View Interview Here:
Instructor: Jonathan Pappas
Class Title: Swift Master Class
Type of Class: Group and Online Supported
Class Fee: $80 per month: Tuition and fees are payable directly to: Jonathan Pappas.
Materials Fee:
- $100 materials fee for an iPad provided by Mr. Pappas
No prior knowledge of programming or Swift is necessary.
Questions: Contact Jonathan Pappas
Minium & Maximum Class Size: 3 – 15 students
Homework Access: balm.pathwright.com
Shelter-in-Place Classes: Same fees apply
Credits: Computer Science (non lab science), Logic, Foreign World Language, and Programming. (Or Honors Equivalent)
Course Description: The Swift Programming Language is the most commonly used language when publishing on the Apple App Store. With Swift, students will be able to write an application that can be published on the Apple App Store and downloaded worldwide. This class will teach students the basics of programming and everything they need to know to create an app for the Apple App Store using Swift. Students who have learned Swift will have the capacity to create: Fast Paced Platformer Games, Puzzle Apps, Physics Games, or 3D Apps, etc.
- This class is geared towards Juniors and Seniors.
- Students will be equipped at Honors Level, College Prep knowledge of the Swift Programming Language.
- Ambitious younger students can enter with permission.
Course Content: This course will focus on the fundamentals of Swift, how to use the language itself. This course will also cover the SpriteKit Framework, an extension of the programming language, that allows you to easily code viewable apps. Both concepts will be covered comprehensibly throughout the course, giving knowledge to students about how to make epic usable apps, in a powerful and efficient way. This course teaches students how to design, write, verify, and construct an app on the Apple App Store.
Assessment: You, as teacher of record, will be evaluating whether your students will be working at honors level or at a more basic level (Mr. Pappas can help you with this). This class recommends evaluation that is competency driven, as the students will have the freedom to master their area of interest. Completion of this coursework and projects with qualify your student for honors credit. Mr. Pappas can assist you in establishing a grade.
Attendance: Class will consist of experiential learning, and presentational learning.
- Experiential Learning is what happens when students learn hands on. Everything they learn will immediately be stored into long-term memory.
- Presentational Learning is when students watch someone else, and then practices what they see. Most information will be stored into long-term memory.
Students are expected to be mentally prepared to be a part of this unique learning process. New material will be covered every week.
Classroom Expectations:
- Work on curriculum created by Mr. Pappas.
- Partake in projects that will be created by the students every six weeks.
- No disruptions in the learning environment. Questions or input to Mr. Pappas are welcome at any time during the class.
Assignment Criteria: No assignments will be graded. Any assignment given by Mr. Pappas will be either research or activity oriented.
- If you would like grades, Mr. Pappas can help you with this.
- Research Options: If a student is sufficiently enticed and or delighted to do research at home, Mr. Pappas will provide a conglomerate of comprehensive online resources for them.
- Puzzles: Mr. Pappas may pose an intriguingly puzzling question for students to take home. They can work on these, if they feel they are up to the challenge, and can email me or bring it back the next week with their answer. Entirely optional.
Materials:
- Notebook and writing utensil, or electronic equivalent, for note taking and commentary creating. Please bring every week.
Workload:
- The Workload of this class is variable for each student.
- Projects: This class will have facilitated projects every 6 weeks. Students will be able to choose a project in which they are particularly interested, or fabricate something from their creative genius that is related to the current study. Students will (actually and seriously) program their project, and have fellow students play or test it… maybe even show it off at Pulse Night. Students will be making their projects in-class. If a student would like to work or code a project at home, they will be encouraged to do so. Please talk to Jonathan Pappas with any questions about projects.
- Commentary: Students will be able to write commentaries, which will be reviewed by the teacher every few weeks, and parents are encouraged to read them. Students will be able to tell parents what they learned, and the practicality of their learning through written commentaries. Commentaries are retrospectives, and have been proven to solidify the learning process by keeping track of ‘Aha’ moments. Students’ thinking benefits from writing down discoveries, ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It is recommended that commentaries be written within 24 hours of the class. Students should not spend too much time on the commentary, 5 minutes will do. A commentary outline will be provided by Mr. Pappas on the first day of class.
Curriculum: Materials will be provided by instructor Jonathan Pappas.
Contacting the Teacher: Questions, comments, or suggestions are always welcome. Feel free to contact Jonathan Pappas.
Assignments before classes begin: Please visit the webpage, unusuallybrilliant.com/swift-master-class. A list of introductory videos will be provided.
Jonathan Pappas, alumni of HEART Academy, entrepreneur, software developer and artist/maze enthusiast is excited to be sharing his love of programming with HEART Academy. He began homeschooling in high school and fell in love with it! It has allowed him time needed to pursue God-given talents, develop entrepreneurship skills while starting a business and enjoy sharing his passion with the world. Coding is a delight and among his top passions!
Now downloaded in over 100 countries, Mr. Pappas’ Maze Jam app combines original art and music, as well as character, game, and graphic design. For the past two years, the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose hosted his Maze Jam Experience where hundreds of families participated in Mr. Pappas’ multi-level, hands-on-workshop. This year, his art show “It’s A-Maze-ing: The Art of Mazes” appeared in the gallery of the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. He was awarded an Editor’s Choice Blue Ribbon at the Bay Area Maker Faire where thousands of guests enjoyed his Maze Jam booth, and was recently invited to write an article on homeschooling for Make: Community Magazine. He brought Maze Jam to Pitch Tank 4.0 held at eBay, and was delighted to win time with eBay’s VP of eCommerce, where he learned about marketing.
When he’s not coding, you’ll find Mr. Pappas drawing the most intricately detailed mazes, and building his art business! And when he’s not drawing mazes, you’ll find him enjoying math, astronomy, Aristotle’s rhetoric and Tolkien! He also loves to play basketball and board games with friends and family!
