McLean, VA

⇩ Jump to Section ⇩

Welcome to theCoderSchool

McLean, VA

1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd #170, McLean, VA 22101
Near Lidl on Chain Bridge Rd
Map • (703)712-7182 • mclean@thecoderschool.com
PROUD PARTNERS OF THE

Congressional App Challenge

***theCoderSchool is closed Monday 5/29 for Memorial Day***

Hey super-parent! We're happy you're looking for options to get your kids learning to code. It's SUCH an amazing skill to learn and will help your kids in more ways than you can imagine! We're super excited to be bringing Silicon Valley's #1 kids coding program to the area to help your kids get going, so read on and let's get our kids coding!

At theCoderSchool, 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? Fill out the form and we'll be in touch shortly to tell you more!

Watch our video on Who We Are

Proud Partners

Code Coaching®

Code Coaching® is our core philosophy, and what our school is all about! We believe that every student is different, and that kids should learn in the way that works best for each child. How? Our Code Coaches® - they're the magic sauce! Unlike some coding schools, we don't just leave the kids in front of a computer, expecting the software to teach them how to code. Nor do we force all kids to go through the same curriculum or projects, regardless of their skills and interests. Instead, our Code Coaches® customize their lessons for each child, and focus on a 2 on 1 mentee-mentor relationship with our kids so our students can get the focused attention they need.

Code Coaching® works for kids of all ages and skill levels, from novice to advanced. From game development to web apps, Python to Java, or even niche technologies like AI and beyond, our Coaches can help your kids achieve their goals.

Sessions run one or two hours a week (your choice), at the same time every week on a schedule that works for both you and our assigned Coach. Check out our video for more info!

Coding Lessons for Kids in McLean, VA

Coding takes practice, and we believe getting kids to code consistently throughout the year is the only way they'll really learn to code. theCoderSchool has a staff of hundreds of Code Coaches all around the country, so we know a thing or two about mentoring students in computer science. That's why our after-school coding classes for kids revolve around this relationship, providing a long-term mentor in a Code Coach to teach kids to code, from someone who's an expert coder themselves. Kids have an incredible grasp of technology, and that comes as no surprise. They've been surrounded by it at home and at school since they were born! STEM activities and coding curricula like the programs offered by theCoderSchool help students take their fundamental knowledge of coding concepts to the next level. Coding classes and camps are a great way to encourage kids to learn about computer science. They may already show an interest in mobile apps, robots, or simply enjoy games such as Minecraft and Roblox. Our programs are tailored to student interests, and our coaches are dedicated to helping them learn about web development, website design, and more. Help your kids foster the critical thinking and coding skills they need to succeed. Students in McLean, Virginia, and even as far as Tysons and Arlington can partake in programs offered by theCoderSchool. With both virtual and on-site options, we offer classes for every type of learner.

Programs at theCoderSchool

Code Coaching®

Our core program for all levels.
Find out more here.

Our coding school's flagship after-school program, Code Coaching®, combines a super-small 2:1 teaching ratio with individualized curriculum so kids are able to move at their own pace, doing things that interest them most. While Code Coaching is our premium program, we also offer a more traditional Code Class for those looking for either software-driven or static-curriculum teaching in a larger ratio. And during summer and holiday breaks, we offer Coding Camps. When available, programs are offered in both in-person and virtual formats. Contact us to find out more and get a free trial today.

theCoderSchool System

We're part of a nationwide system of passionate owners in over 60 locations around the country, teaching over 6,500 students every week with the brainpower of 1000+ expert Code Coaches®. We're proud of the impact theCoderSchool has had on communities everywhere since our brand was founded way back in August of 2014. In short, we know a thing or two about teaching kids to code - so let's get to it!

Get Your Kids Started with Coding at theCoderSchool

If your child enjoys STEM activities, Lego, mobile apps, design, or is simply creative, consider coding courses to help them learn about computer programming. The earlier you start them, the better, but it’s never too late to try coding. Parents of middle school and high school students, keep in mind that coding courses are a great opportunity to prepare kids for a real-world career in the ever-evolving computer science industry. theCoderSchool in McLean, Virginia specializes in helping students succeed. Long-term mentors are dedicated to helping teach kids to code, sharing their expert coder knowledge along the way. For more information or to find a class near you, get in touch with the mentors at theCoderSchool. They are happy to help you learn more about online and in-person classes, as well as one-on-one sessions and group coding camps.

What Kids Learn

Find Out What
Kids Learn

We believe that every student learns in his or her own way, not only in what they want to work on, but how fast and how much. Our Coder Tree® is a visualization of our students' learning options as they grow and a sampling of some of the topics we teach. Find more details about what kids are learning by checking out our Coder Tree®.

Tracking Progress

See Sample
Student Portal

Our suite of proprietary tools* chart weekly progress by tracking concepts and apps, and longer term progress by identifying skills to build their individual Coder Tree®. Get an idea of our progress tools by clicking through a Sample Student's Student Portal to see for yourself.

* Used by participating locations, check your location for availability

Apps We Build

Congressional App Challenge

Each year, theCoderSchool partners with the Congressional App Challenge, a nationwide coding contest run by districts of the U.S. Congress. Take a look at some recent winners, or ask about our App Gallery to see more apps!

2022 Winner - Pleasanton CA
Interactive mental health website
2022 Winner - Henderson NV
Scheduling software for busy high schoolers
2022 Winner - Yorba Linda CA
Website+game to educate on carbon footprint
2021 Winner - Sarasota FL
Help health care workers with code blue
2021 Winner - Buffalo NY
Chat room with built-in AI
2021 Winner - Folsom CA
Gem collection game in Python
2021 Winner - Syosset NY
Education resource for all communities
2020 Winner - Buffalo NY
Drone/AI social distance detection
2020 Winner - St Louis MO
Teen job/volunteer matching
2020 Winner - Folsom CA
3D Max Game in HTML
2020 Winner - Las Vegas NV
Note taking for online learning
2020 Winner - Buffalo, NY
Help make food decisions for health
2020 Winner - Syosset NY
Distribute restaurant leftovers

Summer Camps

Let's get ready for summer camps! Code camps are run in our school Monday through Friday during the summer. We offer full day and half day options across a variety of programming languages and platforms.

And guess what, we're offering a discount of $100 off full day camps for a limited time only. Just use the code CAMP2023 at checkout.

Beyond Camps: Our year-round program builds upon the camp experience. Code camps are introductory, teaching students basic coding skills which can be applied and advanced through year-round code coaching. Email us at mclean@thecoderschool.com for more information and to register for a free 30-minute trial!

(Looking for more details? You can also read more about our main camps.)

Week	Format	Camp	Ages	Price
6/19-6/23	Half Day	Game Developer - AM We'll be using drag n' drop languages like Scratch to create some new and classic games! Aimed at our newbie and novice coders. Ages 6+	Ages 6+	$249
6/19-6/23	Half Day	Game Developer - PM We'll be using drag n' drop languages like Scratch to create some new and classic games! Aimed at our newbie and novice coders. Ages 6+	Ages 6+	$249
6/26-6/30	Full Day	Python Startup We don't have a pet snake for our schools, so we'll settle for introducing you to Python, one of the most popular coding languages today. For beginner to intermediate coders. No Python experience necessary. Ages 10+	Ages 10+	~~$499~~ $399
7/10-7/14	Full Day	WebRox Everything's about the web these days, and that's why Web Rocks! Code with all the base web technologies like HTML/CSS and Javascript and get a real live website going! For beginner to intermediate coders. No HTML/CSS or JavaScript experience necessary. Ages 10+	Ages 10+	~~$499~~ $399
7/17-7/21	Full Day	Rise of the Machines (Intro to Artificial Intelligence) Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzzword of the day, and we’re ready to help you tackle it. This camp is about coding algorithms that mimic AI, and will use different languages dependent on camper skills. Some coding experience required. Ages 10+	Ages 10+	~~$499~~ $399
7/24-7/28	Half Day	Minecraft - AM While known for its popularity among games, Minecraft can be educational! Using Minecraft Education Edition, campers will solve puzzles, complete lesson plans, and take on an adventure with coding. For beginners, and Minecraft lovers! Ages 8+	Ages 8+	$249
7/31-8/4	Half Day	RoboCode - AM Explore the world of robots in this introductory level camp. You'll get inside the robot brain, learn how they work, and program and code a robot! Students take home their robot at the end of the week (price of robot included). Ages 8+	Ages 8+	$329

Parent Testimonials

"My 9-year-old daughter started taking coding lessons before the pandemic. She has been able to continue weekly lessons virtually without missing a beat. She loves working with [the coach] and has had lots of fun while working hard on creating a game." - Kim H.

"To give you an idea of how much he is liking it ...he told me this morning that the whole online camp day felt like only an hour yesterday because it was so much fun."
- Hisham R.

"What you have brought [here] is simply amazing! Your coaches are fantastic and I couldn't ask for a better learning environment for my son to do his thing and expand his knowledge!" - Bonnie D.

"My son was really getting into things! It was neat to see him and his reactions as the coaches helped him along. The coaches are great at working with students virtually." - Lyndsey M.

"Staff is great. They have managed to turn my son's technology obsession into a creative (instead of just observing you tube videos) outlet. Now instead of just watching videos or playing games...he is creating his games." - Russell H.

"Excellent staff, reasonable prices, and most important they make it fun for kids to learn coding. My son is always excited to go back and work on his game." - Mathew J.

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

Our Upcoming Events

Intro Python Class

This 8-week program will introduce students to Python, one of the most popular coding languages today. This course is for intermediate coders ages 10 and up. No text-based programming/Python experience is necessary!

Saturday 12-1pm

School Info

1320 Old Chain Bridge Rd #170, McLean, VA 22101
Near Lidl on Chain Bridge Rd
(703)712-7182
mclean@thecoderschool.com
Monday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Wednesday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 4:00 – 8:00 PM
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

Or Choose a Nearby Location

theCoderSchool Coach theCoderSchool Writing

theCoderSchool Code theCoderSchool Coaching

theCoderSchool Fun theCoderSchool With theCoderSchool Coding

theCoderSchool Girl theCoderSchool Laughing

theCoderSchool Girl theCoderSchool Team

theCoderSchool More theCoderSchool Code theCoderSchool Coaching

theCoderSchool San theCoderSchool Mateo theCoderSchool School

theCoderSchool Team theCoderSchool Coding theCoderSchool Table

Our Schools

Meet our Owners

Chad and Ellen Hamel, owners of theCoderSchool McLean

Hi everyone! We are Chad and Ellen Hamel, owners of theCoderSchool in McLean and Ashburn, Virginia. We are so excited to bring theCoderSchool to the DC metro area! A little about us - we live on a small farm in northern Virginia with our two boys and lots of farm animals. Chad is a veterinarian and graduate of Oklahoma State University. Ellen went to Langley HS in McLean (Go Saxons!), and is a nurse with a bachelor's from the University of Virginia and a master of public health from George Washington University. We have each worked in the healthcare field for nearly 20 years. Throughout our careers we’ve experienced more and more the importance of technology and its reach into a variety of different industries, including healthcare. We recognize that coding is not only an essential skill set for the future, but helps kids to develop their creative, cognitive and analytic abilities, setting them up for success in their careers and in life! We chose theCoderSchool because we believe in its philosophy of teaching to code through a personalized coaching approach, in a fun and supportive environment, fostered by a family-oriented team. As former college athletes, we also feel strongly about developing both mind and body so we partner with a variety of local youth sports organizations to provide your kids with a rich after school experience. We hope you’ll join our community and look forward to working with you and your child to create a custom learning experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at chamel@thecoderschool.com or ehamel@thecoderschool.com.

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.

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!

Does coding require reading?

It definitely requires a little bit of reading and comprehension. Even coding with blocks requires some reading, albeit not as much. More importantly when kids move on to typed languages like Python or Javascript - they have to know how to type! If they can't type, coding typed languages is more than frustrating, often causing kids to quit.

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!

What coding programs are available at theCoderSchool in McLean, VA?

Our programs are designed to engage and excite learners of all ages. The programs offered by theCoderSchool in McLean include after-school classes and traditional coding classes for students. Programs range from Minecraft modding in Minecraft camp to writing code in HTML. We offer programs in ScratchJr for those just starting out, as well as block-based coding camps for programming languages such as CSS and Python coding. Just ask our alums: Our interactive classes provide a great coding experience. We work hard to provide learning environments for all types of students. Programs are available as online coding classes or in-person. Students can choose to work one-on-one with an instructor or in a group of their peers. Every student has different needs and interests, and theCoderSchool is committed to helping them all succeed. Our individualized curriculum is tailored to a wide variety of student interests and can be as flexible as the student needs it to be. We have a 2:1 teaching ratio in our after-school programs and provide focused assistance so kids can self-pace their learning.

Does theCoderSchool offer coding classes and Camps in McLean, VA?

In addition to our after-school courses, our coaches also provide traditional coding classes. Online classes and in-person programs are available. There are also camps for kids to enroll in over school breaks or summer vacations. We offer a year-round curriculum that includes coding classes, after-school courses, and coding camps. Coursework supports individualized attention including one-to-one lessons and small 2:1 ratios in after-school programs. Our students are given the option to work solo or partner in groups to solve challenges. The goal of any intro coding class or summer camp is to make sure coding is attainable and fun. Computer programming can quickly become discouraging if a student doesn’t have the support they need to learn coding languages. We believe that every student learns in his or her own way, so our mentors teach coding as an enjoyable activity where kids can learn and progress at their own pace. Our teaching teams will help young programmers gain knowledge in syntax, conditionals, algorithms, and even help them develop their own games. theCoderSchool offers camps and classes for all interests:

ScratchJr and Scratch

CSS

Python programming

HTML

JavaScript

Minecraft

Animations

Video game development

Private+Semi-Private Coaching

Virtual Learning

Video Game Coding

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 for kids? We're among 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 mclean@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.