Our Teaching Philosophy
Our classes are self-paced, allowing students to progress through our curriculum at their own speed.
Project-Based Learning
In our classrooms, students learn entirely through creating projects. Projects allow students to work at their own pace on building critical thinking and problem solving skills while simultaneously picking up the hard skills of coding.
Students create games in Scratch, progress to websites in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as work in many other tools and languages depending on what keeps them both engaged and challenged. They create projects not by using tutorials, but rather by learning to think critically and create their own solutions to problems
In addition to students being able to construct their own knowledge, project-based curriculum also allows students to work at their own pace. It is the job of our teachers to make sure that students find projects that are both engaging and challenging at the same time.
The Socratic Method
Think about a time that you had an extremely positive learning experience. Chances are it was when you felt in control of your own learning. Perhaps it was when you discovered a new passion, found a desire to master a sport, or you started a new job full of creative freedom.
We try to create that same positive, hands-on learning environment for each of our students. Our secret sauce is the Socratic Method. The rule for our teachers: only questions. The goal of this methodology is to teach students that they contain valuable wisdom and intuition about the world. Students develop the confidence to solve problems independently while learning strategies and coding foundations from our instructors.
Un-tutorials
Unlike virtually all other coding curricula, The Coding Space doesn’t use follow-along instructions. Instead, we employ Untutorials: fun and engaging games, websites, or apps that students are challenged to figure out how to build.
Untutorials list the high-level tasks students need to complete the project, but intentionally leave out how to accomplish those tasks. Students develop strong grit, determination, and problem-solving skills by figuring out the rest via tinkering, Googling, asking a friend, and iterating towards a solution, all while developing deep insights and intuition of high-level concepts.
Expert Mentorship
Fostering non-cognitive skills, like perseverance and intellectual self-confidence, is a delicate balance of targeted encouragement and tough love.
Our teachers are highly trained mentors that are skilled in knowing exactly how much help to give a student, when, and how often. Rather than simply giving hints or answers, The Coding Space teachers draw ideas from students through asking questions and modeling strategies on how they can find answers for themselves.
Custom Curriculum and Resources
Our customized curriculum was created to inspire your child to achieve their maximum potential. This student-centered approach combines project-based learning with platforms like WoofJS, a JavaScript learning environment created by The Coding Space, allowing students to be challenged at their individual level and pace.
