Coding for Kids
Tynker is proud to support teachers bringing coding and creativity into the classroom and we want to contribute in every way we can. That’s why we’re now offering Tynker Certifications. Each Tynker Certification level demonstrates your knowledge and expertise in teaching K-12 coding with Tynker, while proving the growth in your practice.
New to teaching coding? Not to worry! Our certifications are designed for teachers of all experience levels – from beginners to experts! Our flexible pathways allow certification to be pursued by educators teaching either with Tynker Blocks or Python. Along the way, you’ll build coding skills with our free professional development (PD) webinars and learn to include creativity and collaborative activities in any classroom… all while earning hours of professional development credits!
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Why get Tynker Certified?
Consider what goals you have for your classes when it comes to coding and STEM skills. Would you like for students to play around and experiment with coding only enough to become familiar with the concept? Or do you want your students to work towards coding mastery, setting them up with critical skills in an increasingly digital world? Either way, Tynker Certification can be your first step in making that happen.
Once certified, use your digital credentials to provide documentation on your continuing education credits for your school or district and demonstrate your readiness to meet state or national standards, where applicable.
Making Certification Easy for YOU!
Not able to attend live PD webinars? We’ve got you covered. To make this process as easy as possible for our teachers, all webinars are also available on-demand. Get Tynker Certified on your own schedule!
None of the requirements need to be completed at the same time. You can always pause your application and return to it when convenient. Also, note that you do NOT need a Tynker Premium license to apply or prepare for any Tynker certification level. All the requirements can be met with the huge selection of free courses, projects, activities, and tools we make available for our global educator community.
For all Tynker Blue Ribbon alumni: You are automatically eligible for Tynker Certified Educator Level 1 credentials! Just send us an email at EducatorSupport@tynker.com telling us you would like us to issue your credentials. We recommend having credentials issued to your personal email address rather than a work email address so they remain portable and can easily travel with you if you change jobs in the future.
Lastly, our online PD webinars are always free and there is no cost for our Level 1 certification. There is a $100 fee for our advanced certifications – Level 2 and Distinguished Educator – but we have some good news on that front as well. We’ve waived these fees so you can progress the entire way at no expense. But you’ll need to hurry, this only lasts till September 1, 2021!
About Digital Credentials
Our certifications are backed by digital credentials, allowing quick verification of authenticity. Each credential is valid for three years and is secured via blockchain to ensure it can never be falsified. The credentials are also fully Open Badge 2.0 compliant per the IMS Global Learning Consortium standards so you can share them on any compatible platform! For example, the digital badges and certificates you earn can be embedded on LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social profiles. This allows you to quickly show your expertise as a coding educator, establishing your credibility at a glance. Anyone clicking on your digital credentials will be taken to a secure page with additional details about your Tynker certification.
Tynker Certification Levels
Tynker Certified Educator Level 1
Level 1 certification is designed for any educator who wishes to demonstrate basic knowledge of the Tynker platform, curriculum & standards, and introductory computational thinking concepts.
To obtain the certification, you need to:
- Attend the three required PD webinars.
- Complete any Tynker Hour of Code activity.
- Complete the reflection document provided.
- Submit your application.
Prerequisite: None
Tynker Certified Educator Level 2
Level 2 certification is ideal for any educator to highlight progress towards intermediate computational thinking concepts, coding integration into core subjects, and creative coding with Tynker.
To obtain the certification, you need to:
- Attend the four required PD webinars.
- Complete any Tynker DIY project.
- Complete the reflection document provided.
- Have your students complete 100 Tynker lessons.
- Submit your application.
Prerequisite: Tynker Certified Educator Level 1
Tynker Distinguished Educator
The Distinguished Educator certification is for educators with demonstrated mastery of more advanced computational thinking concepts and K-12 CS & coding pedagogical best practices.
To obtain the certification, you need to:
- Attend the four required PD webinars.
- Author your own Tynker lesson.
- Complete the reflection document provided.
- Have your students complete 100 Tynker DIY projects.
- Submit your application.
Prerequisite: Tynker Certified Educator Level 2
