From: SonOfLilit <sonoflilit@...>
Date: 2007-02-20T02:39:28+09:00
Subject: Re: Adopt-a-newbie? Based on actual experience.

Like to see it done? Do it!

Sorry, just had to. I'm saying this because it really excites me, the idea.

On 2/19/07, nodenator@gmail.com <nodenator@gmail.com> wrote:
> 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.
>
>  -
>   node
>
>