Instructor kickstart program

This page describes the instructor kickstart program, if you are a brand new co-instructor wants to jump straight in. The material is in the left sidebar.

Other background information

The CodeRefinery instructor training is a longer version of this that is more about the philosophy and has less concrete practice. You don’t need to read this right now. This page has the basic sessions that new instructors should do to prepare.

Session 1: General motivation (1hr + 2-3 day follow-up)

This happens well before the course, as early as practical. It’s the broad introduction to the instructor experience and motivate you for the rest, and will start you off with steps to prepare

Who should attend: brand new teachers who haven’t taught before, and anyone who wants to come support them. Attendance not mandatory.

Preparation: Generally have an idea about the CodeRefinery teaching style (have watched a course before, or maybe seen this 15-minute video with examples.

We will:

  • A motivational meeting about what it’s like to be an instructor. Here the inside story from someone who’s done it.

  • Go over the various material that you should read yourself (hear at least one person’s own opinion on it)

  • Q&A and discussion about what happens on your path to being an instructor.

Follow-up:

  • Read everything in the instructor section of the manuals (left sidebar of this site).

  • Read the lesson review checklist material (left sidebar).

  • The workshop coordinators will help find the co-instructor teams for each lesson.

  • Begin working with your co-instructor on preparing the lesson, deciding how you want to teach, etc. Team teaching, Teaching plan. (If this is your first time, hopefully your co-instructor takes the lead on any possible lesson changes. Try to avoid changes though!)

  • Ask your co-instructor for their advice on becoming a new instructor and to mentor you.

Meeting 2: Team teaching practice (2hr + 2-3 day follow-up)

This happens a few weeks before the course. This is focused on introducing exact team teaching mechanics, getting used to team teaching, and preparing a lesson for teaching (teaching plan, lesson maintenance). There will be some roleplay about the teaching, which will make the teaching smooth and remove your stress.

Who should attend: Anyone new to CodeRefinery teaching (and I’d recommend each instructor attend this multiple times, if nothing else to help practice with new teachers). New instructors really should come (“mandatory”) for your first two workshops: Experienced instructors: optional but you will help mentor new instructors if you come.

Preparation:

We will:

  • Go through the team teaching practice exercises.

  • The purpose is to practice with a co-instructor and go through the basic mechanics.

  • Most practice is with very simple toy problems (e.g. “make a git repo”), so extensive lesson preparation isn’t needed.

  • It may or may not include some livestream practice (usually not).

  • Discuss, now that things are coming close, how to divide up a lesson for co-teaching.

  • Talk about how the prep is going in general.

Follow-up:

  • Finish all the lesson preparation. Hopefully it’s more clear how team teaching can work.

  • Practice team teaching with your co-instructor (ideally a full run-through).

  • Get all the instructor tech setup done (everything from the sidebar, in particular see Instructor checklists).

  • Ask the instructor trainer (or anyone else) advice on the lessons.

Meeting 3: Livestream practice and final check (1-2hr)

This is the “final check” for livestreaming, and answering any final questions about procedures.

Who should attend: All instructors should attend one of the “final prep” events, unless you are beyond sure that you and your co-instructor are ready and you discuss with the instructor coordinators. Attendance to one of the options is mandatory for all instructors (but ask and we can arrange an alternative time for you).

This happens a few days before the teaching, usually one before week one and one before week two.

Preparation: Make sure all the instructor technical setup is done (computer setup, audio, screenshare), so you can get final feedback on your exact setup. All the final checklist stuff.

We will:

  • Final check of tech setup (screenshare, audio, etc.)

  • Go through the livestream mechanics teaching practice exercises.

  • Do a whole test with your computer + practice the livestream.

  • You may practice the first 5 minutes of your lesson, going to a break, last 5 minutes, maybe a Q&A. Whatever we have time for.

  • Answer any final questions and give people confidence to present.

Follow-up:

  • Improve any problems with your technical setup (screenshare, audio, etc.) that you found.

  • Final prep with co-instructor.

Teach!

Relax, it’s not so hard. You have a huge support network for anything that may go wrong, and will get continual feedback even during the course. You only need to get as far as the first exercise, then there’s a break and you can breath before the next section.