Learn coding with Pasadena tutor Mike Mossey

Where kids and teens have fun programming

Hi, I’m Mike! I have a degree in computer science from Caltech and worked for many years at JPL/NASA. I now teach coding to middle school and high school students in Pasadena, California and the surrounding communities.

One-on-one coding and computer science tutoring

Online or in-person at the location of your choice

A solid preparation for high school and college coding classes

A great foundation for a career in Silicon Valley or game design

Learn to use AI to your advantage

Build confidence while having fun

Give your child a real-world advantage

Coding is more and more essential for career success. Your child will learn key skills like:

Languages such as Java, Python, and C#
How to make graphical games
How to create web pages with HTML and CSS
How to use AI to your advantage
Computer science problem solving

Free consultation and 30-minute lesson

I offer a free phone consultation to help you understand what the lessons will cover, what skills your child will gain, and how long it might take to reach your goals. I also offer a free 30-minute lesson where your child and I will do some programming together. This is a good way to find out if they enjoy it and to evaluate their skill level.

Testimonials

Mike is a rare find. He has helped my son (junior high schooler) already tremendously even in his first lesson. He is analytical and can quickly assess a student's level of understanding. With that he was able to explain difficult matters to my son in a way he understood and appreciated. IMHO this is in part, if not entirely, due to his outstanding academic and professional training. My son went on to get a 5 on the AP Computer Science.

Mike has been a great tutor for my son. He’s professional, knowledgeable and patient. He pays attention to the details and is meticulous in his approach and expectations. My son has benefited greatly from working with Mike and is well prepared for more advanced classes and even an internship or coding job, while still in high school. We are so happy we found Mike, and have recommended him to some other friends, who have also benefited from his experience and methods. If you are looking for a tutor that is thorough, competent and thoughtful, Mike is the guy!

Mike teaches competitive programming to my son who’s in 8th grade. Mike brings a unique, much sought after skill that is very hard to find. He understands how to teach young minds and focuses on learning by discovery rather than a formulaic approach to problem solving. He leads an interactive problem-solving session with my son that challenges him to think hard about multiple approaches to solving. My son has made tremendous progress in a short amount of time and his coaching with Mike has enabled him to qualify for the USACO Silver level.

The benefits of studying coding and computer science

Programming and computer science skills are not only becoming more and more in-demand, but they are essential for succeeding in the economy of the future, including jobs that use AI. By building your child’s interest in computer programming early, you help prepare them for high school and college CS classes and their future career in places such as Silicon Valley or game design.

The benefits include skills like

The ability to solve programming issues through creativity
Expanded creativity and outside-the-box thinking
Persistence in trial-and-error situations
Learning one or more programming languages
A foundation for later coding classes and a career in tech
Improved “Programming IQ,” making all kinds of programming easier

More about coding lessons

With young students like 7th or 8th graders, we will start with something called block coding. If your student is ready, I’ll teach a text-based language called Python. Text-based languages are used to write more complex games and websites. They are also used in college courses and industry coding.

We’ll start with simple programs without graphics, then move on to simple graphical games.

We can also work on websites, learning HTML/CSS and JavaScript, other important languages in the industry.

For more advanced students, I can teach them other text-based languages such as Java, C#, or Haskell.

More about computer science lessons

If your child is interested, we can work on computer science.

Computer science is the theory behind writing programs and involves the study of complex interactions of code. It is often taught in high school and college classes, such as AP Computer Science A. Professional programmers are often asked to demonstrate their knowledge of it in technical interviews in order to get a programming job.

I teach CS in a way that makes it fun and engaging. I have my students write programs to solve puzzle problems that range from easy to very challenging.

Solving puzzle problems is a great way to increase your programming IQ, making all other kinds of programming easier.

Examples of jobs that require coding skills or coding literacy

Software engineer
AI engineer
Quality assurance tester
Product management
Mobile app developer
Web designer
Game designer
Data analyst
Data scientist
Programmer for the financial industry
Programmer for the medical industry
Teacher at a university or high school
Teacher at a coding boot camp
At tech firms, even HR and office managers benefit from coding literacy

FAQs

Q: What can I expect from my free phone consultation?

A: I will explain what I provide, clarify anything that was not clear on my website, and answer any questions you have about my services. I will also get some information about your student: their grade level, their background with computers, and their interests.

Q: What can I expect from my free 30-minute lesson?

A: In the 30-minute lesson, which can take place remotely or at your location, I’ll work with your child on a small program. I’ll attempt to match the problem difficulty to their current level so it’s challenging but not too frustrating. I’ll get a sense of how they work and their current level of knowledge.

Q: What kind of computer does my child need to participate in lessons?

A: Your child needs a laptop or desktop computer, either a Mac or a PC. A Chromebook or tablet won’t work. If you are planning on having remote lessons, you need a fast internet connection.

Q: Do you recommend remote or in-person lessons?

A: In-person lessons are always the most fun and allow me to establish a more effective teaching relationship with your student. I’ll go to your location if it’s not far from my home in Pasadena. You are also welcome to come to my home.

Remote lessons are a close second. There is very effective software that lets us share code and work together.

One possibility is that we have both remote and in-person lessons, depending on what’s convenient each week. For locations farther from Pasadena, we might need to do mostly remote sessions, but I would be willing to arrange an in-person lesson once a month.

Q: What languages do you teach? Will my child find a use for these languages in the future?

A: I teach Python, Java, JavaScript, C#, Haskell, and Elm. Many computer science classes use Python or Java. For instance, AP Computer Science A uses Java. Websites use JavaScript. Many games use C#. Haskell and Elm are quite different from most languages, and they will encourage outside-the-box thinking and prepare your student for the trends in professional programming right now.

Q: Can you tutor my child in a programming class like AP Computer Science A?

A: In the right situation I can take on students in programming classes. I ask that your student be self-motivated and do several hours of self-study between lessons with me. Keep in mind that I have an academic honesty policy: I will not give away the answers directly. I’ll work with a student to give hints and make sure they really understand. This sometimes comes up if I’m working with a student who’s far behind and doesn’t understand the current material: they often expect me to give away the homework answers.