So your child might like to learn Python! It’s a great choice for a first language.
- The syntax is simple, so there’s not a lot of extra stuff to think about.
- Many simple and fun things can be coded even in a short Python program.
- There are many books and resources on the web for beginners learning Python.
- Despite its simplicity, it has great importance in the industry: it’s actually the most used language!
To learn about my general approach to tutoring for middle and high school students, see the home page.
To contact me for a free lesson, see my contact page.
If you’re more interested in Java than Python, see coding in Java.
How does a student go about learning Python?
To begin learning Python, I will suggest that you get a couple books and sign up for a couple of websites where you can practice. Your child and I will then start with simple things in the lessons. I’ll introduce important concepts like loops and “if” statements gradually. Your student can read the books and work through the website as homework between the sessions.
We’ll aim toward implementing a little graphical display or game which can take a few months depending on how much time your child has to practice and how complicated the project is.
Practice is very important: learning a language is a skill
Some people believe that learning a computer language is primarily about learning and memorizing facts. But actually using a language is a skill. It involves the ability to manipulate code in your head and imagine what your code will do. It’s like playing the piano. Many individual skills need need to be learned and put together.
See my article on learning to code.
Learning Python is good preparation for working in the industry
Python is the number one language in frequency of application in the industry. There are many applications, but one of the most glamorous applications is data science. These jobs offer one of the highest salaries among the computer science specialties.
To learn more about my general approach to tutoring, see my home page.
To contact me for a free lesson, see my contact page.
