Rails Girls Warsaw 2014

Introduction

I'll start :)

Much needed Wi-Fi password

cz4sn4rel4ks

The rule

If you have any questions, thoughts,
anything to add from your experience,
speak up! :)

The Rails Girls
workshops

What's Rails Girls?

• Ruby on Rails workshops created with women in mind.
• Founded in 2010 by Linda Liukas and Karri Saarinen.
• Organized in nearly 200 cities around the globe.
• Every organizer and coach is a volunteer.

It's 3rd edition in Warsaw

• First workshop - 29-30 September 2012
  13 coaches, 41 participants
  
  
• Second - 13-14 April 2013
  14 coaches, 44 participants
  
  
• Third one - 22-23 February 2014
  16 coaches, 48 participants
  

Goal of the workshops

• Provide a great first experience with building web apps.
• Demystify the concepts of "technology"
  and "computing".
• Show that programming
  is not "men stuff" and is not hard.
  
• Show participants the tools
  to create projects with their computers.
• Teach basic programming paradigms.

General programme

1st day

• 15.00 - 17.00 Registration, mixer and installation
• 17.00 - 18.00 Lightning talks
• 18.00 - 20.00 Workshop
• 20.00 -            Middle party
  

General programme

2nd day

•   9.00 - 10.00 Breakfast and coffee
• 10.00 - 13.00 Workshop
• 13.00 - 13.30 Lunch
• 13.30 - 13.45 Bentoo Box Exercise
• 13.45 - 14.30 Lightning talks
• 14.30 - 16.00 Workshop
• 16.00 - 16.30 Final lightning talks
  

Who and why
are we teaching?

Who are the participants

• Various ages
• Various backgrounds
• Various motivations
  
• Various levels of technical knowledge

Get to know them :)

Introduce yourself
and ask them to do the same.

Ask about their technical knowledge,
previous work that they've done.

Participants' motivations

Are simply varied.

Not everyone wants to become a programmer.

Some just want to see how programming works.

Others want to see the concept to do projects in IT.

And some want to start programming teach others.

Ask about their motivation
and don't expect one answer.

Why are we teaching?

To inspire.

And there's not enough
women in IT.

What's your motivation?

Teaching technique

Atmosphere

Enthusiastic and friendly! :)

Be helpful and inspiring

It's not high school,
don't create
harsh teacher - student vibe.

Be open, make friends :)

Sexual comments

Structure

Adjust the detail level of description
to the participants knowledge.

Adjust the tempo to participants needs.

After each section of new material -
repeat what the participants
have already learned.

Frequently ask questions to know
if participants understand.
More: "Did you get it?" Less: "What's a variable?"

Words

Use non-technical language.

Use metaphors clear for the participants.

Link programming concepts to real-life.

Always make sure if the description
you've provided is understood.

Words

If you're introducing technical words,
take time to explain what they mean.

If the topic is hard or not necessary to know at the moment,

Everything other than words

Be aware of the personal space bubble.

Everything other than words

Avoid leaning over people.
If you want to point something at the computer,
you can sit next to the person of kneel.

Body language

Watch participants' body language.

They might be uncomfortable,
don't understand,
be tired,
afraid to speak.

Always encourage them to speak
if something is not right.

Technical programme

Will be introduced by

Piotr Szotkowski and Tomasz Stachewicz.

But first...

Exercises

Speak geek

Exercises

Bentoo box