Back to School Tips: What Parents should know Post-Circuit Breaker

With effect from 2 June, Primary and Secondary students who are in graduating cohorts will attend school daily while other cohorts will rotate weekly between Home-Based Learning and returning to school for lessons. 

With the circuit breaker stay-home measures for the past 1.5 months, your child will have learned to navigate 8 different websites, key in the zoom password effortlessly, and type his/her name confidently for all the HBL and online classes they attended! Indeed your newly minted digital native will still be putting these skills to good use as he/she shuttles between school and the demands of HBL. Here are some specially curated tips that we hope will aid you in making your child’s digital journey the best that it can be. 

Check them out below! 

1. Ensure good digital security habits

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), children aged 7 to 12 can have close to 2 hours of recreational screen time daily. With their daily Home-Based Learning demands, your child will definitely be logging in and out of multiple websites! Do reinforce the importance of digital security with him/her.

Enhance your digital security through simple cybersecurity steps such as regularly changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication (it’s as simple as registering a phone number or installing an app) and keeping your software up to date.

Don’t forget to encourage your children to inform you if they come across anything suspicious online!

2. Differentiate between Good and Bad screen time

Parents must learn to differentiate between Good and Bad screen time so as to maximise their children’s learning and development. 

Good screen time refers to children producing content – which can be in the forms of working on their projects, schoolwork or even coding on Scratch! Bad screen time refers to children consuming content – like watching videos on YouTube and playing games that do not contribute to their development. 

As Michel Resnick (MIT Media Lab) says, “Rather than trying to minimize screen time, I think parents and teachers should try to maximize creative time.” So give some encouragement for your children to be productive and make the most out of the screen time that they have.

You can check out #ScratchAtHome for many fun learning activities that can be done with Scratch’s free coding environment! Your child can partake in the many coding projects they have on their page.

3. Proper sitting and typing posture

Not inculcating a proper seating and keyboard typing posture from young can lead to negative consequences in the long run – such as back pain and finger strains. 

For good sitting posture, make sure that your child rests his/her back against the chair for maximum support, with shoulders relaxed and eyes looking straight ahead towards the screen. Their feet should also be resting flat on the floor or on a footrest. 

For proper keyboard typing posture, the elbows should be in an open angle (90 – 110 degrees) so as to relax the forearms and shoulders. Keep the wrists straight, neither flexed upwards or downwards and resist resting them on the desk as this puts pressure on the tendons and cuts off blood circulation!

With our Basic Computer Skills course (Ages 6-8), students will not only learn how to type with the correct posture and method but also learn how to type efficiently and gain computer and web navigation skills! It’s the best start for your child’s digital journey.

4. Be Productive with Digital Technology

One of the ways in ensuring that your children’s time with digital devices remains productive is through engaging in its use together. For example, you can take online courses with them – which can lead to both educational achievement and productive bonding with your child!

Coding Lab’s Mother’s Day Workshop that was conducted earlier this May saw many mother-child pairs having a whale of a time while learning how to program everlasting flowers! So why not try one with your child too? (Psst, we have our Father’s Day Workshop coming up in June – be sure to check that out!)

If you’re unable to engage with digital devices together, you can always monitor their online activities with them close by – ensure that they use a shared family computer that is placed in a common area of your house!

5. Take Frequent Eye Breaks

Parents are a child’s first teachers and role models. With an increased screen time for your children, don’t forget to enforce regular eye breaks for them throughout the day to reduce blue light exposure. 

Here at Coding Lab, we recognise the importance of eye breaks to prevent digital eye strain – that’s why we make it compulsory for our students for every hour of coding! 

Well, that’s all from us! We hope that you benefit from these tips and while things may look glum now, know that every cloud has a silver lining. Stay safe and sound with your families at home and we hope to see you real soon!

(Written by Zulaikha)

Schools in Singapore offering IB Computer Science, O-Level and A-Level Computing

There’s no doubt that computing/programming is becoming more and more of a fundamental skill needed to thrive in this digital age. This is why there has been an increase in the number of schools offering Computing as an O-Level and A-Level subject.

Does your Secondary School child have an interest in coding? Or are you a student yourself, interested in learning more about coding in the long run? 

We have collated a list of schools below that offer IB, O-Level and A-Level Computing. 

Secondary 2 is the time where students will have to go through streaming to choose their desired subject combination in upper secondary. In most cases, schools require students to do well in their English and Mathematics in order to be able to apply for Computing. Here are the schools which offer ‘O’ level Computing:

O-Level Computing (22 schools)

Admiralty Secondary School 

Boon Lay Secondary School 

Bukit View Secondary School 

Chung Cheng High School (Yishun) 

Clementi Town Secondary School 

Commonwealth Secondary School 

Holy Innocents’ High School 

Junyuan Secondary School 

Jurong West Secondary School 

Maris Stella High School 

Pathlight School 

Peirce Secondary School 

School of Science and Technology, Singapore 

Serangoon Secondary School 

Springfield Secondary School 

St. Patrick’s Secondary School 

Xinmin Secondary School 

Zhonghua Secondary School 

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) 

Montfort Secondary School 

Ngee Ann Secondary School 

Temasek Secondary School

ib blog 2

Need help with O-Level Computing? We offer small group tuition for Secondary 3 and 4 Computing students. Check out our classes here.

Here are the schools which offer ‘A’ level Computing:

A-Level Computing (8 schools) 

Anglo-Chinese Junior College 

Dunman High School

Hwa Chong Institution

Jurong Pioneer Junior College

Nanyang Junior College

National Junior College

River Valley Junior College 

Yishun Innova Junior College 

On the International Baccalaureate (IB) track? The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme offers two course levels for Computer Science: the Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Below’s a list of the schools that offer the course:

IB Computing 

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) – HL only 

Australian International School – SL/HL

Dulwich College – SL/HL 

Global Indian International School – SL/HL 

NPS International School – SL/HL

Overseas Family School – SL/HL

St. Joseph’s Institution International – SL only 

Stamford American International School 

Tanglin Trust School 

United World College (UWC) SEA – SL/HL 

Excel IB Computer Science with us! We offer 1-1 customised IB Java tutoring and are always ready to lend a helping hand – check out our classes here. 

We hope that with these lists of schools, you’ll be able to make better informed decisions regarding your selection of school. Never stop learning and keep on coding!

(Written by Zulaikha)

6 valuable lessons video games can teach your child

“My Child can’t stop playing video games! What can I do about it? How to stop him/her?”

From young to old, video games have always held a certain fascination; from classics like Tetris, Lode Runner and Pacman, to Super Mario, to today’s Clash Royale and Minecraft, millions of children have experienced and played video games. Who can remember the thrill of the adrenaline rush when you beat a level, or when that tetris block drops perfectly in space, clearing four rows at once?

As parents, we are rightfully concerned about our children’s attraction to video games, especially in today’s digital age when our kids get exposed to technology at a very young age.

How do we manage their interest, and direct their interest into something that can benefit them for life? Read on to find out!

How do Video games benefit your child? Well, Video Games:

1. Help improve problem-solving skills

Video games are all about processing large amounts of data in a short amount of time. Even basic shooting games require thinking logically. Quest-based games require players to find alternate ways of moving forward or solutions to different problems. And these are definitely some of the essential skills that kids need to pick up from.

Coding games like Spacechem, Infinifactory, and Codecombat teach procedural literacy. That is the reason kids programming classes often use coding games to generate students’ interest in coding.

2. Help develop better hand-eye coordination

Gaming involves the use of consoles or remote controls to control all the action on the screen. Studies suggest that playing video games can help improve coordination and balance in the heart patients and even in Parkinson’s patients. Children who play video games, naturally, develop better hand-eye coordination.

3. Help improve social skills

Contrary to popular belief, It is a stereotype that children who are into video games are introverted and isolated. Nothing teaches community bonding and teamwork like video games do. Games also have flourishing bases both online and offline.

Moreover, 70% of gamers play in the same room with their friends. Coding classes for kids are social places as well, and project planning, teamwork and even presentation skills are developed. This helps develop positive peer relationships and build high self-esteem. Check out our showcase testimonials to see our confident kids presenting the work.

4. Strategy games help acquire strategic thinking

Video games can give kids a chance to analyse their performance objectively. They also help them devise strategies to implement those. Most games have a set goal or mission and allow the gamer to use multiple ways to reach it. However, most of them require using strategy to achieve the goal. Many of them provide immediate feedback on performance.

5. Learn mathematics in a fun way

Kids programming classes combine learning and fun into one. Video games based on simple coding can help develop analytical thinking. They encourage children to find multiple solutions to a problem. Games like Lightbot, Scratch, and Code Monkey are interesting ways to learn to code while having fun. In the longer run, it encourages kids to take up coding as even a career. Kids who code are usually good at mathematics.

Help develop empathy and improves decision-making

Many parents find it difficult to teach their kids to empathise. Empathy is an important aspect of developing moral consciousness and opposing prejudice. Video games can help kids to empathise much better than books or verbal repetition can do.

Why not allow kids to learn decision-making skills? Some games enable kids to face difficult situations and help them learn how to make ethical decisions. These situations deal with sensitive issues and simulate circumstances that would otherwise be difficult to create.

Indeed, studies suggest that gaming is as beneficial as physical activity for cognitive development. Coding classes for children make use video games to teach analytical thinking. Video games can help your kids learn a multitude of life’s lessons, ranging to making fast and timely decisions to overcoming a fear of failure. All in moderation, of course!

Top 6 apps for teaching kids to code

Computer programming courses for kids has become easier with apps and online resources. Other than having apps that help in revising for kids’ exam, these computer programming related apps comes with project-based learning. These tools give them a chance to create and participate in fun activities. If your kid has a packed curriculum or if they think coding isn’t interesting, these applications are perfect to start with. These apps are used in coding classes for children and can be used by anyone without any background in coding. Read about the top 6 apps that can be used to teach children how to code.

 

Scratch

This is available on the internet free of cost. It was designed by a group of students and teachers from MIT. Scratch was developed for computer programming courses for kids of ages 8 to 16.

The Scratch website provides teaching guides and resources to help instructors with no prior background. Scratch uses a visual coding language with bricks to be dragged to the workspace to trigger loops, play sounds and create variables.

 

Tynker

Tynker is a free, web-based application as well. It is a new tool, but already popular in coding classes for children. The interface is like Scratch. However, the difference is that while the former was designed for programming, Tynker teaches programming.

Tynker has lesson plans, a community of student-created programs, and tools for classroom management. Tynker lets students learn at their own pace, and sparks interest in programming in them with its interactive games.

 

Cargo-Bot

Available on iPad, Cargo-Bot teaches computer programming for kids for free. Kids have to write programs in order to control a robotic arm and move crates to the top of the screen. The scope of replaying each level encourages kids to try out different moves.

Coding classes for children are increasingly using Cargo-Bot to introduce otherwise different concepts like looping constructs and procedural abstraction. Kids from grades 5 to 12 can play this game.

 

Hopscotch

You can access Hopscotch on iPad for free. It is similar to Tynker and Scratch in that it uses controls to shift blocks onto a workspace. However, the difference is that the controls are not that extensive. Meant for grades 4 to 9, Hopscotch is a great tool to start computer programming for kids.

 

GameStar Mechanic

This is another web based application meant for kids from ages 7 to 14. For kids who are into video games, GameStar Mechanic is the right app. By using a narrative style game and inbuilt design tools, kids can learn the basics of game design with this app.

Using assets, they can then switch over to the workshop and start designing their own games. GameStar Mechanic helps develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking in your kids.

 

CodeMonkey

Meant for kids of age 9 or above, CodeMonkey comes with excellent graphics and interesting puzzles. The game uses a real programming language and guides players at each step. CodeMonkey is a good choice for those looking to keep the burden of technical language away. Puzzles at higher steps require the use of knowledge gained so far, so the whole game functions as a carefully-thought-out programming curriculum.