it’s true that high-school coding classes aren’t essential for learning computer science in college.（确实高中编码课并不是大学计算机课程所必须的。）students without experience can catch up after a few introductory courses, said tom cortina, the assistant dean at carnegie mellon’s school of computer science.（卡耐基梅隆计算机学校的助理主任汤姆·科尔蒂纳表示，没有经验的学生在几节入门课之后能跟上课程。）
however, cortina said, early exposure is beneficial.（当然，科尔蒂纳认为早期接触编码是有益的。）when younger kids learn computer science, they learn that it’s not just a confusing, endless string of letters and numbers——but a tool to build apps, or create artwork, or test hypotheses.（当更小的孩子学习计算机时，他们学习的不只是一个难以理解的，无止境的字符串和数字——而是一种可以制作应用程序、创造艺术品或者测试假说的工具。）it’s not hard for them to transform their thought processes as it is for older students.（相对于对年长的学生，对于他们思维进程的转变也并不困难。）breaking down problems into bite-sized chunks and using code to solve them becomes normal.（将问题分割成小块并使用编码去解决它成为了常态。）giving more children this training could increase the number of people interested in the field and help fill the jobs gap, cortina said.（科尔蒂纳认为让更多的孩子进行这种训练能增加对该领域兴趣的人数并且能填补该领域的工作人员的缺口。）
students also benefit from learning something about coding before they get to college, where introductory computer-science classes are packed to the brim, which can drive the less-experienced or -determined students away.（在上大学前，学生学习一些编码也能收益。在大学里入门计算机课程被排得满满的，这样使得那些缺少经验和自信的学生放弃学习计算机课。）
the flatiron school, where people pay to learn programming, started as one of the many coding bootcamps that’s become popular for adults looking for a career change.（福莱特轮学校是人们付费学习编程的地方，开始作为众多编码训练营之一，后来受到了寻求更换职业的成年人欢迎。）the high-school get the same curriculum, but “we try to gear lessons toward things they’re insterested in,” s
aid victoria friedman, an instructor.（高中的课程都是一样的，但是“我们试图调整课程朝着他们感兴趣的方向。”教师维多利亚·弗里德曼说。）for instance, one of the apps the students are developing suggests movies based on your mood.（例如，其中学生正在研发的一个应用程序是根据你心情给你推荐影片。）
the students in the flatiron class probably won’t drop out of high school and build the next facebook.（福莱特轮班级的学生可能不会从高中退学去建立下一个脸书。）programming languages have a quick turnover, so the “ruby on rails” language they learned may not even be relevant by the time they enter the job market.（编程语言变更非常快，所以他们学习的“框架脚本”语言在他们进入人才市场的时候可能已经过时了。）but the skills they learn——how to think logically through a problem and organize the results——apply to any coding language, said deborah seehorn, an education consultant for the state of north carolina.（北卡罗来纳州教育顾问黛博拉·塞霍恩认为，但是他们学习的这项技术——如何有逻辑地思考一个问题和组织好结果——适用于任何一门编码语言。）
indeed, the flatiron students might not go into it at all.（事实上，福莱特轮的学生可能根本不进入it行业。）but creating a future army of coders is not the sole purpose of the classes.（但是培养一群未来的编码者并不是这个班级唯一的目的。）these kids are going to be surrounded by computers——in their pockets, in their offices, in their homes——for the rest of their lives.（这些孩子讲会被计算机所包围——在他们的口袋里，办公室里以及家里——在他们的余生中。）the younger they learn how computers think, how to coax the machine into producing what they want——the earlier they learn that they have the power to do that——the better.（越年轻的时候他们学习计算机时如何运作，如何生产他们所需要的物品就越好——他们学得越早，他们就更有能力去实施。）
杂施而不孙，则坏乱而不修；
