Last week we met with the founder of codestop.io, Sebastian Basilio, and Lauralyn Vasquez, Director of Educational Services, to listen as they shared their vision regarding coding being taught in schools today. There is a way to teach coding that gives students success, keeps them wanting to come back for more, and is meaningful in teaching them life skills and emotional skills to help them succeed. 

Main takeaways: 

• Block coding has its place. Start it in elementary school combined with digital literacy. Digital literacy and block coding are a significant foundation for success in computer science. 
• Use real life ‘learn to code’ platforms. Codestop.io was created to help coders learn code that is used in the workplace. Combined with Beyond Technology Education, we now have a teacher friendly product that gives students the skills and teachers the lesson plans for success.
• Start with HTML in younger grades. Sweet spot seems to be 6th grade. Many skip over it. HTML gives a solid foundation with quick success and engagement.
• Have real life teachers equipped to teach. Just having a student sit in front of a computer with an online program can work if you are highly motivated and mature. Yet, most students need a real life teacher. To have a high success rate, there needs to be a teacher friendly curriculum and training available.
• Combine with emotional life skills such as G.R.I.T and Collaboration – how to work with a team when it’s difficult, and skille discussed in the book Atomic Habits. Teaching these skills alongside coding helps students in interviews, keeping and getting hi-tech jobs, and learning to work together. 

There are many programs that teach coding, but finding a curriculum company that builds “the whole student” is rare. We believe we have a dynamic duo that gives students and teachers success.

To listen to the whole interview click HERE.