Tips for teaching

[gcroci2]

General tips we should look at before teaching the lesson, gathered from the various workshops we have already taught:

Before the wk

• Make sure to send out installation instructions beforehand, and stress to people that we will use python + vscode (if they want to use other IDEs fine but it’s up to them to set them up)

During the wk

• Always start by presenting yourself briefly (and eventual other trainers)
• Instead of asking “other questions, no?” (at the end of the introduction module), maybe state: “what questions do you have?”
• Cut on content before cutting on break-time, if you run over. 5 mins break time is too short. Also, don’t run over time, it’s not respectful to people’s time. And people start leaving in the middle of a discussion, etc.
• Exercises-specific:
  • Don't give text to copy/paste. This is not very pedagogical and people don’t see what is in the prompt and don’t learn from it/how to phrase things, etc. Instead, do live “coding”/prompting to write what is there.
  • Be explicit about when you want people to code-along vs mainly listen to you. When doing code-along, check with group whether they are ready to proceed (it is going quite quick now).
  • The point about prompt engineering is better made if you do it live. First don’t add that final point, show that it is doing sth weird. Then add the extra point and show that you get a better result.
  • When resolving the exercise, ask the group, what would you say to resolve this issue. And then address what people would come up with.
  • During exercises, try to make yourself available by standing up and looking around the room

At the end of the wk

• Always make time at the end for tips and tops
• Always make sure to send out materials and slides at the end of the lesson