The rising demand for educating our kids about technology makes sense given the world we live in:
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We are surrounded by technology. Understanding technology is understanding how your world works.
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Technology is no longer a separate industry. Technology is driving innovation and disruption across every industry, which means future leaders and professionals will need to – at the very minimum – understand it.
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Technology is a major medium of communication and artistic creation. It is the gateway to self-expression, new audiences and creative communities.
Unfortunately, our schools are struggling to teach it. This change came too quickly, and there aren’t enough trained teachers and established curricula. Access to Computer Science courses at the elementary level in particular is still very infrequent.
Good news, parents: There are other options! Local entrepreneur Tamasin Ford saw this gap in Chicago and created Power Up Tech Academy in West Lakeview to provide enrichment opportunities for kids in elementary and middle school.
"Kids are ready to start learning about technology and computer programming much earlier than you might think,” she explains. "We offer classes for K-2 students on iPads, which they have been using since they were infants. We use coding tools and games to start teaching these thinking skills, often through storytelling, before children can even fully read.”
“There isn’t a type of kid who likes technology and a type who doesn’t. They use it in different ways, and so we offer different classes, but all kids immediately understand the relevance of coding skills and find ways to put them to use,” says Ford.
So this fall, while kids are registering for karate, piano, and soccer, Power Up Tech Academy is signing them up for coding classes.
“What’s most important,” Ford reminds us, “is that coding is fun and kids love it! You will be amazed by how cool it is to play a video game with your 8 year old when s/he was the one who built it!"
Power Up Tech Academy is located at 2867 N Clybourn Ave. Classes start Sept 14 for a 10 week session. To learn more, visit http://powerupta.com.
