Join us for Scratch Day 2012. Free event in Decatur.

Scratch Day is a worldwide network of gatherings, where people come together to meet other Scratchers, share projects and experiences, and learn more about Scratch.

Start Code is proud to host the only Atlanta celebration of Scratch Day 2012.  Come out and join us at our Decatur programming lab for this worldwide party.  The event is free and will include: 

• Try out Scratch!  We have projects for you to try including games, art, music and stories.
• Bring your favorite project and show it off to others.
• Our students will show off their Scratch creations.
• We will show a preview of Scratch 2.0 currently in beta.
• Take off your shoes on our carpet and create something fun!
• Bring your laptop and we will help you get started.
• Refreshments and snacks will be served.
• Did we mention it is free?

Join us Saturday, May 19th from 2:30-5:00pm.  
See our Contact page for directions.

Scratch Day is an international event for kids, parents, teachers, enthusiasts, and anyone interested in computer programming.  More information is available at the Scratch Day 2012 website.

Three Rules of Start Code

At the beginning of each computer programming lab, we remind our students of the three informal rules of participating in Start Code.

1. We work hands-on.  We do no simply talk about programming, technology, or lofty Computer Science concepts.  We learn by doing.  By using our laptops, phones, and tablets as tools for creation instead of merely consumption, the future opens up with new possibilities.
   
   
2. We will make mistakes.   We will make a lot of mistakes.  Making mistakes is inevitable in computer programming and that's OK.  Through trial and error often something surprising happens and we make new discoveries.  With the right attitude, failure equals learning.
   
   
3. We help each other.  We work together with our classmates and share what we have learned.  If a neighbor is getting stuck or frustrated, we help them out.  And if a student does something cool, we all want to see it.  Let's have fun together.

By keeping these three simple rules in mind, we hope to create an environment that is gives students the confidence to be fearless and try new things in the labs.  Innovation requires trial and error and we hope to foster that attitude in our students.  Whether in middle school or high school, the willingness to make mistakes and get back up to try something new will serve our students well.

Launch Code!

We held our first programming labs on Saturday and consider the day a great success.  Thank you to all the students and parents who joined us.  The students were enthusiastic and ready to code.  They worked hard, learned a lot, and we all had fun.

Young Starter Lab students ready to go.

As James proclaimed on his way out, "That was awesome!".  We agree.  The day confirmed for us why we created Start Code and we look forward to future labs.

Program Director, Scott Blanck, helping edit a first Python program.Worried you missed out on the first lab?  Not a problem!  Students can join at any time.  See our Programs page for more information.

Encouraging Creativity

A great Wired article looks at the pace of innovation and occurance of human geniuses across history.  Based on statistical research, human geniuses are not scattered randomly across time and space.  Perhaps we can actually have an influence on bursts of creativity.  Based on various historical ages, the author puts forth an interesting "blueprint for the 21st century" including three ingredients.

1. The benefit of human mixing in commercial trade centers with a wide diversity of people to share ideas.
2. Flourishing cultures pioneered new forms of teaching and learning by trying new models.
3. Institutions must encourage risk taking and allow failure.

These three points explain to a large degree what we are trying to do at Start Code!  Our goal is to create a community of a broad mix of students and encourage them to realize that they can create things with all the amazing technology around them.  We want them to also share ideas and help each other learn computer programming and technology.  We are also taking the best of everything we find for teaching the concepts of software development and mashing them together.  We are not bound by any tradional structure.  We can explore programming in a new way by focusing on exploration by doing and not just sitting in programming classes about dry computer science topics.  And lastly, we are creating an atmoshphere where failure is not a bad thing.  It is inevitable to make mistakes while learning computer programming.  It's just part of the experience and that's OK.

Come join the Start Code community and maybe you will unlock your potential genius.  At the very least, you will have some fun, learn something about computer programming, and maybe make some new friends.