Code Monsters

Planet Login

Instructor’s words

Instructor Andy’s Resume & Reference
https://www.linkedin.com/in/webcoderio

IT Experience

Teachings

  • Developed and implemented an online course and teaching system for the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, accessible through http://www.biblemesh.com.
  • Mentored and taught ten graduated master degree students from the Steven Institution of Technology, New Jersey, in securing their first software engineering positions in New York.
  • Served as the inaugural Chairman of the Web Design Club at a middle school, where he taught a comprehensive web development course.
  • Led swimming classes for approximately 20 children in the community

Why

I offer this course as my children are ready to learn coding. While in college in New York City, I noticed a significant number of Jewish students in computer science classes. A Jewish professor shared an inspiring story about his 8-year-old son, who demonstrated advanced coding skills by developing board games similar to the ones I was working on. This experience motivated me to believe in the potential of learning programming at a young age and reinforced the importance of planning my children’s educational journey as a dedicated parent.In middle school, I self-taught web development and founded the first Web Design Club at my school. I created websites for the school and student council, gaining valuable experience. During college, I joined an IT consulting company in New York where I contributed to various online applications, including an online car rental system, a school system for Oxford University’s theology college, and providing technical services to a Manhattan law firm, etc.

Wall street

During the 2008 financial crisis, I worked at a Wall Street hedge fund, developing high-frequency trading systems. This experience highlighted the significance of computer automation and the potential for job replacement in trading and beyond. While terms like big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence may seem like buzzwords, they represent evolving concepts. Many current computer tutoring classes prioritize application usage over logical thinking skills and programming fundamentals. While I also employ these methods to ignite children’s interest, my emphasis lies in cultivating critical thinking and providing a solid foundation. Consequently, I disagree with the practice of rushing students to write robots or games after only a few classes. Upon investigating the backgrounds of these tutors and employers, I discovered their lack of computer engineering expertise, despite teaching algorithm applications to children. It’s akin to assuming mastery of television by simply operating a remote control. Application and creation are distinct realms.

problems

Let’s discuss a personal example, my nephew. Almost every summer, my brother sends him to me so that I can teach him programming. He already completed all the courses at an extracurricular coding academy called “Code Ninj”, achieving a black belt level. However, what surprised me greatly was that my nephew hadn’t truly learned programming there. He didn’t even have a clear understanding of basic programming theory. In just one summer spent, I was able to teach him how to write desktop programs, websites, and basic game development.

This year, my wife and I wanted to let our daughter try the a branch of this tutoring center, I finally understood why. The entire course was taught by a high school student and had no work experience. They didn’t teach real programming; The children learned how to “play” games, but they didn’t grasp the connection between that and actual programming. In the end, these children only became skilled at playing games like “Minecraft” and “Roblox.” What kind of situation is this? It’s essentially a disguised internet cafe. Parents may supervise at home, but the tutoring center becomes a kingdom of games. Please don’t misunderstand my point. Moderate gaming and learning through games can be beneficial.

Fortune 500

In my career, I have worked as a software engineer in several publicly traded companies. I worked for a Fortune 500 company in New Jersey, which had the largest IT campus on the East Coast. I enjoyed perks such as biking facilities, shower and fitness amenities, free massages, and meals provided. I had the opportunity to work on a large-scale project, collaborating with hundreds of developers on the same floor, and learned valuable team management skills in a large enterprise setting.

Later, I joined another Fortune 500 company in Florida, leading a team of 40+ developers. I created an automated payment dispute evidence system and user credit scoring system, generating monthly revenues exceeding 100 thousand with a user base of 3 million. I introduced agile development methodology to the organization of thousands of employees. Besides programming, learning team management and corporate culture was vital. Teaching and managing allowed me to continue learning and assist nearly ten master’s degree students in the local community. I taught them source code version control and developed a church website, enabling them to secure IT jobs.

seeds & fruit

I have been working remotely for nearly 5 years, but I strongly believe in the effectiveness of face-to-face teaching and communication. Currently, I am in the entrepreneurial phase, running an AI company with around 10 software engineers. We are developing a financial trading platform. You can find my personal resume and experience on the LinkedIn website: www.webcoder.io. My wife and I hope to cultivate our children together through this course, and we genuinely hope that your child will appreciate our efforts. This is a long-term commitment. Lastly, I would like to share a poem that my children often sing: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”