Better Together

A roadmap to help the CoderDojo organization, the dojos, the mentors and the students work better together.

Transcript

1. Beer Together
2. @cameronmcefee I reduce friction at GitHub.
3. I hate friction • Make it easier for you to do your job • Build tools • Reduce clutter
4. GitHub has a simple goal Make it easier to work together than alone
5. US dojos operate alone
6. CoderDojo has a lot of friction
7. Starting a dojo is scary • Where do I find a venue? • Where do I find mentors? • Where do I get lessons? • What do I do first?
8. CoderDojo.com is confusing • Five start-up guides • Three sites
9. Running a dojo is a challenge • Dear GitHub: How do you run your dojo? • Dear GitHub: Can I come watch how your dojo runs? • Dear GitHub: Is there a mentor mailing list? • Dear GitHub: Is there a collection of lessons somewhere?
10. Observations
11. Good things • Lots of info • Lots of experience • Lots of resources
12. Bad things • Too much information • Open ended instructions • CoderDojo provides suggestions, but not support
13. The message this sends?
14. This is my dojo There are many like it, but I’m all alone
15. What can we do?
16. Create dojos, together
17. This is my dream
18. 1 simple jumpstart guide • 1 format • 1 version • Easy, concise steps to follow • Realistic expectations
19. Open source almost everything Mentors, parents, anyone can fix and improve things
20. coderdojo.com/setup • Automatic setup of all technology to run a dojo • Click checkboxes next to things you want • Automatically deploys everything to Heroku for you
21. Automate events • Event creation • Ticket distribution • Mentor management • Student management (COPPA compliant)
22. Frontend for each dojo • Each dojo has one • Home page: this session’s lesson • Kids only ever go to one url • Past lessons index • Backend built on the GitHub API (more on that later)
23. Duh, we already have that ORLY? How should I know?
24. Dojo communication • Mailing list • Newsletter • Important things, not every thing
25. Mentor mentor “Starting a dojo? Ask me anything. Think of me as your mentor mentor”
26. You start a dojo CoderDojo starts it with you
27. Run dojos, together
28. • Helps coders work together • Designed with code and collaboration in mind • Version control, issue tracking, wikis, free websites GitHub.com
29. This isn’t a sales pitch • Free bronze organization accounts for all dojos • 10 private repos • Unlimited public repos • Unlimited teams
30. How to get yours 1. Create a GitHub organization for your dojo 2. Email support@github.com 3. Request a free CoderDojo organization coupon 4. Provide proof (CoderDojo email, photo of your face on the site, etc.)
31. Now what? This is how GitHub runs our dojo
32. Lesson Plans repo • Create issues for each session date • Assign teachers • Discuss lesson topics before • Discuss results after • Historical data for future conversations
33. Lesson Template repo • Consistent lesson flow • Consistent lesson format • More time on the lesson, less on formatting
34. Lessons in individual repos • Based on the lesson template • Lesson in the readme.md • Include a license
35. Private mentor tickets repo • Add mentors as collaborators to the repo • Prove they exist on the internet • Have lunch with them before adding them. No creeps. • Post ticket links in issues labeled with the session date • Mentors can manage their subscription settings through GitHub
36. Use teams • Mentors team, parents team, organizers team • Organize mentors of similar skills into teams • Team mentions: “Ask @CoderDojoSF/javascript if they have input”
37. speakerdeck.com Share slides
38. Share knowledge, together
39. Teaching: What you think is important
40. Mentoring: What they think is important
41. Dress the part • Don’t look like a teacher. Teachers teach at you. • Dress like a peer. Mentors share knowledge. • Don’t force it. It’s not about being cool. It’s about not being superior.
42. Mentor at eye level • Kneel next to the person you’re mentoring. • Eye level means you are peers. • Don’t teach. Share knowledge.
43. Learn, together
44. Learning together is important
45. Let’s learn about networks
46. Stand up • Each person that is one person away from you is one “hop” away. • Shake hands with everyone that is one “hop” away.
47. You are all computers • You each have an IP address. • You can only communicate with people one “hop” away from you. • You can ask “Do you know where {IP} is?” • You can say “I know where {IP} is.” • You can say “I know someone who knows where {IP} is.” • You have to keep quiet so we don’t hear you.
48. I’m looking for {IP} • I’ll ask people one “hop” away from me if they know where {IP} is. • You ask people one “hop” from you. • If you are it, don’t shout it out. Tell it to people one “hop” away.
49. We found {IP}! • I’ve got a message (hint: it’s a sticker). • I’m going to send my message to the person one hop away from me that knows where {IP} is.
50. Enjoy your sticker, {IP}
51. Beer Together
52. Thank you You are no longer alone