From: nodenator@...
Date: 2007-02-20T01:58:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Adopt-a-newbie? Based on actual experience.

I happen to be fairly new to ruby, and I think the idea of having a
mentoring system or outright being able to easily connect with fellow
n00bz to the language would be a great thing.

As Chad mentioned:
"I think a "study group" model is one of the most effective means of
learning, when people are actually interested in the subject matter.
While mentors are nice, I don't think they're really necessary -- with a
small group of interested people working together and using each other
as resources, the group becomes the "mentor".  This helps keep the
learning process honest (nobody's going to be able to really use a
mentor as a crutch when the "mentor" is a bunch of similarly skilled
people who will also be seeking that person's help), and ensures that
people can come to someone when stuck without feeling like he or she is
imposing on an expert with better things to do.  Rather than feeling
impeded by an authority-figure relationship, peers can interact and
figure things out together.  That's the theory, anyway."

This is the right idea by far. I most definitely manage to learn
better when I'm being lead by fellow people with the same goal, and
keeping the group really small (3-5) allows for the individual helping
of each other without eating your whole day. I also agree with Chad's
not liking actual mentors because of the potential for using them as a
crutch. Things like this give more gratification at the least when I,
as a group, figure something out. Makes for a great ego boost ("Hey, I
learned something!") and reinforces what you learn (since the problem
will be going through your head for at least 10 minutes, the solution
is more likely to stick).

Ahwell, just my own thoughts on this. I'd love to see it be done, so
please keep me in the loop! I think all we need is some mailing list
software and some like-minded newbies. And yes, I can help provide the
server.

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  node