Small Basic - Success Story [modified]
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Last weekend my son (who is 11 years old) won NetBook on local quiz competition. I was so ecstatic and I suggested we install Small Basic[^] to get him into programming. In the past, I introduced him into some programming including Lego. But I was not that enthusiastic about Lego, where as Small Basic[^] felt right approach into hard core programming. Yesterday was his first day reading about the Small Basic. By the time I got home, he already brushed through the console application part and got the gist of basic programming ( the typical basics such as variables, writing/reading from console, simple text concatenation, conditional statements, and loops). By the time I noticed where he was, he was reading Loops. I got skeptical and asked him to explain to me For and While loops and their difference. His explanation was perfect. Then I asked him to convert the For loop into while loop and the while loop into For loop. Boom he did it ( I swear he did not said plz snd codz ;P ). I am amazed at his speed and comprehension. I have few assignments lines up for him. After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#. I was skeptical but seen what he has mastered in single day, I feel he can grasp OOP and C#. What do you think? If you have to transition a kid from Small Basic, what would be your next step? Please don't say VB. [Edit] Fixed Small Basic URL mess-up [/Edit] [Edit2] Based on popular question added my son's age [/Edit2]
Yusuf May I help you?
modified on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:14 PM
By all means let him run as far as he wants to! Little boys are brilliant compared to grown ones; we only get stupid once we discover girls. Your thinking is sound; let him get comfy in Small Basic, then use some examples of real world objects to demonstrate the OOP principles. Hand him C# and let him play with it - he'll probably have a blast. Another good toy is GameMaker, which is a free program (the pro version is only $25) that uses OOP principles to build very functional games, even using threads and synchronization. That might be a good start before destroying his brain with Windows events.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Last weekend my son (who is 11 years old) won NetBook on local quiz competition. I was so ecstatic and I suggested we install Small Basic[^] to get him into programming. In the past, I introduced him into some programming including Lego. But I was not that enthusiastic about Lego, where as Small Basic[^] felt right approach into hard core programming. Yesterday was his first day reading about the Small Basic. By the time I got home, he already brushed through the console application part and got the gist of basic programming ( the typical basics such as variables, writing/reading from console, simple text concatenation, conditional statements, and loops). By the time I noticed where he was, he was reading Loops. I got skeptical and asked him to explain to me For and While loops and their difference. His explanation was perfect. Then I asked him to convert the For loop into while loop and the while loop into For loop. Boom he did it ( I swear he did not said plz snd codz ;P ). I am amazed at his speed and comprehension. I have few assignments lines up for him. After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#. I was skeptical but seen what he has mastered in single day, I feel he can grasp OOP and C#. What do you think? If you have to transition a kid from Small Basic, what would be your next step? Please don't say VB. [Edit] Fixed Small Basic URL mess-up [/Edit] [Edit2] Based on popular question added my son's age [/Edit2]
Yusuf May I help you?
modified on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:14 PM
Yusuf wrote:
I introduced him into some programming including Lego
Lego, or Logo?
Yusuf wrote:
After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#.
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
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Yusuf wrote:
I introduced him into some programming including Lego
Lego, or Logo?
Yusuf wrote:
After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#.
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Lego, or Logo?
You know what I mean ;)
Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
When he read about Logo he came about the term Javascript and he asked me what it was. Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
Yusuf May I help you?
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By all means let him run as far as he wants to! Little boys are brilliant compared to grown ones; we only get stupid once we discover girls. Your thinking is sound; let him get comfy in Small Basic, then use some examples of real world objects to demonstrate the OOP principles. Hand him C# and let him play with it - he'll probably have a blast. Another good toy is GameMaker, which is a free program (the pro version is only $25) that uses OOP principles to build very functional games, even using threads and synchronization. That might be a good start before destroying his brain with Windows events.
Will Rogers never met me.
-
Last weekend my son (who is 11 years old) won NetBook on local quiz competition. I was so ecstatic and I suggested we install Small Basic[^] to get him into programming. In the past, I introduced him into some programming including Lego. But I was not that enthusiastic about Lego, where as Small Basic[^] felt right approach into hard core programming. Yesterday was his first day reading about the Small Basic. By the time I got home, he already brushed through the console application part and got the gist of basic programming ( the typical basics such as variables, writing/reading from console, simple text concatenation, conditional statements, and loops). By the time I noticed where he was, he was reading Loops. I got skeptical and asked him to explain to me For and While loops and their difference. His explanation was perfect. Then I asked him to convert the For loop into while loop and the while loop into For loop. Boom he did it ( I swear he did not said plz snd codz ;P ). I am amazed at his speed and comprehension. I have few assignments lines up for him. After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#. I was skeptical but seen what he has mastered in single day, I feel he can grasp OOP and C#. What do you think? If you have to transition a kid from Small Basic, what would be your next step? Please don't say VB. [Edit] Fixed Small Basic URL mess-up [/Edit] [Edit2] Based on popular question added my son's age [/Edit2]
Yusuf May I help you?
modified on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:14 PM
I think the C# route is a good plan, but make it fun. I think your son (like I) enjoys Small Basic because it comes with everything you need to get up and running (I'm guessing it has a small "manual" of sorts like QuickBasic does, which is the first language I liked). Rather than overwhelm him with all of C#, perhaps start with XNA and find some game tutorials for him to start with.
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By all means let him run as far as he wants to! Little boys are brilliant compared to grown ones; we only get stupid once we discover girls. Your thinking is sound; let him get comfy in Small Basic, then use some examples of real world objects to demonstrate the OOP principles. Hand him C# and let him play with it - he'll probably have a blast. Another good toy is GameMaker, which is a free program (the pro version is only $25) that uses OOP principles to build very functional games, even using threads and synchronization. That might be a good start before destroying his brain with Windows events.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Lego, or Logo?
You know what I mean ;)
Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
When he read about Logo he came about the term Javascript and he asked me what it was. Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
Yusuf May I help you?
Yusuf wrote:
Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
I think children deal better with certainty. JavaScript is a very open language, so there is often not a right way of doing things (there are many ways). Add to that the fact that the debugging tools are crap, and I'd say stay away from JavaScript for the time being.
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Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Lego, or Logo?
You know what I mean ;)
Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
When he read about Logo he came about the term Javascript and he asked me what it was. Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
Yusuf May I help you?
Yusuf wrote:
Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
You need to be there for him to teach him good programming practices regardless of the language. The main reason I am suggesting JavaScript is that it is rewarding - he can code a dynamic web page and show it to his friends quickly. If you start bugging him with concepts such as OOP, he'll just lose interest.
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Yusuf wrote:
Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
You need to be there for him to teach him good programming practices regardless of the language. The main reason I am suggesting JavaScript is that it is rewarding - he can code a dynamic web page and show it to his friends quickly. If you start bugging him with concepts such as OOP, he'll just lose interest.
Nemanja Trifunovic wrote:
he can code a dynamic web page and show it to his friends quickly
I've never used it, but I think Small Basic runs in the browser, so he's already got that covered.
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Yusuf wrote:
Do you think it is proper to jump him to js. I don't know if it will the right tool to teach programming.
You need to be there for him to teach him good programming practices regardless of the language. The main reason I am suggesting JavaScript is that it is rewarding - he can code a dynamic web page and show it to his friends quickly. If you start bugging him with concepts such as OOP, he'll just lose interest.
Yep, looks like Small Basic does run in the browser: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/smallbasic/archive/2010/03/08/small-basic-now-with-silverlight.aspx
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Mike Hankey wrote:
I agree with Henry, don't push to hard or he may become disinterested. The object is to give him things to do to challenge him but not so hard that he gets discouraged.
I agree. It is easier said than done. I am trying to figure out where is the line where too much challenge bends to discouragement. I know I can always pull back whenever I see he has hard time grasping ideas, but that might be too late.
Yusuf May I help you?
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Last weekend my son (who is 11 years old) won NetBook on local quiz competition. I was so ecstatic and I suggested we install Small Basic[^] to get him into programming. In the past, I introduced him into some programming including Lego. But I was not that enthusiastic about Lego, where as Small Basic[^] felt right approach into hard core programming. Yesterday was his first day reading about the Small Basic. By the time I got home, he already brushed through the console application part and got the gist of basic programming ( the typical basics such as variables, writing/reading from console, simple text concatenation, conditional statements, and loops). By the time I noticed where he was, he was reading Loops. I got skeptical and asked him to explain to me For and While loops and their difference. His explanation was perfect. Then I asked him to convert the For loop into while loop and the while loop into For loop. Boom he did it ( I swear he did not said plz snd codz ;P ). I am amazed at his speed and comprehension. I have few assignments lines up for him. After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#. I was skeptical but seen what he has mastered in single day, I feel he can grasp OOP and C#. What do you think? If you have to transition a kid from Small Basic, what would be your next step? Please don't say VB. [Edit] Fixed Small Basic URL mess-up [/Edit] [Edit2] Based on popular question added my son's age [/Edit2]
Yusuf May I help you?
modified on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:14 PM
Give him unreachable goals, and saddle him with unreasonable requirements and arbitrary restrictions. If you want him to be a programmer, you should prepare him to deal with real-world managers...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997 -
Give him unreachable goals, and saddle him with unreasonable requirements and arbitrary restrictions. If you want him to be a programmer, you should prepare him to deal with real-world managers...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997"Impossible, but doable."
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Why not ask him what he would ultimately like to develop and try to build up to that.
Hassan
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Last weekend my son (who is 11 years old) won NetBook on local quiz competition. I was so ecstatic and I suggested we install Small Basic[^] to get him into programming. In the past, I introduced him into some programming including Lego. But I was not that enthusiastic about Lego, where as Small Basic[^] felt right approach into hard core programming. Yesterday was his first day reading about the Small Basic. By the time I got home, he already brushed through the console application part and got the gist of basic programming ( the typical basics such as variables, writing/reading from console, simple text concatenation, conditional statements, and loops). By the time I noticed where he was, he was reading Loops. I got skeptical and asked him to explain to me For and While loops and their difference. His explanation was perfect. Then I asked him to convert the For loop into while loop and the while loop into For loop. Boom he did it ( I swear he did not said plz snd codz ;P ). I am amazed at his speed and comprehension. I have few assignments lines up for him. After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#. I was skeptical but seen what he has mastered in single day, I feel he can grasp OOP and C#. What do you think? If you have to transition a kid from Small Basic, what would be your next step? Please don't say VB. [Edit] Fixed Small Basic URL mess-up [/Edit] [Edit2] Based on popular question added my son's age [/Edit2]
Yusuf May I help you?
modified on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:14 PM
"Pushing in a direction" comment aside (as I feel others have already touched on that). IF he seems interested, Pass him OOD and C#. Also after that, XNA framework. Reason I say XNA is due the video game development aspect. To see what he can create (Virtual Lego in a way). or, Introduce him to webdesign.
///////////////// Groucho Marx Those are my principles, if you don't like them… I have others.
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Give him unreachable goals, and saddle him with unreasonable requirements and arbitrary restrictions. If you want him to be a programmer, you should prepare him to deal with real-world managers...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997Ok, let me see: take him to shooting range to teach him how to shoot, give him unreliable gun, set variable target distance and target sizes and ask him to shoot at moving target and hit the bull's eye every time. Your real world description is fine, but when teaching someone you want start with controlled environment, not unpredictable environments. Once he graduates from the controlled environment then introduce him to the real world.
Yusuf May I help you?
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By all means let him run as far as he wants to! Little boys are brilliant compared to grown ones; we only get stupid once we discover girls. Your thinking is sound; let him get comfy in Small Basic, then use some examples of real world objects to demonstrate the OOP principles. Hand him C# and let him play with it - he'll probably have a blast. Another good toy is GameMaker, which is a free program (the pro version is only $25) that uses OOP principles to build very functional games, even using threads and synchronization. That might be a good start before destroying his brain with Windows events.
Will Rogers never met me.
Windows events will be a thing of the past in years to come, let alone programming. More and more people struggling for fewer and fewer jobs, basically once the clould arrives you may as well kiss this business good bye.
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Yusuf wrote:
I introduced him into some programming including Lego
Lego, or Logo?
Yusuf wrote:
After we finish with Small Basic, I am thinking to give him some grounds on OOP and then thinking to slowly introduce him to C#.
Don't. It will be boring to him (heck, it is boring to me). Better teach him something like JavaScript or even Python.
Get him to write a small operating system, something simple, Pick, DOS, VMS :)
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Give him unreachable goals, and saddle him with unreasonable requirements and arbitrary restrictions. If you want him to be a programmer, you should prepare him to deal with real-world managers...
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997Yep, pay him peanuts and throw him in a cubicle, eventually he'll want something better in life ;)