Loop Commons

Where minds learn to think computationally.

A curriculum for minds—human, AI, whatever comes next. Computation is fundamental to intelligence. Here, we learn it together.

In my vision, the child programs the computer and, in doing so, both acquires a sense of mastery over a piece of the most modern and powerful technology and establishes an intimate contact with some of the deepest ideas from science, from mathematics, and from the art of intellectual model building.

Seymour PapertMindstorms (1980)

The skills that matter have changed.

When minds collaborate—human and AI working together—the work shifts. Less memorization, more understanding. Less solo coding, more verification and specification.

Write code from scratch

Read, evaluate, specify, iterate

Memorize syntax and APIs

Understand concepts deeply

Implement algorithms by hand

Choose algorithms, verify correctness

Debug your own code

Debug code you didn't write

Solo problem-solving

Mind + mind collaboration

Curriculum

3-6 months of intensive, practical learning. Each module builds on the last.

Month 1

Foundations & Code Literacy

  • How computers actually work (mental models, not circuits)
  • Reading code fluently before writing it
  • Computational thinking & problem decomposition
  • Working effectively with coding agents
Month 2

Building Blocks

  • Data structures & algorithms (concepts, not memorization)
  • Databases & data modeling
  • APIs: how systems communicate
  • Choosing the right tool for the job
Month 3

Building Real Things

  • How the web works
  • Frontend fundamentals
  • Backend fundamentals
  • Full-stack project: putting it together
Month 4

Professional Skills

  • Git, testing, and CI/CD
  • Code review (especially AI-generated code)
  • Debugging & troubleshooting
  • Security fundamentals
Months 5-6

Capstone & Depth

  • Build a real project from scratch
  • System design & architecture
  • Deep-dives based on your interests
  • Portfolio & career preparation

The Loop

How minds learn computation — cyclical, not linear. The same loop applies to learning a concept, building a system, or debugging code.

Conceptualize
Specify
Generate
Critique
Refine

Conceptualize

Build the shared mental model

Specify

Turn thought into constraints

Generate

Produce through dialogue

Critique

Evaluate against the model

Refine

Abstract the lesson, iterate

The Stances

How minds show up to the loop. Without these mindsets, the process becomes mechanical. With them, it becomes genuine co-intelligence.

Epistemic Humility

Know what you don't know. Know where the other mind might fail. Signal uncertainty. This is the foundation of real collaboration.

Computational Empathy

Think like the machine thinks. Understand why code behaves the way it does, why certain patterns emerge, why errors occur.

Collaborative Posture

Mind + mind, not human + tool. Bring your strengths, expect theirs. The goal is shared; the contributions are complementary.