Question 1

Who teaches Coding with Chester?

Accepted Answer

I do! My name is Eyas Rashid, and I'm the founder and sole instructor at Coding with Chester. I have a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Washington and spent years as a software engineer building technology for startups. I write the curriculum myself, and I work directly with every student. That means I get to know how each student thinks, what they care about, what they already understand, and where they're ready to go next. And Chester? He's my cat, our official mascot, and the studio's Chief Morale Officer.

Question 2

What age can my child start coding?

Accepted Answer

I teach students from 6 to 18 years old, but age is only part of the equation. Younger beginners usually start with Scratch so they can focus on programming ideas without being held back by typing and syntax. Older students may be ready to jump straight into Python, web development, cybersecurity, or another track. What matters most is finding a starting point where your child can be challenged without being overwhelmed—and where they can build things they actually care about.

Question 3

What if my child has never coded before?

Accepted Answer

That's completely fine. Many of my students start from zero. I don't believe a beginner's first experience with programming should feel like studying a dry textbook. Instead of starting with a list of vocabulary words, we start building something and introduce concepts when they're useful. Your child might learn about variables because their game needs a score, or learn about conditionals because a character needs to make a decision. The project creates the problem, and the problem creates the need to learn.

Question 4

What if my child already knows how to code?

Accepted Answer

That's fantastic. We won't make them repeat material they already understand. I'll look at what they've built, see how independently they approach problems, and figure out where the next meaningful challenge is. From there, we can build on their existing skills rather than starting over.

Question 5

How do I know which program my child should start with?

Accepted Answer

We figure that out together. You can use the quick placement quiz for an immediate recommendation, or we can talk through your child's interests and goals during a brief Discovery Call. The best starting point is the one that gives them the right combination of challenge, accessibility, and room to build something they care about.

Question 6

What equipment does my child need?

Accepted Answer

Your child needs a Mac, Windows PC, or Chromebook with a reliable internet connection, webcam, and microphone. A separate mouse is highly recommended, especially for younger students. Advanced game-development tracks such as Godot or Unity require a Mac or Windows PC rather than a Chromebook. We'll make sure your setup is appropriate before you commit to a particular track.

Question 7

How do we get started?

Accepted Answer

Start with a free 15-minute Discovery Call. We'll talk through your child's interests, goals, and experience, then recommend a starting point. If you'd like a quicker first step, you can take the two-minute coding quiz for an immediate recommendation.

Question 8

What happens in an online coding class?

Accepted Answer

Your child does the actual coding. I use a live Driver-Navigator approach: the student is at the keyboard making decisions and writing the code, while I act as the navigator—helping them reason through problems, debug errors, and decide what to try next. The screen isn't a passive lecture hall. It's our shared workspace.

Question 9

Does the teacher write the code for my child?

Accepted Answer

No. I want students to own what they build. I'll give hints, ask guiding questions, explain concepts, and occasionally show a small example when that's useful. But I want the student doing the thinking and the typing. If I build the project for them, we may end up with working software—but the student hasn't had to become the engineer who made it work.

Question 10

How do I know my child is actually learning and not just playing games?

Accepted Answer

Watch them build one. There's a fundamental difference between playing a video game and engineering one. When a student is building, they're constantly making decisions: Why did that break? What should happen here? What happens if I change this? Why didn't the computer do what I expected? They're testing ideas, debugging problems, and trying again. The game stops being something they're consuming and becomes a system they're trying to understand and control. That's when you see the cogs turning.

Question 11

How do you track my child's progress?

Accepted Answer

I track what students are building, the concepts they're working with, and how independently they can apply those concepts. Parents can follow this progression through the parent dashboard. I'm much more interested in what a student can actually build, explain, debug, and apply than whether they've simply checked a box on a rigid syllabus.

Question 12

Will my child build a portfolio of projects?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students build a growing collection of things they've actually made—from Scratch games to Python applications, websites, and cybersecurity projects. The goal isn't to manufacture a résumé. It's to give students tangible evidence of what they can create and something they can genuinely be proud of.

Question 13

What happens if we miss a class?

Accepted Answer

For private students, lessons can be rescheduled with appropriate notice. For group students, I'll provide a way to catch up on the material covered, including office hours when available.

Question 14

Is Coding with Chester a subscription?

Accepted Answer

I bill monthly with no long-term contract or cancellation penalty. Families can pause or cancel when their schedules or needs change. The goal is to make it easy to keep going when coding is valuable—and easy to step away when it isn't the right fit.

Question 15

How is Coding with Chester different from traditional coding franchises, group academies, or drop-in centers?

Accepted Answer

I teach the student, not just the curriculum. I don't put every student through the exact same project at the exact same speed. If a student is fascinated by Pokémon, basketball, weather, game development, or something completely different, I can use that interest to make the underlying computer science more meaningful. Their interests aren't a distraction from learning. They can be the reason the learning matters.

Question 16

My child tried a group coding class or online tutorial and got frustrated. Why might this be different?

Accepted Answer

Group classes and tutorials often move at one pace, so a child who gets stuck can fall behind without anyone noticing. In 1-on-1 mentorship, I can see exactly where your child is stuck, slow down, and try a different explanation. Lessons are built around your child's interests, so the work feels like building something they want rather than completing exercises.

Question 17

Should my child take private or group classes?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how your child learns best. Private mentorship gives me the most flexibility to adjust the pace, change direction when something clicks, and build around a student's individual interests and projects. Small groups can be a great fit for students who enjoy collaborating, brainstorming, sharing ideas, and learning alongside peers. If you're unsure, I'm happy to help you figure out which format makes the most sense.

Question 18

Do I have to commit to a long-term contract?

Accepted Answer

No. I bill monthly with no long-term contract or cancellation penalty. Families can pause or cancel when their schedules or needs change. The goal is to make it easy to keep going when coding is valuable—and easy to step away when it isn't the right fit.

Question 19

Does my child need to be good at math to learn coding?

Accepted Answer

No. You don't need to be a math genius to start programming. Coding uses plenty of mathematical ideas, but students can learn programming fundamentals without advanced math skills. In fact, programming can give mathematical concepts a practical purpose. A student might not care about calculating coordinates on a worksheet, but suddenly coordinates matter when they're trying to make a game character move exactly where they want.

Question 20

Can coding help a child who struggles to stay engaged in school?

Accepted Answer

It can provide a very different kind of learning experience. Programming is hands-on, immediate, and highly interactive. Students make a decision and the computer responds. They can experiment, break things, change their approach, and see the results. And because I can tailor projects around a student's interests, there's often a much more direct connection between what they're learning and something they actually want to accomplish. That doesn't mean coding magically solves every learning challenge. It simply gives students another environment in which they can experience themselves as capable problem-solvers.

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