Hour of Code ? Introducing children to the language of computing

We live in a world surrounded by technology. Information, commerce, communication, and entertainment all rely on computers. But only a tiny fraction of us learn computer science, the basics of how computers work, or how to create software, apps, or web sites. Statistically, there are more and more tech jobs being created and not enough tech majors to fill them.

This year, to celebrate Computer Science Education Week (December 9-15), Mathnasium of the Glen and Mathnasium of Kenilworth are joining a massive campaign to prepare students for the 21st century.  On Saturday, December 14, 2013, at 1:30 pm, Mathnasium of the Glen will host an Hour of Code. It's a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code" and show that anyone can learn the basics to be a maker, a creator, an innovator. “This is such a great opportunity for our students to further their math skills by applying them to computer science, a skill that is so essential in the up and coming tech world of today. Mathnasium is delighted to be a resource for parents and students,” stated J. Steve Santacruz, owner of Mathnasium of the Glen and Mathnasium of Kenilworth.

Programming literacy is going to be key to your child’s future. Computer Science provides a foundation for virtually any career and everybody can benefit from learning the basics. Here are some interesting facts about computer education today:
• Software jobs outnumber students 3-to-1. The gap is 1 million jobs over 10 years- and these are some of the highest paying jobs.
• 90% of schools in the US do not teach computer science.  In many other countries, it’s required.
• The basics can be learned by anybody, starting in elementary school. But fewer than 10% of students try.

The Hour of Code campaign has an audacious goal: to introduce 10 million students to one hour of computer science. Currently, there are over 2 million participants signed up. Space is limited at Mathnasium of the Glen, so please contact us at theglen@mathnasium.com to reserve your spot.  There is no cost to participate.  Mathnasium of the Glen is located in the Glen Town Center at 2650 Valor Drive in Glenview, IL 60026.

About Mathnasium

Mathnasium, the nation’s leading math-only learning center franchise, specializes in teaching kids math in a way that makes sense to them. Students go to Mathnasium year-round to catch up, keep up, and get ahead in math. The proprietary Mathnasium Method™ is the result of 40+ years of hands-on instruction and research. Franchising since 2003, Mathnasium has become one of the fastest growing educational franchises, with a new center opening each week. There are more than 400 Mathnasium franchises in the U.S. and abroad. www.mathnasium.com

About Computer Science Education Week, Computing in the Core Coalition and Code.org

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual program dedicated to showing K-12 students the importance of computer science education.

Organized by the Computing in the Core coalition and Code.org, CSEdWeek is held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906).

Computing in the Core is a non-partisan advocacy coalition of associations, corporations, scientific societies, and other non-profits seeking to elevate the national profile of computer science education in K-12 within the US and work toward ensuring that computer science is one of the core academic subjects in K-12 education.

Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to growing computer programming education. The Code.org vision is that computer science should be part of the core curriculum in every school, alongside other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, such as biology, physics, chemistry and algebra.