I'll also +1 Matt's comment. Way back in 2012 I attended my first SWC workshop hosted by the CS dept at UBC, taught by Greg. I then helped organize a couple more where I co-taught with Greg and Ethan at different workshops. I had this experience under my belt before I began instructor training, I think one of the first that Greg ran online.
It seems like path to becoming an instructor is a bit different now, starting off with instructor training, and then running a workshop. Less of the 'journeyman' system of a few years back. And while sending helpers around isn't feasible because of $$, what about requiring interested people to organize a workshop and they could help, if one isn't already being run locally? After all, it was that effect of getting one or two instructors out of each locally run workshops that helped us get so many instructors in the first place. Maybe it's not a good idea to take on instructors if they haven't at least attended a workshop (I'm not sure how common this is though) T On Fri Dec 12 2014 at 12:24:03 PM Kara Woo <[email protected]> wrote: > Helping at real workshops would indeed probably be the best way to build > experience, but it's not going to be logistically or financially feasible > for everyone, since as far as I know workshops don't typically cover travel > costs for helpers. While not a substitute for firsthand experience, a > network of community support and resources for new (and experienced!) > instructors will definitely help people (or at least, me) feel more > prepared and confident. > > On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 11:44 AM, Marianne Corvellec < > [email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hello, >> >> I would like to +1 Matt's comment. I don't really see how you would >> do without this very natural, gradual, beneficial process. >> >> I know people who have attended, helped and sometimes instructed at >> several workshops but haven't taken the instructor training program >> (yet). So when/if they become Software Carpentry instructors, I think >> the transition will be pretty smooth... >> >> As a new instructor, I don't see how you would want to read a >> guide/manual rather than helping at real workshops, because that's >> when you start feeling useful and you learn a lot and you're not alone >> and that's a great experience. :) >> >> Marianne >> >> On Fri, Dec 12, 2014 at 2:01 PM, Matt Davis <[email protected]> wrote: >> > I had one question after reading your post, and that's what role being a >> > workshop helper/assistant has in the instructor on-boarding process? >> > >> > A couple years ago before our explosive growth and the instructor >> training >> > program, the on-boarding process was (perhaps informally), something >> like: >> > >> > - attend or be a helper at a workshop >> > - teach at a workshop with an experienced instructor >> > >> > We have different processes and more people now, but you can't discount >> the >> > value of "learn by doing". >> > >> > - Matt >> > >> > On Fri Dec 12 2014 at 10:47:53 AM Bill Mills < >> [email protected]> >> > wrote: >> >> >> >> Hey everyone, >> >> >> >> I spoke privately to some of you over the past couple weeks on what >> it's >> >> like being a Software Carpentry instructor, particularly a new >> >> instructor - what are the challenges you face, and what can we do to >> >> make your first few workshops a smoother experience? I summarized the >> >> most popular comments in this blog post: >> >> >> >> >> http://mozillascience.org/starting-instruction-feedback-from-the-new-instructor-community/ >> >> >> >> One of the main things that came out of this, was a need for a smoother >> >> on-ramp going from Instructor Training to your first workshop - what >> are >> >> the steps involved, how do you prepare, and what are everyone's >> >> responsibilities? To this end, I think it would be valuable if we >> >> created a short Welcome Package explaining these things and providing >> >> some clear instructions for people, and a Mentor's Guide for more >> >> experienced instructors guiding this process. More details are in the >> >> blog post, but we're brainstorming ideas for both of these things in >> the >> >> following etherpads: >> >> >> >> New Instructor Welcome Package: >> >> https://etherpad.mozilla.org/newInstructorWelcomePackage >> >> Mentor's Guide: https://etherpad.mozilla.org/SWCmentorsGuide >> >> >> >> What do people think? Please jump in and share your thoughts! Thanks in >> >> advance, >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Bill Mills >> >> Community Manager, Mozilla Science Lab >> >> @billdoesphysics >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Discuss mailing list >> >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> http://lists.software-carpentry.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss_lists.software-carpentry.org >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Discuss mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > >> http://lists.software-carpentry.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss_lists.software-carpentry.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Discuss mailing list >> [email protected] >> >> http://lists.software-carpentry.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss_lists.software-carpentry.org >> > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.software-carpentry.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss_lists. > software-carpentry.org
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