The Startup Wonder!
Growth and Inclusiveness have always been a part of Startup Wonder’s history W HAT IS S TARTUP W ONDER ? Startup Wonder started in 2012 with the goal of teach- ing kids confidence, resilience, and problem solving through entrepreneurship. Weeklong summer day camps teach kids in grades 2-8 coding in the morning and startup in the afternoon in multiple San Francisco Bay Area loca- tions. Campers learn to code in the mornings and business concepts in the afternoon where they come up with ideas about a project for a product, service, nonprofit or anything else they want. Teams of students are guided along the way to also create a pitch and give a presentation at the camp convention, usually Fridays at 2 pm. The best pitch of the season wins seed funding, the team is notified and each student will receive their prizes including cash and a spot on the leader board on contest winner page of the Startup Wonder.com website. Its curriculum is based on the philosophy that children are more motivated and learn by doing and building pro- jects. They ignite their passion for learning by letting them come up with projects they want to build. The coding and STEM projects are treated as just another problem-solving tool that students can use in order to reach their goal. Students can also use Craft or Internet ideas to plan or build their projects. Startup Wonder's "Wonder Coaches" are trained to help students overcome failures and gain the attitude that "if this didn't work, Let's change or pivot". Give your child the gift of imagi- nation and the tools to realize their dreams. Startup Wonder strives towards inspiring your child to start a journey of continuous wonder!
S TARTUP W ONDER IS DIFFERENT ! Startup Wonder is a unique camp program in its equal approach to teaching entrepreneurship and STEM. Its stu- dents can use the code, games or apps they develop to plan or build their ideas or they can use the design thinking process and build a craft product. They also encourage stu- dents to come up with a project that solves a social issue that benefits the community or the environment. Startup Wonder’s goal is to teach students the impor- tant life skills that traditional schools do not teach. They often give mediation breaks, leadership circles that teach negotiation skills, dealing with conflict and similar soft skills. Another example of a classroom project is building a vision board or creating a financial budget for students. Summer camp should be fun and Wonder Coaches make sure students get outdoor fun and game time. Most of the PM class is free of any technology use with the exception of market research for their products or ideas. U NIQUE T EACHER STUDENT R ATIO Startup Wonder’s student to teacher ratio is very low and they typically have at least 1 teacher for every 8-10 stu- dents. Startup Wonder also allows a select few responsible, young adults, typically past campers, to become counselor- in-training and help the lead teacher in the class with breaks or classroom projects. Computer science majors or business majors teach classes. Teachers are often college undergrad or graduate students and are supervised by an experienced teacher. T HE D AILY S CHEDULE KEEPS THE CAMP FUN AND INTERESTING Morning camps are 9-12 while afternoon camps are 12- 3; all day students get a lunch break and game time from 11:40-12:20. Everyone also gets morning breaks and after- noon breaks. They offer extended day from 8:30-9 and from 3-5:30. Extended days are time for book club and outdoor play.
8 www.indiaparentmagazine.org
May 2019
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