to start learning the different languages and stuff).

Sometimes Coding is just copying something cool out of a book and seeing what it does. The adding something from some other script to it to see what they do together. A lot of coding is learning or reinterpreting what others have done to make something new. Kids are also adept learners. Put something fun in front of them and they will soak it up like a sponge. Hell I used to think it was cool to see "This is fun" written infinitely all over a scrolling screen. Kids are easy to amuse, and when you put blocks in front of them, they will build something. Sandbox games are like that. Coding is not much different.

[Powerogue]

That's certainly a little early, but we have to remember the earlier learning is the more it sticks. It's why we start things like language as soon as possible, before they even begin school.

The world needs coders, we need to grow ourselves some coders. I still have the mental math skills I gained from those Treasure Mountain games when I was barely older than this. Though if they can make something like that for the stuff I'm learning in IT I will be deeply surprised.

And children should be taught logic as well before programming. There are so many things you need and should be learned before starting to learn programming. It's like teaching a child crossfit when he can barely walk.

If they find the right learning curve, it could work. Learning sticks when we are able to tie new concepts to old ones, like when I finally figured out the similarities between binary and decimal, so now I can do that math in my head. If those had been introduced side by side, I would've been able to see the pattern even easier and do binary in my head straight out of second grade.

[Rasulis]

It depends on the kids also. Some kids thrive under pressure. Some do not.

Even in some parts of the U.S. this is now the norm. A friend of mine moved from Illinois to the S.F. Bay Area last year. She got a teaching position at Dublin Unified School District. She told me that on her first exam more than 80% of the class received perfect score. Almost all of her students receive some type of private academic tutoring (as early as 6th and 7th grade), and they tend to be socially active and driven to perform. In her own words “All my students are either A or A+ student.”

Competition in business and the technology field, and acceptance into a good colleges are fierce these days. Acceptance rate for many nationally ranked universities is less than 20%. Some even less than 10%. Even at high school level it can be challenging. Look at the acceptance rate for Lowell High School in S.F.

These parents are trying to prepare their children by providing them with as many tools as possible to face these challenges. Lets face it, all these extracurricular activities cost money. Not all these parents are rich. Many of them made a lot of sacrifices to provide for their children with these opportunities. Not only financial sacrifice, but also time and emotion.