Computer Explorers trains tech to Deerfield students

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Dylan Weiss lets Computer Explorers instructor Bozena Simkowski look over his shoulder at his graphics creation Friday. | Rob Dicker~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: January 26, 2012 2:44AM

If you were to walk into a Computer Explorers session at a Deerfield school or day care center, you’d see preschoolers playing with Lego robots and older children directing race cars on a screen during a video game class.

What you wouldn’t see is what Computer Explorers Deerfield Director Lori Gross calls “back door learning.” All of these children are learning computer skills.

Gross, a Deerfield resident, left a corporate job in 2009 and wanted a career that would help her give back to the community. She connected with a former Kellogg School of Management classmate who was now an entrepreneurship coach, who told her about Computer Explorers.

“It started in Chicago in the 1980s, and the two women founders began it as a way to bring computer education to preschoolers,” Gross said.

“It expanded to school-age children, and we also offer adult programs. The North Shore is my community, and we work in four elementary schools in Deerfield — Wilmot, South Park, Kipling, and Walden, and also teach classes and summer camps at the Deerfield Park District.”

Gross said she has always had a passion for education.

“I call myself an educator wannabe,” Gross said.

“My mom was a teacher; my husband is a teacher at New Trier. We have two small children, so I wanted to work with a business that would give me flexibility in terms of raising a family.”

Gross said the company’s motto is to “go where children gather.”

“We come into the sessions with computers, and the kids work together, in groups of two or three, which is one of the hallmarks of our program,” Gross said.

“We are teaching 3-year-olds mouse skills, and teaching fourth graders how to write video game programming. We are teaching 21st century skills. We are recognizing the skills kids will need moving forward are not the same set of skills that adults needed years ago. Now, technology skills are more important than they were in the past. The kids are having fun — making digital movies, learning to make Lego robots. They don’t realize they are collaborating, communicating, work with somebody to solve a problem, all skills they will need in the future.”

The classes go beyond computers, Gross said.

“Some classes don’t even use computers. You might see kids working on an iPad, or working on the floor with a robot,” Gross said.

“They learn the basics of engineering with Legos, and learn about simple machines, like levers. In one activity, the kids make a dinosaur, and if the lever works correctly, it will open and close the dinosaur’s mouth.”

Gross also offers science-based “CSI” classes, like the popular television show, and classes in movie making and green screen production.

“We adapt to different kids,” Gross said.

“If we have two really advanced kids in an engineering class, we will have them build a deck chair, a good old lounge chair to sit by the pool. Then, we’ll tell them ‘That’s nice, but you built for mom, and she wants to read a book while she’s outside in the sun.’ The kids will then come up with putting a sun shade on the chair. We won’t give them the answers, but our teachers act as facilitators.”

Gross said she finds her job very rewarding.

“My job is very refreshing and the ultimate reward is to watch these kids learn, to see the ‘I got it’ moment,” Gross said

“I was helping a new teacher start a class in beginning video game programming and two kids had trouble. The program wasn’t doing what they wanted it to do — a race car going up and down on screen instead of left to right. They found the mistake and corrected it, and it was great to see the pride and self confidence that they gained. It is really rewarding to see kids learn.”

For more information or to see class listings, visit the Computer Explorers website at www.computerexplorers.com/exploretechnology, or call (847) 259-3630.