Your child may have come home with exciting news that their class has been learning coding skills. And they are right!

Teaching students to code is the first step. Wasatch teachers are taking this year toward our STEM implementation. Many teachers are providing time at least once a week to help their students experience coding exercises. Teachers, as well, are receiving training in teaching coding strategies.

Why is learning coding important for our students? Besides the fact that coding (or programming) is a skill set that students can use for a future career, coding can help students in other academic subjects as well. Coding can improve critical skills like perseverance and problem-solving, critical thinking, growth mindset, math and processing skills.

There are several advantages of learning to code in elementary school. First, learning programming empowers kids. It puts children in control of the computer and through experimentation builds mastery in areas such as sequencing skills, counting, problem solving, logical thinking, cause and effect, and critical thinking.

We are excited to be taking these first steps! Many of our students have been learning robotics and coding in our after-school programs and clubs, and we are happy to be providing training to students and teachers alike, as part of our classroom instruction. Coding can be taught and learned in both the English and Chinese languages, so be sure to ask your child what they are learning in their classes! Thank you for your support of this new program and steps toward STEM implementation.