[Noisebridge-discuss] The future of Python class at Noisebridge

[jim]

   The Monday night Python class began as a SF-LUG Python 
study group with Asheesh as mentor. Asheesh left the 
region to set up openhatch.org and Daniel took over, 
formalizing the meeting somewhat as a class with teacher, 
and has hung in there for over a year. 
   You can change the approach as you see fit. You might 
take it on with someone else to share the mentoring or 
lecture role or revert to study group format by reducing 
the role of the mentor or whatever. If you share the role, 
you have the plus side of better continuity (each mentor
can take a break) but the with price of keeping in sync 
with each other. There's at least one other NB member 
who's got very good Python skills with an aptitude for 
teaching. 

   I believe there are two main aspects to support: 
* provide real-world, simple examples that demand that 
  attendees think out the problem solution in terms of 
  Python language features and Pythonic techniques. 
* accommodate stone beginners and also people who are 
  approaching intermediate levels. The Dive into Python 
  book is available on line and might work for both 
  groups. Al Sweigart's book, Invent Your Own Computer 
  Games with Python, is currently in the Turing room 
  and I believe has been used in the Python class; it's 
  certainly suitable for beginners and to some degree 
  to extending Python skills. The book that Asheesh 
  first chose as a basis for the group is Python for 
  Software Design: How to Think Like a Computer 
  Scientist and for a while, at least, Daniel stuck 
  with it. 

http://diveintopython.org/ 
http://inventwithpython.com/ 
http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/ 

   (my opinions: ) I and a few others have had some 
objections to parts of the Think Python text. I'd not use 
it in favor of Al's book and Dive into Python. 
   I think sticking to the current schedule (Monday 
evenings from 6:30 to 8:00) is important. 
   There are several Python groups in the bay area, and 
one or more of their members might be willing to share 
the leader role or come in for an occasional lecture or 
point you to examples at times you find your own well dry. 

http://www.pygamesf.org/ 
http://www.pywebsf.org/ 
http://www.baypiggies.net/ 




On Mon, 2010-10-04 at 23:56 -0700, aditya bhargava wrote:
> I have a fair amount of experience in the language, but I've never
> been to one of these classes. What are they usually like? I can
> volunteer to make up cheat sheets or talk about specialized topics if
> there's interest in that. Off the top of my head, I could talk about:
> 
> 
> - scientific computing in Python
> - working with Django
> - writing modules in C++ using Boost::Python and other alternatives
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Adit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 10:11 PM, Daniel C. Silverstein
> <cubes at ghosthacked.net> wrote:
>         Howdy,
>         
>         Would anyone be interested in taking over teaching Python
>         class at
>         Noisebridge going forward?  Python is one of the longest
>         running
>         classes at Noisebridge, and I've personally been teaching it
>         for the
>         better part of the last year and a half.  I think it may be
>         time for
>         me to move on to other pursuits, but I'd rather not see the
>         class die.
>          Historically, Python class has been on Monday evenings from
>         6:30 to
>         8:00, but if anyone is interested in teaching it, I'm sure
>         he/she
>         would be welcome to reschedule.
>         
>         (Dan)
>         _______________________________________________
>         Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>         Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>         https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> wefoundland.com
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