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How Should I Teach a Basic Programming Course?
riverman writes "I have been 'provisioned' at the school where I work to teach a new Computer Science/Programming course. I'm supposed to be teaching everything from the very-very basics (i.e. where that myspace thing is in your computer monitor, and how it knows who your friends are) to the easy-advanced (i.e. PHP classes and Python/Google App Engine). I'm an experienced programmer, but I'm not sure where to start — I could easily assume that my students know something basic they don't. Are there any resources on the internet that could help me find a solid curriculum? What are your suggestions?"
I'm sure many of us have gone through intro-level programming courses of some sort; what are some things your teacher or professor did that worked well, and what didn't work at all?
Which is why I've never been able to learn calculus.
Seriously. I've yet to encounter a calculus teacher who actually explains what good it is in the real world. (Considering I'm almost 30, I program computers for a good living, and I've never used it, I'm thinking: it ain't.)
Comment of the year
Give them assignments with vague instructions
Lecture them into boredom
Give them pointless projects
Make sure they know that the real world is not relevant
Give the newbs no hope of ever understanding a damn thing that comes out of your mouth
Make a good effort not to be available outside of class hours
Success
Of course, I'm sure you meant that as an insult, something like, "oh a web developer! They're so stupid! No wonder they don't know math! Ha ha ha!!!"
Given that you seem to take pride in your ignorance of basic math, you're not doing a lot to dispel that myth.