New Tech Kids | All posts

7 Feb 2024

Teaching Kids about their Digital Footprints

A large part of NewTechKids' digital literacy programs focus on helping kids understand how to use the Internet and social wisely: staying safe online, only sharing appropriate information, protecting their privacy, knowing what to do when uncomfortable scenarios arise. A few weeks back, we started the third block in a series of programs for all classes at an Amsterdam primary school. This time around, we are teaching five classes in both group 3 (approx. ages

1 Mar 2024

Teaching new Dutch-Moroccan language bootcamp

By NewTechKids

A month ago, NewTechKids received a phone call out of the blue from one of the founders of the Drarija Taalclub, an organization dedicated to providing after-school activities for Moroccan children in Amsterdam West. Operated out of MAQAM, a Moroccan cultural centre in Amsterdam New West, the club's goal is to offer activities such as cooking, mathematics and singing in the Moroccan language to instil cultural pride and connect Dutch-born kids with the culture of

9 Jan 2024

Hacker Training as a hook to introduce digital literacy in primary school

By NewTechKids

There's something about hackers which makes kids sit up and become interested in learning about technology. Since mid-November, NewTechKids has been teaching a digital literacy course for all group 5 and 6 students (approx. ages 9-10) at Wereldwijs Primary School in Amsterdam Southeast. Under the theme of hacker training, students are learning about digital literacy and acquiring important critical thinking, problem-solving and tech skills. Our customized curriculum covers topics such as online safety and digital

16 Jan 2024

Tips for Preparing Kids for Tech Uncertainty

By NewTechKids

Parents, teachers and caregivers often ask NewTechKids' team members how they can prepare kids for a world of pervasive technology which is shaping almost every facet of life. They want to give their kids the best opportunities for success yet are overwhelmed, confused and don't feel well-equipped because they did not grow up in a tech-driven world. This causes a lot of anxiety so here are our top four tips for preparing kids for an

12 Jan 2024

Early 2024 Workshops and Bootcamps

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is excited to start our next batch of workshops and bootcamps in early 2024. We're teaching workshops and bootcamps for kids ages 7-9 at the Amsterdam Public Library's Roelof Hartplein branch in Amsterdam Zuid. These introductory camps are ideal for kids who like LEGO but have never done coding or robotics before. The bootcamps for kids ages 8-12 taught at the Amsterdam Public Library near Centraal Station (OBA Centraal) are ideal for older children

10 Jan 2024

Primary School to University: How I Kept My Interested in Tech Invention

By NewTechKids

This is a personal blog post written by Deborah Carter, Founder and Managing Director of NewTechKids. Feeling proud but a bit apprehensive. I just sent my high schooler son off to a pre-university course which happens to be in COMPUTER SCIENCE 😁! (Students in the final three years of his high school can take courses at Dutch universities alongside their regular subjects.) I'm proud because he and his peers were largely the reason why I

4 Oct 2023

Self-directed Learning as a Superpower

By NewTechKids

This week, NewTechKids continued with our digital literacy lessons for kindergarten students at Wereldwijs primary school. The last few lessons have been about self-directed learning and how technology enables us to learn on our own, without teachers, parents or adults directing the process. We started the lesson off by talking about the fact that not all children have the same abilities as they do. We talked about how some children can't hear and this requires

19 Sep 2023

NewTechKids Teacher Training Workshop on Digital Literacy

By NewTechKids

Register here. NewTechKids will be giving a teacher training workshop focused on introducing digital literacy to primary school students. Since January 2023, NewTechKids has been teaching digital literacy programs at schools and our after-school programs. We started teaching these classes at OBS Wereldwijs, a primary school in Amsterdam Southeast which has been designated 'Excellent' by the Dutch government in both 2019 and 2022. Our curriculum includes how technology systems work, the use of digital productivity

6 Oct 2023

Key Factors Which Help Kids Develop into Tech Innovators

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids has taught tech education and computer science classes for more than nine years and we've taught kids from all types of backgrounds with differing exposure to tech. Based on our observations, there are some key factors which increase the likelihood that kids will take an interest in tech beyond just using it and actually want to invent, create, make, experiment and prototype with it. These factors considerably increase the likelihood that they will choose

1 Sep 2023

Starting 2nd year of teaching digital literacy in primary school

By NewTechKids

Next week, NewTechKids will begin our second year of teaching digital literacy programs at Wereldwijs primary school in Amsterdam Southeast. We learned a lot from teaching all 650 students in groups 1-8 (ages 4-12 on average). We taught the youngest students in Dutch and the older students in a combination of Dutch and English. Here are some of our takeaways: Our youngest students are using apps which should not be legally available to them. Students