I was given a free class for purposes of this review, but all opinions expressed are my own.
Have you ever said anything to the affect of, "the world is so different from when I grew up."? If so then you have hit upon a truth that we cannot change for ourselves or our kids. The world is different. The skills needed are different. When I was in high school, the internet was fairly new, I mean we searched for things on Yahoo!; Google didn't exist. We had to learn to type of course, but actual computer science courses were few. Now you need computer skills in most every profession, and I bet it really is every profession if you look hard enough. Many states even count computer science classes as science credits which is great!
But here's the thing. I never took computer science. I homeschool, and I want my kids to be able to learn what they need to keep up with technology. So what do you do when you don't know the subject at hand, but you want your kids to learn it? Homeschoolers know, you find a class! That is where MYTEK LAB comes in! They offer online computer technology classes for kids ages 7 and up.
Benefits of MYTEK LAB Programming Classes
- Teaches something I cannot teach
- Online
- Interests the kids
- Are able to work on the project during the lesson
- Lots of help available
The first benefit we touched on a little, instruction in a subject I have limited knowledge. That is what we look for in classes as homeschool parents, right? I must say though, the instruction here is not even limited to simple drag and drop coding that many other sites offer.
MYTEK LAB involves the kids in a variety of programs including making art, music, and animation and of course coding although not just drag and drop. See a few of the programs they have been working with below.
The classes are online. For those without decent internet this is probably a negative, but for most of us, this is a definite benefit. Online classes mean you don't have to leave the house! And like many online classes, these are recorded, so if you do have to miss the live for some reason, you can go back to the recording.
What kid today does not enjoy screen time? There may be a few, but usually that is one of their favorite things. Not only does this give them some screen time, but allows them to create in a new way which really grabbed my girls' attention.
12 year old "It's fun because you can create stuff."
13 year old "I like that we get to make stuff like music using different programs."
The classes do not follow the typical format of a lecture followed by a project. In
MYTEK LAB the students are able to access and work with the technologies during the class. In fact, they are supposed to do it along with the teacher. This has a huge advantage for comprehension. The kids are able to do the work right then and if they have trouble, help is right there.
In fact my kid's first live class was in the middle of the semester, so I had already told them not to worry if they couldn't do things immediately. They sat in that class and made the animation below right along with everyone else!
The amount of help provided is great too. Not only can students get assistance during the class period, but
MYTEK LAB offers a separate time to provide live help with any homework given. That also means, the kids have all the help they need, so you don't have to puzzle over the information at all!
Investing in Coding Skills in Your Homeschool
As I mentioned before, the world has become dependent on technology, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. For this reason, introducing your kids to basic coding and other technologies is really becoming a necessity. Plus it opens a new door that they may want to pursue! MYTEK LAB is a fabulous way to do this.
Pricing varies a little by class, but is reasonable especially given the variety of technologies introduced. I would love to see a family deal in the future.
I would definitely recommend checking out the
MYTEK LAB classes as a great addition for your middle and high school students.
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