Keynote given on 2/10/2015 at the code4lib conference
What beginners teach usSelena Deckelmann@selenamarieStaff Data Architect, Mozilla
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photo by courthouselover
The adult section
I could go there.
Discoveringwhat’s possible
http://bit.ly/1fQEXeF
http://github.com/mozilla/socorro
http://bit.ly/1fOgBSB
“In the beginner’s mind thereare many possibilities, in theexpert’s mind, there are few.”-Shunryu Suzuki
I am a beginner teacher
full of possibility
the one thing...Next time you answera beginner’s question
take a moment and consider...How will the beginner feelwhen they hear youranswer?
I’ve been involved in FOSSSince 1995
PyLadiesGet women who code togetherIn September 2012, I joined...
our first project...A Coursera Class
Walk awayorFigure out how to teach?
beginners:Open to possibilityand overwhelmedby choice
TMTOWTDIthe best part of beginners mindadventure, possibility, inclusive
but...
our job as teacher is to answer...“What do I do next?”
And to consider:How do people feel whilethey’re taking the next step?
What does learning howto program feel like?
When experience is adead end
When PyLadiessucceeds
Engineeringexperiences
“The unwritten first chapter”Big goalsEarly winsIn-person connectionsCultivate a learning environment
Tools for engineeringgreat beginnerexperiences
From Hacker School:No “Well, Actually...”No Feigning Surprise
pairingbest instructors arethose that just learned
1:3 ratioinstruction to doing
listen carefullylearn from how students rephraseand ask questions
PyLadiesPDX412 women1-2 meetings per week
• New skills• Peer support• Structure and routine• ConfidenceWhat PyLadies say they get:
How have I benefitedand what have I learnedfrom teaching?
write better codewrite better docsgain perspective
recruit diversemembers to yourcommunities
adainitiative.orgopenhatch.orgpyladies.org
and...
an informed public
Julie Horvath’s blog posthttp://julieannhorvath.com/2013/07/09/a-different-perspective.html
“I didn’t grow upthinking I could doanything I wanted to.”
I see this every day teaching adults.
People don’t knowwhat’s possible.
Where I belong,where I can go
make a better world!
teach!<3
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