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Berkeley, CA

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Welcome to theCoderSchool
1385 Shattuck Ave Suite C,
Across from CVS

(510)679-2375berkeley@thecoderschool.com

Hellloo East Bay!!  We are so excited to bring The Coder School to Berkeley! With UC Berkeley, the best public university in the country down the street, Pixar, the leader in animation innovation around the corner and Oakland, the latest stop in the Bay Area tech boom just minutes away, Berkeley is where the next generation of artists, thinkers, inventors and coders are all gathering.  

At The Coder School Berkeley, we want to do more than just teach coding. We want aspiring coders to use their new found passion as a stepping stone to thinking outside the box, as a way to channel their ideas in a creative way and most importantly, to have fun.  Interested? Book a FREE trial today and we will be in touch shortly to tell you more!

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Our Philosophy

Looking for coding lessons for kids in Berkeley, CA? We're here to help. We believe every kid is different, so we teach them accordingly. Our expert coders teach our students in a super-small two to one ratio, allowing our Code Coaches to personalize projects built to suit each student. Kids are able to move at their own pace and engage in things that interest them most.

Our Programs

Our coding school's flagship after-school program, Code Coaching, combines a super-small 2:1 teaching ratio with individualized curriculum. Although Code Coaching works from novice to advanced coders, we also offer entry-level classes for those looking for a more traditional class in a larger ratio, as well as @school classes and our ever popular coding camps.

Our System

We're part of a nationwide system of over 65 locations around the country, teaching over 7,000 students every week with the brainpower of 1000+ expert Code Coaches®. Headquartered and founded in Silicon Valley since 2014, we're proud of the impact theCoderSchool has had on communities everywhere. Find out more about Who We Are in our brand video .

How Students Progress

OUR CODER TREE

See our visualization of what kids are learning and a sampling of possibilities.

Learn About
Our Coder Tree

OUR CODER STORY

Find our coding roadmap that goes beyond coding custom apps to building a story for college

Our Coding Camps

From AI to bots, web development to games, we got it all. Our camps stick to a low ratio of around 6:1 and are taught by our expert Code Coaches.

Our Upcoming Events

Spring Break Coding Camp

Are you looking for something fun and productive for your kids to do over Spring Break the first week of April?

We will be holding a Spring Break Coding Camp from Monday, April 1 to Friday, April 5, 2024 at The Coder School Berkeley, located at 1385 Shattuck Avenue, Suite C (across the street from the CVS parking lot). Our Spring Break Coding camp will cost $649 per child and will run from 9 am to 3 pm from Monday to Friday. Kids bring their own lunches and water bottles and we'll take care of the rest!

  • Spring Break Game Dev ($649, Ages 7-10): We'll be using Scratch, the cool, drag n' drop block-based coding language to create some awesome games and apps! Impress family and friends with your creations!

Register today!


Girl Scout Coding for Good Online Workshops

Have your Girl Scout Troop earn one of the Coding For Good badges (Coding Basics, Digital Game Design or App Development) with a coding workshop at The Coder School Berkeley!

We will host your troop at The Coder School Berkeley and our Code Coaches will introduce the girls in your troop to the world of coding using Scratch, a graphical coding language or Python, one the most popular coding languages. Additionally, our coaches will have the girls read, discuss and sign the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge.

The Coder School Berkeley's 2-hour coding workshop for Bay Area Girl Scout Troops is designed for girls ages 6-8 (Brownies), 8-11 (Juniors) or 11-14 (Cadette). The workshop costs $295 for up to 12 girls and includes one of the Girl Scout Coding For Good badges.



Have a Birthday Party at The Coder School!

Celebrate your child’s special day by taking over The Coder School!

Our amazing Code Coaches will work with the kids at your party to code a game of their own and show them some fun games to play together. Our foosball table and fun games and toys in our ultra cool Coder Lounge are available for those who want some time to be unplugged.

You can bring your own food and drinks to set up in our party room OR we can provide pizza, juice and water if you choose “The Whole Shebang” (which also gives you an extra hour of party time).

The birthday guest of honor gets a Coder School T-shirt and drawstring backpack and all guests receive coder bands and stickers. Best of all, we set up, we entertain and we clean up while the birthday child and their friends have a blast.

Party Packages

The Coolest Party Ever (6 kids) - starting at $299

  • 2 hours of coding and gaming fun
  • Use of the party room for snacks, drinks and cake
  • Balloons, happy birthday banner and outdoor sign for the guest of honor
  • Paper goods and utensils provided
  • Coder School T-shirt and drawstring backpack for the guest of honor
  • Coder bands and stickers for all guests
  • 5 guests with each additional guest $25

The Whole Shebang (6 kids) - starting at $459

Everything in The Coolest Party Ever PLUS:
  • 1 additional hour of coding and gaming fun (3 hours total)
  • Pizza and juice provided for all guests (additional cost if pizza is needed for parents)
  • 5 guests with each additional guest $30

Available Party Times: Fridays at 5 pm, Saturdays at 3 pm, Sundays at 10 am or 2 pm


Our Testimonials

  • "I just wanted to let you know that The Coder School Spring Break camp was great. My child had a fantastic time, and I was very impressed with your ability to keep the kids engaged, give them close feedback through the use of breakout rooms, and provide balance throughout the day with breaks and encouragement to be physical."
    Bill P., Berkeley
  • "The kids are enjoying the lesson and the follow-up emails are helpful for us so that we can discuss it with them when we all have time together."
    Jocelyn S., Berkeley
  • "My daughter started taking group classes here, progressing to semi-private code coaching classes, and has taken two summer's worth of summer camps, with the most recent being Python Startup camp. The consistency and quality of the classes are the reasons my daughter continues to take classes here. I'm glad to have found a place where my daughter is supported in her interest of coding."
    Jo C., Oakland
  • "My 9 year old is not only learning a valuable skill that is useful in practically every field, but also having fun! I'm so grateful to have found a class that leaves my child wanting to go back every week. They are starting with 'Scratch', sort of a drag and drop method of coding, to help learn the basics. So far, my child has made 2 games and is always excited to share about them after the lesson."
    Gillian G., Albany
  • "My 3rd grader did online camp during the last week (school closure with Covid-19 shelter in place). I could not be happier. The instructors did a great job of encouraging the kids to make progress on their projects. It seemed to be a supportive environment where the kids celebrated one another's projects. It was very de-isolating in this period of isolation."
    Jane S., Berkeley
  • "My child recently attended your Spring Break Camp and it was a smashing success! He loved it and I was so impressed by the organization, instruction, and content."
    Mary B., Berkeley
  • "I love this school and my son has learned sooooooooo much! In only a month he is excited every time is going to the school and has started creating his first programs. He is so proud to show the family his projects. I highly recommend this school: the follow-up emails to parents are great!"
    Daniele P., San Pablo
  • "We've had a great experience at the Coder School. They have gone out of their way to be helpful."
    Megan S., Berkeley
  • "My son is loving 2:1 code coaching. A great mix of fundamentals while challenging him at his level."
    Patti C., Berkeley

Hey parents, love our school? Give us a review!
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Apps We Build

Each year, theCoderSchool partners with the Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide coding contest run by districts of the U.S. Congress. Some of our students have won this prestigious prize, met their U.S. Congressperson, and even flown to DC for the winners event. Take a look at some recent CAC winners from theCoderSchool, or browse through our Live App Gallery to see custom apps our students are building!

School Info

theCoderSchool Logo
1385 Shattuck Ave Suite C
Across from CVS
(510)679-2375
berkeley@thecoderschool.com
Monday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Friday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

PROUD PARTNERS OF THECongressional App Challenge
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Meet Our General Manager

Lynna Tsou

My name is Lynna Tsou and I'm the general manager/co-owner of theCoderSchool Berkeley. I remember my parents giving me my first Apple IIe computer when I was 10, learning BASIC from my dad, and hating to see the words ‘syntax error’ appear on my screen. Today, I’m learning to code alongside my three kids and trying not to let them get too far ahead of me in technology. I graduated from Cal (Go Bears!) with a PhD in educational psychology and have worked for over 15 years as a school psychologist and educational consultant. As a founding family member of Yu Ming Charter School and an adjunct professor at the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI), I teach and mentor teachers throughout the Bay Area. I’m passionate about understanding children and how to best support their social-emotional and learning needs, and I feel so grateful to have this opportunity to bring coding and technology to ALL families and children in a setting that’s both educational and fun!

Meet Our Code Coaches® Too!

We've got plenty of Coaches, and tons of Comp Sci experience tucked inside! Who's the best Coach for you? I guess you'll have to come on in for a free trial to find out! Roll over a pic to see if we jotted down their background!
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We're always looking for great Code Coaches. Shoot us an email with resumé to see if we're a fit!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can coding help kids?

Many folks might think learning to code is so kids can actually code an app. Honestly, that's not usually the case! Coding real-life apps is tough. Despite what the media says, your kid is not writing some million dollar app by themselves in a month. Instead, coding helps kid *solve problems*. Coding is all about debugging and logically thinking through the fix. Breaking a large problem into smaller parts, logical sequencing, these are all important problem solving skills for any kid (or adult!). A second benefit is confidence and passion in technology. There's plenty of time for kids to learn the latest real tech (which changes all the time), but the time to build passion for technology (and a foundational knowledge base) is when they're young!

What is the best coding language to learn as a beginner?

The truth is, Scratch is amazing for a beginner at ANY AGE. If someone is truly a beginner, a platform like Scratch can allow them to create and engage much more quickly. Older kids (say 11 and up) can soon move to a language like Python or Javascript. Just remember that it takes a LOT MORE work to get Python/Javascript to do the same thing as Scratch - so the kids will need some patience. No matter what anyone tells you please DO NOT start learning with Java or C++! Those languages are too advanced to start with, and we've seen it too often - kids will give up because it's so hard! Definition of backfiring!

What is the best age to start coding?

It depends - we think the best age is the age they want to do it! Listen, there's plenty of time to *really* learn to code - there's a reason Comp Sci is a really tough college degree. The important thing in the younger years is to bring out the desire and passion to learn more - that's why at theCoderSchool we customize our projects based on the student's interests and really focus on engagement before learning.

How do I get accepted into a college computer science program?

These days, top colleges are incredibly selective. Learning to code by itself probably won't help you stand out enough. Instead, consider building a unique Coder Story. Can we help? Sure can!

What are the benefits of kids learning to code?

Children of all ages can benefit from learning coding skills, and students who get hands-on experience with computer programming go on to excel in other subjects Coding helps students gain computer proficiency and build real-world problem-solving skills. Exploring technology is essential for computer literacy. Building fundamental coding skills encourages creativity, promotes teamwork, and enhances spatial intelligence and logical thinking skills. Kids of all ages can learn computer science. For teenagers, learning how to code leads to the development of transferable skills that can be applied in future careers or workplaces. If your student is interested in data science or machine learning, a self-paced course in computer programming can help pave their path.

As you and your family consider coding programs, it helps to keep in mind:

  • The age of the student (we can teach kids as young as six)
  • Their individual interests (such as Lego, Roblox, robotics, video game design, or artificial intelligence)
  • Any previous hands-on experience with coding (even exposure to mobile apps or playing with Minecraft counts)
  • Preferred learning style (we offer both flexible and structured curricula and support self-paced learning)
  • Social skills (some students learn best in one-on-one lessons, while others favor teamwork)

    Whether the student wants to explore Minecraft modding in Minecraft camp, is interested in HTML, or wants to learn block-based coding like CSS, our interactive classes provide a great coding experience.

    Can a 6 year old do coding?

    Sure! Kids this young are just developing their sense of logic. While some advanced 6 year olds are ready to dive into learning Scratch, many are better off with fun learning apps like Kodable or Scratch Jr..

    How do kids learn to code?

    Same way adults do! The best way to learn something is to just DO it. It's not about all the theory and fancy words, it's about just doing it over and over again. If you're a parent with a college degree, think back. How much of that theoretical curriculum did you really use in your job? Or did you really learn your job by DOING your job? It's the same with kids, we'll mentor and guide them, but most importantly, we'll get them to code something custom that they want to code!

    Where is the best place to learn coding for kids?

    We're a little bit biased, but we think it's theCoderSchool! There's no better way to learn anything, including coding, than just doing it with a mentor to guide you. Online or in person, our Code Coaches will give you that low-ratio full attention that every kid deserves!
  • Read about Private+Semi-Private Coaching, Virtual Learning, Coding Classes, Robotics, Python, Scratch, or Video Game Coding
    or check out our general blog or our student blogs

    What is theCoderSchool? We are an after-school drop-off (and virtual) program for kids learning to code - a coding school! There's after-school kung fu. There's after-school music lessons, sports, art, tutoring, Chinese, you name it, it's out there. But coding classes for kids? Founded in 2013, we're the first of many, and the largest in Silicon Valley with more locations on the way around the country. The future will be ever more dependent on technology so let's get our young generation ready. Learn to Code, Change the World®.

    Got a question? Email us at berkeley@thecoderschool.com!

    copyright 2014-2022, the Coder School San Francisco, LLC. All Rights, Alright? Don't forget our privacy policy. Find out who we are or like us on facebook.