Companies Are Selling Coding Classes to Kids Above 5, Should You Buy?

 

Synopsis: Do coding classes for kids above 5 make them logical, creative thinkers, and systematic problem solvers? Or is this one of many money-spinning ideas at the cost of kids’ vital education on regular academic subjects like mathematics, sciences, social science, games, etc.? How far is their claim credible and should you go for it? Can you make your kids logical and creative thinkers using regular academic subjects?

With multi-million-dollar budget, the tech-education companies are asking kids above 5 to join coding classes; they claim that learning coding will make kids logical and creative thinkers and systematic problem solvers- breaking down a problem into several small components, solving each of them. They managed to create quite a stir about it by advertising with pictures of famous tech-personalities like Bill Gates. Mercifully, Advertising council put a stop to those unfair and unethical advertisements. But the message had already gathered momentum so much so that soon state governments started rolling out coding classes in government schools; even New Education Policy 2020 jumped on the coding bandwagon; it intended to teach coding to kids above 11. Parents are literally on the horns of dilemma; wondering if that would be a good idea?

Are coding professionals more logical than other who work in accounting, business development, selling, human resources, admin, etc.? We don’t know because there is hardly any study to show that way.  Neither the coding protagonists have supported their claims by solid evidences like quotations from published works, statistics, examples, expert opinions, etc. In absence of robust support, the claim lacks credibility; most of us are not convinced. What about regular academic subjects? Don’t they teach logic and creativity?

Undoubtedly, regular academic subjects including games, arts, etc. teach kids vital life skills like numeracy, language, knowledge about their world, civic duties, and whole lots of other subjects of major interest. In addition, they teach kids how to be logical and creative thinkers. In fact, many teachers argue that teaching contents is crucial, but the main aim of school education is to teach kids implicitly how to become logical and rational thinkers. That is how our greatest thinkers and leaders attained their greatness.

For example, Abraham Lincoln would read far late into night his six books of Euclid’s Geometry-in candle light beside his bed, with his fellow lawyers fast asleep - to sharpen his logic and rigid mental discipline. Lincoln used Geometry, others have used mathematics, science, arts, you name it. The truth is: systematic study of any subject not only makes you master of that subject but teaches you how to be logical and creative. Not that systematic study alone does the trick, but that the decisive factor is its persistent application in your day-to-day life. Edward Glaser- critical thinking expert- used a phrase “an attitude of being disposed” to describe this propensity for application of one’s knowledge.  We do see many professionals talking about work in the unlikeliest surrounding-parties, cinema, during TV show. Elon Musk would read Russian books of rocket science in pubs among his friends enjoying themselves.

When we come to think of it, where will coding fit in existing study curriculum? Do kids have time at their hands to take on a new subject without letting go of an existing one? Not only subjects are far too many, they are hard to understand and remember. Many parents have confessed that they aren’t able to teach their children in primary schools. Experts have already warned against children’s overburdened school curriculum; the case before education planners is how to remove or reduce subjects rather than add more to them. However, if some of us are keen to add coding to their children’s education, they will have to think deliberately its impact on existing study; otherwise, some crucial subject will get out of focus without anybody being wiser.

Is coding more fun? Yes, it used to be some 30-40 years ago, but wind of change has touched it too and made it a routine and rigorous job i.e., coding isn’t entirely based on coder’s imagination and creativity, there are rules, checklists, standards to conform to. Now routine coding is done by the machine itself; AI has also impacted it, so we hear. Although it is true, in data-heavy jobs- which is just about nearly all jobs- knowledge of data storage, their retrieval gives unique perspective, but the hard fact is rather unromantic: large corporations expressly prohibit non-system employees to write codes or SQLs; improperly written codes can hang entire system impacting operations far and wide, fetch data in breach of clients’ confidentiality, or data localization rules. It is too problematic for companies to manage. So, what it boils down to: is learn coding for coding job.

To summarize, learning coding makes sense when pursuing an employment or hobby above 18, but thrusting it upon students above 5- based on unsupported proposition for reasons not difficult to guess- is illogical, uncreative thinking. Just as much as there is no case teaching children how to drive because it improves focus and motor skill. We must never lose sight that young students are learning most vital life skills, burdening them any further with peripheral subjects will be counterproductive to their future prospect.

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