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ALPHA MINDS CODING & ROBOTICS ACADEMY
Grades 2 - 10
Jersey City - Hoboken - Online
Group Classes & Private Tutoring

About AlphaMinds Coding Program

Coding Scratch Javascript Python Classes

In our increasingly digital world, parents want their kids to become computer-literate from the early elementary school age.  Learning to code doesn’t just prepare students for career opportunities later in life; it also provides a host of soft skills and other benefits. In our Coding program, we teach children how to solve problems and engineer solutions through coding.  As children develop their coding skills, we present them with the problems and challenges of increasing levels of difficulty and motivate them to experiment with code to come up with the right solution, rather than just copy the code from the instructor’s screen.  Thus, children start honing their problem-solving skills as soon as they take on their first coding challenge.  At AlphaMinds Academy, we are committed to empowering children with the ability to think critically, reason effectively, and approach problem-solving with confidence. Our Logic Program provides a stimulating learning environment where children can develop these fundamental skills while having fun and enjoying the journey of intellectual growth. At AlphaMinds Academy, we provide both in-person and online classes, ensuring a personalized learning experience. Our classes are conducted in small group settings to promote active participation and engagement. Additionally, private tutoring is also available upon request. Feel free to reach out to us at info@alphamindsacademy.com for more information regarding terms and availability.

Why Children Should Learn to Code?

coding kids

  • Coding Boosts Problem-Solving Skills

  • Coding Develops Logic Skills

  • Coding Improves Computational Thinking

  • Coding Encourages Persistence

  • Coding Teaches Creativity

  • Coding Helps Teach Digital Literacy

  • Coding is a Career-Building Skill

Why Choose AlphaMinds Coding Classes?

  • Highly experienced and professional instructors, ensuring top-notch guidance and instruction

  • In-person and online classes, providing flexibility to suit various preferences and schedules

  • Choice of small group classes or private tutoring

  • A well-structured coding curriculum designed to teach fundamental coding concepts effectively

  • Specialized curriculum to deepen coding skills for students looking to delve into advanced coding topics

  • Proven teaching methods that engage students, making the learning of coding concepts more accessible and enjoyable

Coding Scratch Javascript Python Classes

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“Everyone should know how to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think"   - Steve Jobs, Founder/CEO Apple 

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ALPHA MINDS CODING CLASSES
AFTER SCHOOL & SATURDAYS
IN-PERSON & ONLINE

ROBOTICS

Robotics
NEW COURSE!!! The Robotics course featuring the mBot Ranger kit offers an immersive and hands-on exploration into the world of robotics. Participants will delve into the fundamentals of robotics, learning to assemble, program, and operate the versatile mBot Ranger robot. Through engaging projects and practical sessions, students will acquire essential skills in coding, electronics, and mechanical design. From navigating obstacles to executing tasks, this course empowers learners to unleash their creativity while honing their problem-solving abilities in a dynamic and stimulating learning environment. Join us on a captivating journey through robotics with the mBot Ranger kit, where innovation meets education.
REGISTER HERE

SCRATCH BEGINNERS (Gr. 2-6)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Scratch Classes
In this course, students ease into object-oriented programming concepts with Scratch , creating stories and interactive adventures with stackable code blocks! Students master the intuitive user interface of Scratch and learn the functions of the most important blocks, which beneath their friendly appearance represent important computer programming functions. Kids are encouraged to think creatively and learn how to program their own stories, games, and animations, as well as how to share their creations on the web. This course relies on a series of fun-filled projects. For example, your student may use Scratch to animate a character, tell a story, write a song, or even design a simple video game. There’s equal emphasis on the mastery of tools and the expression of imagination. Each student’s instruction is differentiated according to his or her interests, learning style, and pace.
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SCRATCH INTERMEDIATE (Gr. 3-6)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Scratch Classes
After an introductory course in Scratch, students should feel comfortable with the basic blocks and the ability to visualize their game progress from the initial concept to its final product. ​This course is designed to introduce more advanced Scratch coding concepts, such as custom blocks, to students as they start designing and implementing more complex games and projects. Many of the projects for this level focus on more real-world topics and functions, and tend to involve more math and logic. Some of the projects will require students to work with less direct instruction which encourages more problem solving and critical thinking. We are beginning to dive into the world of programming with real-world applications with an allowance for artistic freedom in their game design.
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SCRATCH ADVANCED (Gr. 3-7)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Scratch Classes
This course is recommended to students who have completed our Scratch Intermediate course but need more practice with mastering Scratch coding prior to moving up to the Expert (Machine Learning) course or our other programming courses. This course is designed around the following fundamental computer science concepts: Variables, Logic, Loops and Conditional Statements. The lessons focus on introducing the concepts and then mastering them through coding exercises and project step. Students work at their own pace and supported by an instructor. Each lesson is available as a professionally produced video for review by students outside of class. The final part of the course is devoted to a Capstone project where students demonstrate their mastery by building their own unique game.
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SCRATCH EXPERT: MACHINE LEARNING (Gr. 4-8)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Scratch Classes
In this advanced level class, students will be learning how to apply their Scratch coding skills that they learned in previous courses to create more advanced coding projects. Students will learn how object-oriented programming truly works by identifying an object's behavior and attributes and figuring out how to represent that in Scratch. Throughout the course each time they learn how to create a new object, students are challenged to create a project (game or animation) that showcases that object. Objects/techniques include Dice Generator, High Score Techniques, User Input, Card Generator, Animated Start screens, Scrolling, Quiz Game, Mastermind Game (figuring out the right sequence). ​ This course will also introduce machine learning to students. Through a series of projects that students will create, they will learn how to train machine learning models to recognize text, numbers, images, or sounds by using Scratch! Our Machine Learning with Scratch curriculum will provide hands on exposure and will allow students to experience how ML systems are trained, how they are used, and some of the real-world implications of AI applications.
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JAVASCRIPT BEGINNERS: ANIMATION and GAME DESIGN (Gr. 4-10)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding JavaScript Classes
Semester 1 - Animation Students will learn how to program animations and interactive art using a block-based Javascript platform. Animation skills include mapping sprites on a grid, sprites, shapes, and sound commands. Coding concepts include variables, conditions, and keyboard/mouse inputs. Throughout the semester students will create various projects such as a sticker interactive card, and a final animated/interactive scene. Semester 2 - Game Design In the second half of the year, students will use their skill set from animations to learn to build games. Game skills include physics, collision detection, and game design techniques. New coding concepts include functions, state variables, and building your own complex programs. Projects during the semester will be to make a side scroller, flyer game, platformer game, and students creating their own final game. Students will spend the last part of the semester learning how to create webpages with HTML & CSS. By the end of the semester, students will create a website of their choice.
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JAVASCRIPT ADVANCED: 3D ANIMATION, MACHINE LEARNING, ADVANCED GAME DESIGN (Gr. 4-10)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding JavaScript Classes
Semester 1 3D Aframe, CSS Animation & Art Students will learn and practice HTML strategies by creating 3D environments using the Aframe Javascript Library. Physics attributes will also be experimented with and students will make a 3D interactive scene. The second half of the semester will transition into CSS Animation techniques that include new CSS concepts called keyframes. By the end of the semester students will create a 2D animation entirely written in CSS. Semester 2 Machine Learning, Advanced 2D Game Design & CSS At the beginning of semester 2 students will explore using Machine Learning which is a subset of Artificial Intelligence by using the ML5 Javascript library and Google’s Teachable Machine. Students will learn how to train models and use them to classify images. One project includes creating a webpage with a classifying program. The rest of semester 2 will be spent learning how to apply DOM javascript and making Javascript 2D games & applications with HTML, CSS & JS. Projects include: The Mad-Lib Webpage, The Monty Game and Trivia Game. By the end of the semester, students will be able to modify and create Javascript 2D games & applications. **This class is for children who have completed our JavaScript I course during the school year 2022-23 and for children with prior JavaScript experience**
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PYTHON BEGINNERS (Gr. 6-10)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Python Classes
Python is a powerful, expressive programming language that’s easy to learn and fun to use! Our Python for Beginners course brings Python to life and brings our students into the world of programming. In our Python for Beginners course instructors will guide students through the basics of coding with Python, as they learn how to design and program their own games. Throughout the school year long course, we guide students through a transition from block based (instructional) coding to text based (real world) coding. In this course students will learn to: - Create simple variables - Use fundamental data structures like lists, tuples, and maps - Organize and reuse your code with functions and modules - Use control structures like loops and conditional statements - Draw shapes and patterns with Python’s turtle module - Create games, animations, and other graphical wonders with tkinter Our Python for Beginners course teaches students the fundamentals of the object oriented programming and prepares students for the more advanced coding that is part of the Python Intermediate course.
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PYTHON INTERMEDIATE (Gr. 6-10)

AlphaMinds Academy Coding Python Classes
Python II will continue a student's journey into text based object-oriented programming. By adding graphics to the mix, students will code more advanced, visual based projects using a module called processing. Students will learn how to code objects and see a graphical representation of that code. Starting with animations to creating games, students will learn how to make functions and create classes. Students will also learn how to construct code on their own by learning how to create pseudo code. In this course, students will learn how to: - Create advanced variables that store objects - Create classes - Use classes to create game objects or sprites - Learn how to code interactivity (mouse clicks, keyboard clicks) - How automation works - Implement more advanced coding logic The culmination of the school year long course is a final project of student's choosing, designed, developed, tested and shared for their peers to review and play!
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TESTIMONIALS

My daughter enjoyed learning to use Scratch.  She talks about what she learns and is very proud of the projects she's created.  She's been very engaged and has had a lot of fun learning to code.  Carlin gives it a thumbs up!

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Judi F. (mother of 2nd grader)

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AlphaMinds Academy's JavaScript classes for children are fantastic! The interactive and engaging lessons have sparked my child's interest in coding and programming, and they have learned valuable skills in a fun and supportive environment.

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Alex Katz (parent of an 10 yo)

My child thoroughly enjoys the Python classes at AlphaMinds Academy! The engaging curriculum and supportive instructors have helped them develop a strong foundation in programming and problem-solving skills.  The teacher is one of my child's all time favorite - very knowledgable and patient!

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Vivek Chaudhury (father of a 13 yo)

OUR CODING TEAM

George Gawargi

My name is George Gawargi. I am originally from Egypt. I have been living in the US for over 12 years. I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from New Jersey City University and work as a Math teacher in a local charter school. I have been teaching computer programming, or “coding”, and engineering classes for five years, working with kids of various ages and levels of knowledge. I am very passionate about my work with young programmers: I help them discover their passion for coding, where they can learn not only how to program but also how to apply their creativity, expand their imagination, and improve their logic, math and other skills. My goal as an educator is to encourage and motivate my students because I believe that learning should be always exciting and fun. In my spare time, I usually like to play soccer or go to the gym.

Portia Morrell

My name is Portia Morrell and my teaching background is in computer science education. I was first exposed to computer science in 7th grade, back in 2001, using a language called Logo. That one class is how I fell in love with computer science and decided to pursue it years later. For about 5 years now, I've gained knowledge through teaching and building innovative S.T.E.M curriculum for various after-school and summer camp programs in NYC and New Jersey. Currently, I am a Computer Science Teacher at Lycée Francais, where I teach grades 8-10. The greatest joy in teaching Computer Science to my young students is seeing the spark and wheels turning in their heads of the infinite possibilities that can be created with code. I look forward to an exciting year of teaching the students at Alpha Minds Academy!

Amanda Merino

My name is Amanda Merino, and I'm originally from Bloomingdale, NJ. I am currently a junior studying computer science at Stevens Institute of Technology. I found my love of programming through learning Scratch in middle school, and since high school I have been working to share that love with others through teaching. I have experience with many languages, including but not limited to Python, C, C++, Bash, and Javascript.
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