Minimum Age and Grade

SHEEP Computer Coding and Programming has these minimums for our students:

• 15 years old
• 10th grade

We no longer make exceptions for these requirements. If your student is just below on either of these, don't worry, your student will get here soon enough. I will be so happy to have them in my class!

For middle school students, consider enrolling in my other class, SHEEP Computer Fundamentals where we learn foundational computer skills such as operating system concepts, office software, internet security & privacy, and having a logical (programming-ready) mindset. This is a class aimed at middle school students with the goal of accelerating a proper use of technology for high school and beyond.

Why This Limitation?

Coding and Programming is a high school level class that goes into complex concepts such as data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming. We work at a fast pace that most younger students have not been accustomed to. The prefrontal cortex reaches a level of maturity after the age of 15 that helps students break problems down, think more critically, troubleshoot code, and identify patterns, which we don't often see before that age. All of this can lead to unnecessary frustration in younger students.

While we would not say that an advanced math course such as algebra (including pre-algebra) or geometry is necessary, we would recommend it to make this class easier. Most students looking into STEM fields have taken these courses by 10th grade.

We truly want our students to succeed, and the age limitations are here to preserve the learning experience for them.