At the Progressive Centre, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to expand their awareness and have fun doing so. With that in mind, we are investing in STEM education and as of February 2022, we will be offering a variety of new STEM courses that will engage children and equip them with skills that last a lifetime.
What is STEM Education?
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Understanding these subjects has become vital in a technology-driven world, yet many schools cannot offer advanced teaching in these areas.
Our STEM students will be taught about coding and software development, which will give them an early technological understanding amongst other important skills.
Five Ways STEM can Enrich your Child’s Life:
- Builds Problem-Solving Skills – through STEM education, children are taught to solve problems independently, by critically thinking. This is a useful skill that can be applied to real-life dilemmas and other studies.
- Encourages Creativity– creativity is a huge part of STEM, since the world of coding is constantly changing, and coders must quickly adapt with inventive solutions. During the teaching, students will be encouraged to suggest original ideas and innovative designs.
- Teaches Teamwork– while independence is encouraged, being able to work well in a team is vital. Students will not only learn from their teacher, but they will be able to learn by watching and listening to one another. This is a skill that will be advantageous for the rest of their endeavors.
- Improves Tech Skills– in a world where work is done increasingly online, STEM gives children a deep understanding of IT and coding, which will only benefit them as they grow up. Being computer-literate is now a requirement in schools, and by learning to code, your children will already have a head start.
- Builds Resilience – during STEM learning, students will learn to be comfortable with not only succeeding but also failing sometimes. STEM aims to teach students that failure is a necessary part of learning a new skill. This will give them the confidence to be persistent until they reach success.
Benefits of Small Group Sizing
The maximum class size for our coding classes will be 3, as we believe this is the most effective way to teach such a complex skill. Here are some benefits to smaller class sizing:
- Teacher Support – In other institutions that have larger classes and only one tutor, not every child will have their needs met. This can make it easy for students to fall behind and we want to make sure that this doesn’t happen. By having classes of 3, each child will get the tutor support they need to excel.
- Group Learning– in small groups, students can work together to solve problems, pick up techniques from each other, and create a bond as they take part in this exciting course together.
- Cost-Effective – group tutoring sessions are also much cheaper than private tutoring, making it a more affordable option for parents.
Coding Class Information
Beginning in February 2022, The Progressive Centre will be offering Saturday coding courses for kids in grades 1-9. The courses will cover two areas: Scratch (an online programming website) and Python (a high-level programming language). There will be three groups available:
· Introduction to Scratch – Grades 1-3
· Introduction to Python – Grades 4-6
· Introduction to Python – Grades 7-9
These classes are in collaboration with Genius Camp, an organization dedicated to delivering top-quality courses in areas such as applied engineering, renewable energy, coding, robotics, and other important subjects that aren’t covered in traditional schools. Genius Camp programs also provides students with a two-week project in which they will complete at the end of the program.
We chose to partner with Genius Camp because their excellent resources combined with their experienced engineering teachers will make for a fascinating and worthwhile learning experience.
For more information about the upcoming courses and to register please visit:
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