An Article About Our Classes

Rex Programming -- The Best Way For Your Child To Learn How To Code

by: Jonathan Leger

There are many reasons a student desires to learn how to program. Computing is part of most everything we do, and it's a challenging subject which presents students with interesting, complex problems to solve. Not only is it a highly satisfying job, it opens the door to a variety of high-paying careers as well.

Another advantage of working in this area is the fact programming offers a wide array of opportunities for innovation, with space for individual effort as well as collaborative work, and it's useful even for those who have another primary career choice.

Of course, since it's so complex, learning how to program on your own can be quite a daunting task. Even if you have a teacher, learning can still be quite frustrating, unless they are very good at programming, and excellent at teaching.

At Rex Programming, we have a team of expert teachers at our disposal. With a small student to teacher ratio (seven to one in most cases), you can be sure your child or teenager is going to get the best programming education they could ask for.

We teach our students all sort of computer related activities. Not only will they learn how to think analytically, but they will also learn the proper approaches to solving problems, making games, websites, applications, animations, and even robots.

Another important thing you should know about our teaching methods is that they're personalized - students are assigned to classroom based on factors such as their age and experience, so classes are tailored specifically for their individual needs.

Programming requires a wide array of technical knowledge, and a good programmer needs to have plenty of experience and practice under their belt. At Rex Programming, classes include formal teaching, one-on-one instruction, and hands-on learning. Students create all sorts of projects, and have to deliver their creations on time, simulating a real-world job.

Whether they're racing against the clock to finish an animation on time, or working in a team to build and program a robot, students will learn how to work in a professional manner. Students also learn how to create mobile apps, video games, and develop websites using HTML and Java.

After they've completed our courses, students are going to be ready to apply their knowledge in the real world. They'll have experience working alone and in groups, a wide array of technical skills, and even a portfolio that they'll be able to show potential employers.

If your child or teenager wants to learn how to program, make sure they get the best training possible for their future. We are based in Irving, Valley Ranch - but there are satellite locations in Plano and Carrollton. Contact us, and we'll quickly be able to determine what's the perfect class for your child or teenager.

Jonathan Leger is a small business owner and personal development enthusiast. He also runs a popular question and answer website at AnswerThis.co.

Programming as a Needed Skill for Children

Why Programming is a Necessary Skill for Children

by: Sandhya Padala

Do you see anything common among the biggest innovations in recent decades?

Think Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook. Their founders were computer coders – young people unafraid to create new and better uses for computers and who had the expertise to carry it out.

Nowadays Technology is central to our lives and technology will be a dominant force in our kids lives. Kids need to have a fundamental understanding of how computer think. Kids who understand the basics of programming will be more adaptive to changing needs of the workforce.

Programming is like magic. If you have an idea, you program it and make it a reality. Facebook, PayPal, Google are examples of these magic.

Our classes will shift your kids from playing video games to creating games.

Programming is downright fun. You don’t have to drag your kids to our classes. They will drag you to our classes.

Programming helps develop independence and self-confidence and also gives children an outlet to develop their creativity by being able to have an idea and then create a finished product for that idea.

It teaches vital problem-solving, creativity, and communication skills. Children need to analyze in a very detailed level to tell the computer what they want the computer to do for them.

Students should code because it reinforces critical thinking, computational thinking and problem solving skills that will benefit them in all areas of life.

Programming is the new language. Programming is the new literacy that every kid has to learn in this digital world. The younger the kid is, the easier it will be to pick up programming (like any language).

Not only does that equip children for 21st century life, it means that they will have a much greater chance of inventing and developing the things which will dominate the coming decades.

Being able to think critically about digital media environments means being able to think critically about our world.

Nonprofit Code.org says that over the next 10 years there will be 1.4 million jobs in computer science, but just 400,000 qualified graduates. Yet it’s a skill, proponents say that will even benefit kids who don’t grow up to be computer programmers. Most of the programming jobs do not require a degree in computers. Many programmers took a couple of computer programming classes and became professional programmers.

Universities want to reverse the decline in applicants for computer science courses. Gaming companies want more programmers. The government wants more high-tech start-ups. Manufacturers want trainees who can design embedded systems.

The parents of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg got him a private computer tutor when he was in middle school.

Programming would be getting a “hands-on” understanding of how computer science actually works, the sort of deeper grasp of the subject which leads people to real innovation

Children need more than just being taught how to use the internet, iPad, PowerPoint, Photoshop. They should be able to create the next version of PowerPoint.

Fostering Creativity

How Robotics and Programming Help Creativity

by: Victoria Quintanilla

A lot of the time, when parents think about developing creativity for their child they first think of the liberal arts. As a teacher at Rex Programming, I know that there is creativity intertwined in STEM as well. In my Junior FLL class, a program that is focused on real world problems, my students have come up with several creative ideas on how to solve issues in waste management. Through these ideas, they express their creativity and work with the other students to create tangible robots and scenarios. Sometimes, the youngest minds think outside of the box and with the Lego WeDo sets they are able to explore in a very fun way. In the Jr FLL class, my favourite parts of the learning process is watching the students create builds and telling their own story.

Programming is a language. Just as storytellers use their language to create literature, so do the students when they program. In MIT App Inventor, students use code blocks to build applications they can download to their phones. The students produce apps and customize them- from the smallest details of layout and colours, to creating multi-screen programs. The possibilities, and their creativity, are endless- robotics and programming classes are a great way to foster the drive.

This year, three Rex Programming classes are participating in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) program. The FIRST LEGO League is an international competition organized by FIRST for elementary and middle school students, aimed at promoting excitement about STEM through real world application. This year's topic was titled "Trash Trek - Waste Wise." The goal is for the students to understand the ecological burden of waste and acknowledge solutions already in place, and then come up with an innovative solution.

The FLL program consists of three parts- The Core Values, Robot Games, and Problem Solving Research. So far, our teams have set their roles and followed through with the Core Values- working together as a team and helping each other. The programmers and builders are testing their robots in the Robot Game arena.

The next step for our teams was to reach out to the community to research the "real life" trash problem. For maximum points, the teams must demonstrate completion of all three (3) steps of the FLL Project which are: research and identify a problem, develop an innovative solution to that problem, and share with others. This project is what Trash Trek FLL is all about.

Rex Programming was able to schedule a very good opportunity to gather some research information directly from Quest Resource Management Group, as well as Earth911.com.

The Quest company outsources trash from large and small businesses, as well as reviews the trash output of many companies and recommends ways to reuse and recycle. Quest is a full service environmental consulting and management group supporting the efforts of Fortune® 500 companies seeking to maximize profits and mitigate risks and minimize their ecological footprints.

While there at Quest, our students made note of several interesting ways to reuse items. 

(Quest Visit- Repurposed Tires)

(Jr FLL "Repurposed Tires")

 

(Robotics "Build a working Vehicle")

Internet Safety

Internet Safety

By: Pranavi Jonnalagadda

Remember those days when all you had to worry about as a parent was making sure your kids got home safe and sound. Nowadays, even at home, the dangers don’t go away. In fact, one of the top challenges that parents have to deal with today is guarding their children against the dangerous influences of technology.

If you believe everything you hear about kids online, you might think pedophiles and cyberbullies are around every cyber-corner. Yes, there is bad stuff out there. But the truth is, there's a lot of good, and some experts are arguing against a "techno-panic mindset" that worries parents unnecessarily. The bottom line is that we can't keep our kids safe if we don't know the facts.

According to stopbullying.gov: Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.

Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.

Cell phones and computers themselves are not to blame for cyberbullying. Social media sites can be used for positive activities, like connecting kids with friends and family, helping students with school, and for entertainment. But these tools can also be used to hurt other people. Whether done in person or through technology, the effects of bullying are similar.

Children use a variety of online services, and each of these services can have different safety concerns. However, there are some basic tips which you can employ no matter how your children use the Internet.  

• Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home.
• Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long.
• Remember that Internet technology can be mobile, so make sure to monitor cell phones, gaming devices, and laptops.
• Surf the Internet with your children and let them show you what they like to do online.
• Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, e-mailing, online gaming, and using webcams.
• Continually dialogue with your children about online safety.

Educators and Programmers

Why We Employee Educators and Programmers

By: Caitlin Webb

Our team is made up of both educators and programmers. We realized early on that there is a wonderful result brought on by the combination of IT Professionals and Educators. While educators have been trained on the communication needed to bring students to understand hard concepts, programmers have lived and breathed in the professional world that we are pushing our students towards.

Even beyond the classroom, in every step we take, we require the cooperation of all sides of our employees. With diversity and experience, we allow for an outside perspective to be brought up in every area of our business. One of the areas that sees one of the largest benefits is our curriculum. All of our curriculum is designed using the gradual release of responsibility model to help students understand, work together, and independently become learners. This model brought by our educators is filled with professional terms, experience, projects, and goals by our programmers.

Outside of our curriculum, we still see the benefits of this partnership. In every meeting or event planned, we have activities and ideas brought on by both sides. This variation in ideas and activities helps engage the students’ diverse interests. We know that our students have different interest, come from different backgrounds, and enjoy different things. By mixing and diversifying our events, parties, and games, we know we will entertain and engage more of students in and outside of the classroom.

Finally, this mix of employees helps us relate to our students and parents more. While having both experienced educators and programmers, we can answer parent questions about both education and programming. Our partnership allows for all bases to be covered, and it leaves our parents comfortable and eager to bring their students to class. This wonderful partnership is what makes Rex succeed as a business.

Why I love to Teach at Rex!

The Reason I Love Teaching at Rex

By: Caitlin Webb

One thing you will find as you get to know Rex more, there isn’t a lack of enthusiasm and passion in any area of our business. Whether we are planning our next party, lesson, or goal, we are constantly excited for the next day at Rex Programming.

The passion that we have for teaching truly comes from the positive experiences and relationships we build with our students. In every class I have taught at Rex, I have gotten to see bright minds create and explore games, animations, and programs. The pride and joy brought on by the success of a student made project is worth every hour we spend outside the classroom preparing, planning, and prepping for our next class.

My favorite part of each week is the time I get to spend at the front of a class teaching it. Even with the experience of teaching in front of a public school classroom, it isn’t the same as working at Rex. These students and parents are just as passionate about learning programming as we are in teaching it. Even students who once didn’t show interest in programming come out of our classes more interested and knowledgeable in technology.

The Story behind Rex Programming

The story behind Rex Programming

An Interview with the Owner, Sandhya Padala, of Rex Programming

Summary of business:

Rex Programming began with the simple idea that kids of all ages should be exposed to the wonders of computational thinking and engineering. After recently moving to Dallas from Milwaukee, my son came to me one day and requested that I enroll him in a computer programming course. I looked high and low for a way for a suitable learning environment for him. When I couldn’t find one, I immediately saw the need for an educational institution like Rex in the Dallas area. In the day and age that we live in, computers are all around - no matter what our profession might be or where we live. Knowing your way around a computer is as essential to our younger generations as reading and writing has been for as long as I can remember. For this purpose, we hope to get children interested in innovative courses that teach them how to create their own animations and games, make websites and even build robots. All in all, Rex strives to foster an enthusiasm for computational thinking and engineering.

What does your business offer that is unique compared to similar businesses?

The courses at Rex Programming are structured so that any child can start learning, regardless of any prior experience with the material. We have created a curriculum of classes that the students can take consecutively, in order to become proficient in each skill set. Moreover, our classes are laid out in a close student to teacher ratio (usually 7:1), which ensures that each individual student gets direct attention from the instructors, along with creating a close knit team environment among the peers. When it comes to our robotics classes, our children also have a choice to enroll in team-oriented competition classes, where they will be a part of the First Lego League (FLL) regional competitions. Rex is committed towards providing personal attention to each of our students and to bring them to their fullest potential.

What is the most important part of your job on a daily basis?

As the founder of the company, I take pride in being the driving force behind our day-to-day projects. I am entrusted with guiding our team, hiring and training the right employees. Along with that, I am constantly thinking up ways to market and promote Rex Programming.

What are your keys to success?

Trusting my journey, a commitment towards providing quality and valuable service

What surprises you most about your job?

There has been much research done to show that computational thinking and logical reasoning (i.e. computer programming and robotics) is a very critical skill set for the current and future generations of children - regardless of what career path their passions lead them towards. Despite that, I continue to be surprised that many parents are still not onboard teaching STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). However, the students that we have enrolled pick up on new topics at a tremendous pace. I hope that, by watching the progress and enthusiasm of their children, the parents will slowly but surely understand how vital such knowledge is.

Tell us something most people don’t know about your company.

I often get asked the story behind the name, Rex Programming. A quick search on Google will tell you that there is a programming language called Rexx. However, the reason I choose Rex is because the name means “king”, and we want each of our kids to feel like royalty every day!