7 Myths About Coding - Don't Believe the Haters!

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You’ve probably heard a lot of stuff about coding. Some of it is probably true. Some of it, probably isn’t. Here are 7 Myths about Coding that you shouldn’t believe!

You have to be a genius to code.
FALSE! You do not need to be a genius to learn how to code. Although coders are often portrayed in TV and movies as super nerds who are smarter than humanly possible, that is just a myth! Leaning to code is like learning a new language. We can all do it, but you do have to be willing to put in time, dedication and hard work to actually understand it.
Coding is boring.
FALSE! Unless you think solving problems creatively, bringing your own ideas to life, and working in almost any field imaginable is boring, then coding is pretty much the opposite! Tech is everywhere in our lives and where tech is, there is coding also. Coding lets you work on problems and think outside of the box for ways to fix them, create the games, stories, apps, etc. that you have imagined and is needed from computer games to movies to websites and industries of all kinds.
Coding is not creative.
FALSE! Coding is most definitely creative! Whether you are designing something from your own imagination and thoughts, or helping someone else bring their’s to life, you are creating all the time while you code. If you want more info on coding and creativity, check our blog post, Coding and Creativity.
You have to be good at math.
FALSE! You do not need to be a math whiz to be a good coder. In fact, coding can help you improve your math skills! While there is some crossover between math and coding for some problem solving, coding is really about thinking logically. The ability to think logically and sequentially will help you not only in math, but in a lot of different areas as well.
Coders are loners.
FALSE! Coders are not always alone, in a dark room, typing on their computer for days at a time. While there are times you will work alone (just like with everything), you will also have the opportunity to work with teams, collaborate on projects, share ideas and help other coders. This is true for those of us who code as a hobby, as well as for those who do it for their career. The Scratch community is a great place for kids to learn safe online socials skills and share their ideas, creations and get help.
Girls don’t code.
FALSE! Girls (and women) do code, and they have been since the beginning! Although coding and tech has become a more male-dominated industry, did you know that first coders in the 1940’s were women? And that the first coder EVER, was a woman, Ada Lovelace?!? The number of women in coding professions is increasing, and we need even more!
Coding is for grown-ups, not kids.
FALSE! While adults are the ones who have the coding jobs, coding is most definitely for kids as well! Some people think kids are too young to learn “real” coding. However, we all start with the basics. Kids begin learning about history, reading, biology, math, etc. when they are young, and build off of the basics to more complicated scenarios, problems and arguments. That’s the exact process we all go through when we learn to code. We start with the basics and build off of those into more complicated scenarios, problems and creations. Have you seen the games kids are designing on Scratch? It’s impressive!