New Tech Kids | Amsterdam

7 Jun 2021

Summer camps vs. summer schools

The concept of "summer school" is foreign to many Europeans. Many think that kids should relax, have fun and take a complete break from school rather than continuing to study. European national summer school holidays tend to be shorter than those in North America which can last between 2-3 months. In The Netherlands for instance, the school summer vacation lasts six weeks because school holidays are distributed throughout the year. There's a big difference between

13 May 2021

NewTechKids Summer 2021 Bootcamp Registration Now Open

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is pleased to open up registration for its Summer 2021 bootcamps. We're again partnering with the Amsterdam Public Library to offer kids in Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands the chance to learn computer science, a subject which is not taught in most primary and high schools in the Netherlands, and develop 21st century skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, communication and creativity. We will be offering six, week-long bootcamps

13 May 2021

NewTechKids to offer ‘Try It Out’ Workshops at Library

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is making it easier for kids to experience computer science and programming education and discover why it's so much more than sitting behind a desk and coding boring stuff. We will organize two, separate 'Try It Out' workshops for kids ages 7 - 12 at the Amsterdam Public Library on Tuesday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 25 from 16:15 - 17:25. During each workshop, kids will discuss technology and then work in small groups

31 Mar 2021

Inventing ‘Smart’ Household Devices

By NewTechKids

This week, NewTechKids started a new 'Problem-Solving with Computer Science & Programming' at a primary school in Amsterdam. Our first lesson: how technology helps us automate tasks so we can free up our time for other things. We discussed 'smart' household devices, what tasks they automate and how to design one. Then we challenged kids to design, build and program a robot to automate a specific task. What a difference props make! We provided a

27 Nov 2020

Free NewTechKids Bootcamps during 2020 Christmas Vacation

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids will offer two 2020 Christmas holiday bootcamps from December 21 - 31, 2020. Before Christmas Bootcamp: December 21-24, 2020 Bootcamp between Christmas and New Year's: December 28 - 31, 2020 Part of the City of Amsterdam's Mid-Winter Mokum event series, these two bootcamps are subsidized by Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA) and are being offered free-of-charge to all children who have an OBA Junior library pass. For kids who don't have the pass, the fee

5 Jul 2020

NewTechKids’ Health and Safety Measures

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids and the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) strictly adhere to the COVID-19 social distancing recommendations issued by the Dutch government. Our bootcamps take place in OBA's Junior Lab, a large, well-ventilated room. NewTechKids is using AI-based software to design our classroom layout and the placement of tables and chairs, location of teacher, etc. Tables and chairs are spaced apart to encourage social distancing. Each class, NewTechKids' teacher checks the temperature of all children with a

5 Jul 2020

Summer Activities for Kids at Amsterdam Library

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is a long-time collaborator with the Amsterdam Public Library (Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam) and Maakplaats021, the Library's Maker Space initiative. This summer, in recognition that many families are not going on holiday due to COVID-19, Maakplaats021 is organizing a series of summer holiday activities in their locations around Amsterdam for kids ages 8-12 from July 6th to August 24th. Activities include art and design, robotics, 3D printing, laser cutting, engraving, painting, film, photography, AR and

12 Feb 2020

2020 February Vacation Bootcamp: Lost in Space

By NewTechKids

During next week's school vacation (February 17-21), NewTechKids and Maakplaat021, the Amsterdam Public Library's Maker education initiative, will teach a computer science/maker camp for kids ages 8-12. We'll use the theme of technology in space to engage kids and make the potential of technology come to life. Spaces are still open. Register here. Under the theme "Lost in Space", kids will explore how computer science and programming work by designing, building and programming robots and

15 Jan 2020

Computer Science at Metis Montessori Lyceum Amsterdam

By NewTechKids

It's that time of the year. When students in group 8 in Dutch primary schools receive their definitive 'advies' on the type of high school they will attend and the type of secondary education they will pursue: pre-vocational, senior general or pre-university. This advice is based on a combination of their marks from groups 6-8, the results of standardized tests they take in group 8, and the advice of their group 8 teacher. In some

4 Jan 2020

Possible 4-day teaching week in Amsterdam

By NewTechKids

How are school systems in the Netherlands dealing with teacher shortages, teacher burnout and the shrinking number of people choosing to become teachers? Some Dutch primary schools in Amsterdam are considering an emergency measure: shifting to a four-day teaching week. Why? Amsterdam has been hit particularly hard by teacher shortages. At the beginning of this school year which began in August 2019, the city was short 280 teachers. This shortage has now grown to almost