day-1-reflection-scenarios.md

Classroom Culture

WDI Day 1 - Reflection Scenarios

1. You're sitting with your classmates in the common area, working on your evening homework. You're stuck on the very first problem, and you really want to solve it yourself. Everyone else seems to be getting it, and there's still more homework to do.

2. Today you spent all day learning about a new technology. You can get it to work by following the instructions, but you don't feel like you understand what's going on at a high level. You're pretty sure everyone else is struggling with it too.

3. You're discouraged because today was really hard and it was difficult to focus. A few of your classmates consistently come in late and need to be caught up. The morning lab was really difficult and the students at your table kept talking over the instructor during lecture.

4. You are working on the second project with your group, and nobody can seem to agree on anything. You feel like the team isn't making any progress, and morale is falling apart. You don't feel like you're ideas are being heard.

5. A classmate it demonstrating a cool new technology that she's using in her project. It looks really interesting, and you're glad she shared it, but you have no clue what she's talking about because you didn't learn about it in class. You're afraid that you're falling behind and that you're not going to be able to get a job.

6. It's the first week of class and you feel a little bored. The material has been mostly review for you so far, but some members of your class are struggling with it. You're not getting as much out of class as you'd hoped.

Here are your ideas for making this class awesome!

Our classroom values:

• Be Kind
• Be Excellent
• Open
• Honest
• Collaboration / Camaraderie
• Safe
• Be Mindful / Respectful (noise, learning-styles, fears)
• People first (technology second)
• Check your Ego / Swallow your Pride / Egoless Programming / Humility
• Listen. Make sure every voice is heard. (Introverts, we want to hear from you!)
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. We are here for you!
  • "Expose your ignorance"
• Celebrate small victories!
  • 
• Own Your Experience
  • Make this class and environment work for you.
  • Speak up to make it better.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Strategies:

• DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP! :) You're awesome!
  • 
  • recognize when you're on the "learning rollercoaster" (pride/shame/fear)
• Time Management / Time-boxing
  • Choose your battles. Don't get stuck for too long on problems/bugs.
  • Work smart, not hard! ("productive struggle" vs. stubbornness/ego)
  • Take breaks / Take a walk / Eat something!
  • learn in your SLEEP! Don't pull all nighters. Avoid burn out.
• Problem Solve
  • Make a valiant attempt
  • It's okay to ask for a Hint (it's awesome!)
  • Work at your own pace
  • Take a pulse check / how do your classmates feel? (You're not alone!)
  • How can you maximize your learning experience?
    • ask for help early
    • teach it to learn it
    • How can you be more productive -- (e.g. keyboard shortcuts, flashcards, drilling yourself)
    • Discover what works for you / Own your learning experience
• Review material / Research
  • Google it!
  • Rubber Duck it!
    • 
• Share Knowledge
  • Whiteboard it / Diagram it / Draw it / Explain it to a peer
  • Talk to a Peer -> TA -> DiR -> Instructor
  • Share your findings with your table / group / post it on slack! (chances are someone else is struggling with it too!)
  • Steal good ideas. 👍 (just cite your source!)
• Keep things in Perspective
  -This is about learning.
  • It's only 12 weeks (it's not that long!)
• Challenge yourself / keep learning and growing
  • ABC - Always Be Coding
  • Play / Break stuff (error messages are awesome!) / Experiment
  • Have a "Growth Mindset"
• Don't compare yourself to classmates ("comparison trap")
  • it's about your own experience.
  • Everyone starts from a different place / has different goals / different backgrounds.
  • You do you.
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