Ep 39 | Should Your Kid Learn to Code?

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You're using the coordinate grid, you're using velocity, you're using friction, you're using all these variables, things that they're learning, that now all of a sudden it's like, oh, that's why we needed to know that stuff. And so that's where the engaging, the disengaged to engage student really can start to change, is because now they really are realizing, oh, there's a reason that this is important. Now I have a purpose for learning this stuff.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

And so yeah, it is a little bit of a swap. So the immediate application makes them better students in school, even though this is an after-school program. Absolutely. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support every student's success. Now, on top of our heavy mental load and keeping up with unprecedented news feed updates, are aliens invading yet? We again all have job security on our minds. The last thing we want to do is worry about job security for our kids. My next guest is the owner-operator of an after-school program designed to help with just that. Yes, an after-school program, as in fun. It's called Code Ninjas, where kids learn to do things like build apps, websites, and video games. She decided to bring the franchise to Pensacola after her son showed interest in how things work while they were still stationed in Texas. The experience not only left them knowing how to code, but he also went from being a good but disengaged student to an engaged and excited student. Today she's going to share why coding matters, what it is, and who it's for. Gulf Coast Local Military Spouse, STEM supporter, Jodon Brown. Thanks for being here. Absolutely. I'm so glad to be here. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Yeah, so are you a code ninja? I am a code ninja, but my background is definitely not coding. My husband is the coder in the family, but my background is the education. And uh so, but really where it came from uh really came from being a parent and seeing my son go through the process and really go from, like you said, a disengaged but good student to all of a sudden being engaged and really understanding why we're learning that stuff in school, that there's actually a reason that it's important. Uh, and then just seeing him really blossom in an environment where he was being encouraged and supported by kids that were like him and also had great mentors that were high school and college students that were really, you know, that step ahead that really gave him that role model to see that there is so much to STEM and coding and the world is really his for the taking.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

I think that's the hardest thing for parents when they have uh kids who are really smart and but they just don't care. It's like, how do you get your kid to care?

SPEAKER_02 3:21

Right. And he was, he just came out of the womb that way. And I really, because that was not my background, I really didn't know what to do with him. And when I saw Code Ninjas as an opportunity for him to be able to grow and foster, then it was like, oh, well, of course, this completely makes sense. Um and it's just been fantastic, and now it's come full circle, and now he gets to be a sensei and really give back and do the exact same thing for the younger kids in our group.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Wow, that's so cool. Okay, this is so this is totally new territory for me because for those of us, you and I for sure, who grew up analog, coding is super niche. It's definitely in our, at least in my mind, has been for people who wear black hoodies and sit in their mom's basement geeked out on Mountain Dew. Right. So I'm I have I have a feeling that that view is a little bit out of date. So tell me why is coding important?

SPEAKER_02 4:19

Well, coding is really the backbone of everything that we do, we just don't realize it. So, you know, if you have ever gone into an Excel spreadsheet and said equals A1 plus B one and told Excel basically to add that equation for you so that you didn't have to add all those columns and cells, you have basically coded. Coding is really just telling a computer or an app or your Apple TV to do something that you want it to do. You just have to talk to it a little differently than you talk to humans. And so, really, it is the way that we're going. There's no surprise, you've got the AI, you've got Chat GBT. We're gonna get to a point where we're either gonna tell a computer what to do or a computer is going to tell us what to do, which really kind of it's scary and alarming a little bit, but there's a lot of things we can do to really make sure that we are preparing the next generation for what is to come, even though we don't really know what that is yet. So, would coding be a part of smart cars? Absolutely. I mean, you have to tell the computer what to do, and the computer really has to kind of think on how to respond to different situations.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Because I have always thought of computer building and coding as separate things, but from what you're saying now, they are not separate things.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Not necessarily. I mean, we there is the connection of between the hardware and the software. Um, and I mean, if you essentially go into your Apple TV and pick on Netflix and you choose a particular show, that's a physical response that you're doing with the remote to make a selection that's called an event, like pick on Netflix and then choose this. But then if you've noticed, all after all those shows that you may have binge watched over the last, especially during COVID time, now all of a sudden you have those suggestions of shows that you think they think that you might enjoy. And that's the software piece of it.

SPEAKER_00 6:21

Okay, so that also made me think of music because I don't watch a lot of television.

SPEAKER_02 6:25

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, let's put this playlist together based on what she's already listening to.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Okay, so algorithms. Yes. The first time I ever heard about an algorithm was for Pandora, which I don't know if that's even that popular of a listening platform anymore, but um I'm probably the worst person, or maybe the best, depending on how you look at it, to conduct this conversation. Sure. Because I'm so behind in this area. So for kids specifically, what do you think they gain by learning coding?

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Well, let's just kind of step back for just a second. So if we think about where technology has come from, depending on how old the listeners are, they will probably remember a time where we had an original iPhone. That was just 15 years ago. Netflix didn't stream, we didn't have Pinterest. Like, how did we seriously plan a menu without Pinterest, right? It was tough. Yeah. And we'd go to dinner and we'd have to wait for the little buzzers and we could only be like so many feet away. All of that technology has really happened in the last 15 years. But we, it's so much a part of what we do that we forget there was a time when we didn't have those things. Our kids, they don't know any different. They just follow the blue line on Google to get where they go. But if you think about kids that are especially early elementary school, 15 years from them is graduation, maybe some tech school, maybe some college. Fast forward to how quickly the technology now changes. We have no idea what's coming. But we do know there's gonna be tech in every field. It could be agriculture, it could be entertainment, it could be medicine. Every field is gonna have a level of technology. And coding is that piece that really is that second language that our kids are gonna need to have at least a basic understanding because every field that we're gonna go into, we're gonna have to be able to control some sort of tech device. If that's an app, if that's a website, if it's a database, or if it's a drone, who knows what that's gonna be. Um, and so that is that language piece that will set people apart from either having it or not having it. And that's really what we're trying to do is really one, give them the opportunity to realize that computer programming is not just staring at a computer at zeros and ones with the black hoodie in the basement, that no matter what they go into, there's some kind of tech stuff that's really cool. They just don't know about it yet because they have those images in their head. And we want to break that stereotype to realize that anybody, you know, male, female, black, white, brown, whatever, has the same equal opportunity to really make that difference no matter what field they go into. So you're saying this isn't a competitive edge. This is like learning to read. Absolutely. I mean, we learn to read and write because, and we teach kids science and history because we kind of have that understanding that just to be a normal, good human, like we just need to have that general knowledge. Really, coding and STEM exposure needs to be that next general subject that they're going to need when they get older.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

So, for parents concerned about excessive screen time, right? Yes. Uh, how do how do you navigate that with the Code Ninja program? Because now that you've explained how elementary and fun fundamental these skills are, I can see why they're important. But I can still kind of feel that internal struggle that maybe parents would be feeling about I'm gonna kick my kid outside with no shoes and make him go. Drink out of the water faucet. Drink out of the water hose. Yeah, exactly. Um, so how how does that kind of come into play with um, you know, learning to code versus I guess you would call it the life skill of having a healthy digital relationship?

SPEAKER_02 10:33

Absolutely. And it is certainly something that we see a lot of parents come to us as a parent myself. That was a huge problem for us. But what I needed to do was flip my mindset. It's not about the screen time, it's what we're doing on that screen time that matters. Because really anything can be out of balance in our life. It could be if we are not being social enough and we need to be around other people, you know, or it could be a sport that we are just obsessed with. Um, technology and screen time, unfortunately, is not going to go anywhere. But what we want to do is really help kids to understand that you can actually be productive with that time. And so, yes, we teach coding through game design because you meet the kids where they are. They love to play video games, but let's get them creating their own video games, getting back to that creative, critical thinking skills, imagination, getting them back into that play that we've kind of gotten away from when they've just been consumed with watching video games and watching YouTube. And, you know, again, we don't know what the future is going to hold for those jobs, but we know critical thinking and um problem solving are gonna be a part of that. And through coding, those are the skills, aside from actually doing the computer stuff that they're gaining from learning how to code. And so we do teach them how to create their own video games, but we also have camps and activities where it's very hand-based, it's very tinkering, it's connecting the hardware to the software, it's robotics. Um, and so we're not just sitting there staring at a computer as well, because we want them to realize that, okay, you know, you want to turn in a killer presentation. Let me teach you some video editing skills. So, yes, our camp says YouTuber, because every eight and nine-year-old wants it to be the next YouTube star, right? It is so true. But, you know, those are some important skills. So meet them where they are and take that love and excitement and passion for YouTube. But let's teach them to do something with it because now colleges are accepting YouTube channels basically as a portfolio. What? Yeah. Are you saying it's crazy? Absolutely. Oh, that is crazy. Great for my son who is not a strong writer, he's not a strong communicator in that way, but he has years of projects and activities and even some communication skills. He'll talk to his computer so much easier because he's in a more comfortable environment than if he's going to be standing in an interview format in a college interview process or a job interview process. And so when I say the wave of the future is completely changing, it's not just changing our jobs. It's the way we apply for colleges, it's the way we apply for jobs. And there's more to it than what we have always thought. Um, and so those are skills that they're going to be able to utilize. And so we really do want to focus on the being productive with that technology rather than just staring at it.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

So it sounds like you're saying it's not additional time, it's time that you're just swapping. So, like if the kid spends four hours after school, oh my gosh, that sounds like so much. But if they're actually not that long for some of these kids, unfortunately. Okay, I can't even think about that right now. Uh so if they spend four hours after school scrolling, yes, you would substitute that for creating and learning in but still in that digital way that is engaging and preferable for them. Absolutely. So basically tricking them. Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Okay, great. And they're doing reading, they're doing math, they're doing those skills that we're not gonna be able to sit there and say, okay, we want you to spend an extra few minutes on Khan Academy or whatever it is, focusing on, you know, the coordinate grid. Well, anytime you're programming a game, you're using the coordinate grid, you're using velocity, you're using friction, you're using all these variables, things that they're learning, that now all of a sudden it's like, oh, that's why we needed to know that stuff. And so that's where the engaging, the disengaged to engage student really can start to change, is because now they really are realizing, oh, there's a reason that this is important. Now I have a purpose for learning this stuff.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

And so yeah, it is a little bit of a swap. So the immediate application makes them better students in school, even though this is an after-school program. Absolutely. That is really fascinating. Um, what about uh the difference between learning this stuff, just like speaking of YouTube, on YouTube for free versus in a setting like Code Ninjas?

SPEAKER_02 15:27

Yeah, absolutely. So we as a platform really, you know, we had to go to a digital world during COVID. Um, and there are plenty of online coding schools, but all the research, both psychology and education-wise, really says that people that are in an environment where they are with people that are supporting and really like-minded can be a lot more productive. It's easier, and they will work on harder tasks for longer because they have that support. We really, as humans, are really meant to be with other people. And when we're in an environment with other people like us working together for a common process, right? Um, we really can do more and learn more, and it sinks in a lot more.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

Your background is higher education. Do you see coding being a prerequisite, much like two years of language were when I was graduating high school? I would absolutely love to see that.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

Um, if I could, you know, have enough bandwidth to like get on a platform and lobby for that. I absolutely would because it really is going to become that just basic skill that we really need to be able to provide for our kids. Um, Dell just recently did uh some research, and 65 to 80% of the jobs that are going to be created by 2030, which is really like a heartbeat away, right? Haven't even been created yet.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Oh, weird.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

So, like, because again, 15 years ago, right? We didn't have all these tech jobs and drone jobs. I mean, we had some, but I mean, the it's just growing so exponentially that it really does need to kind of become that basis. Um, and really kids, whenever they find something that they enjoy, they want to spend more time doing it. And unfortunately, there's not a lot of outlets for STEM and coding. And about 80% of people in that world really got their excitement and their foster through after school programming because all of a sudden then they could spend some time really diving into it. So, who age-wise is code ninja appropriate for? So we start as young as five. Five? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we've got five to seven year olds, which are what we call our juniors. Um, and then from eight to fourteen. Now we're not going to kick anyone out at 14, you know, if they're still enjoying the program, but it's typically where we find, you know, most kids are at. Um, so we go all the way from five to fourteen. How does the program work? So they come in and um our juniors are very project and play, because you think kindergarten, first grade, second grade, right? Um, and so they're learning concepts through projects and play. So, you know, algorithms and sequencing may be a really challenging concept for a kindergartner. But when they have to do an origami project and follow the sequential steps, otherwise they're not gonna get the frog or the rocket or whatever it is, then they realize that okay, we have to follow certain steps. Or when we're working with if-then statements, you know, we have we do pull in a lot of literacy and we've got some great books. So we've got a little girl and she's planting a garden. And so if it rains, then we have to do this. Um, or if it's sunny and we don't have rain, what do we need to do? Um, and so it really is lots of hands-on. A lot of those kids don't have the typing or the mouse skills, so we're working on some of those just basic skills as well. They come in a whiz on an iPad and a touch screen, but the other stuff still needs some practice. And so we do some typing and some mouse skills. And then once we kind of make that switch to what we call our create program, they're working on a belt system very similar to martial arts. So they start at White Belt and they're working through projects, activities. Uh, we even kind of give them some broken code that they have to then problem solve to kind of prove. It's almost like a prove yourself, where then it's like, okay, you really, because we want them to really understand these concepts, not just check off the box so that I can move up to the next level. Because as you go through coding, just like if you don't know adding, subtracting, multiplying, algebra and geometry and all those things become much, much harder. And so we want to make sure they understand those basic concepts. And so they go through that belt system. And by the time they're black belt, they've created, coded, and designed their own video game that they can sell in an app store, use for a college application, job application, all those types of things.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Wow. So if a parent has, let's say, a 13-year-old, is it too late? It's not, it's absolutely not too late.

SPEAKER_02 20:16

What about 14? No, no, we do. We have 13 and 14 year olds in there. And, you know, we really try and find um where, meet them where they're at. And we definitely want to expose them to other things. So kids will typically come in for an hour at a time. They're gonna get some of those typing because even some of our older kids need to be a little bit more practice on the typing. And you can't really be an effective coder if you're not an accurate typer, because then you're going to get errors and then you're gonna have to go through all these lines of code, and it's not very fun. They want to actually do the stuff, not fix the errors. Um, and then they're also gonna get about 20 minutes of STEM time at the end of their session. So they're gonna type, they're gonna do some coding, and then they're gonna get some STEM time. And it's usually very hands-on, problem-solving logic games, robotics, uh, just to again to really foster and expose them. Because, like you have that image of kind of what a computer programmer does, a lot of these kids don't understand. Oh, I could still go into medicine and still be techie. Just because I like math doesn't mean I have to be a math teacher or stare at statistics all day. Math is used in all kinds of these types of things. And so we were also there just to expose them to what could potentially be.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

That's a really good point because even if you're in a certain industry and let's say you spend, you know, 10, 15 years in that industry as an adult, that doesn't necessarily people change careers, right? And it is more difficult to change careers traditionally if you're in it longer and have no other skill set. So I could kind of see, and I'm starting to connect the dots, is if you have this skill set in your back pocket and you're in a career and you're like, gosh, this is uh I keep coming across this one certain problem all the time. If only I could invent something that would uh solve this problem and allow me a financial bridge to do something different or just retire early. I mean, that's always nice, right? Okay, that that's pretty cool. So, how would a parent know if Code Ninja is right for their kid?

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Really just try it out. Um, you know, we put our kids in soccer and baseball and dance and gymnastics because we don't know what sport they're gonna like, right? And so the non-sport after school activities are kind of the same way. You know, we are gonna have some kids that are athletic, we're gonna have kids that aren't very athletic. My son loves to run, he's on the track team, he does all that kind of stuff, but he loves this STEM and robotic stuff too. And not everybody, you know, just like we have all these different types of kids in the classroom, there's gonna be an activity that every kid, you know, one kid's gonna be drawn to math, one kid's gonna be drawn to writing or drama. And so, you know, just really trying it out is the best way.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

So as we wrap up, can you tell parents what they can do to kind of start that process? Where you're located, what are the hours? How would it work for Escambia County families?

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Absolutely. So we are Pensacola Boulevard and Nine Mile Road, so technically three West Nine Mile Road, but we're right there on the corner of Pensacola Boulevard and Nine Mile and then Old Palafox. And they can go online and they can book a tour. And what that means is the kids get to come in, do a 30-minute game building session. So they'll really get to kind of see what it's like to and they have 30 minutes and they will actually build a game from start to finish. Oh, that's cool. Um, and then the part that they love the most is they get to bring it out to mom or dad and say, look what I did. And mom and dad have to play it, and they usually love to make it hard enough that they cannot beat the game. Um, and so, you know, that's really the best way for them to come in and really get a taste of it. And then I can, of course, explain how the program works. Um, and then we also have summer camps, parents' night out, all those types of things. Really, anytime school's out of session, we are having some sort of day camp or something like that. So we've got after school, we also work with the scouting groups, um, field trip locations. We really can do lots of things. Uh, we've done a few STEM nights at some schools. So we can come to them or they can come to us. And what's your website? Our website, oh gosh, uh www.codeninjas.com slash F L uhensacola.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Oh, that's not that bad.

SPEAKER_02 24:31

Yeah, so you can just do a Google search for Code Ninjas Pensacola, and that's a lot easier. I mean, that is how I found you.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

So exactly. We will stick with it. Don't we Google everything? We Google everything. Yes, right. Well, thank you so much for sharing. This has been awesome. Absolutely. Thank you. I'm so glad to be here. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Escambia County Public Schools.