Hey loungers, I'm going to be teaching a class for the first time next week, and I was wondering if you guys (and gals) might have some sage bits of wisdom to share with a first time teacher. It's an introductory programming class at my university where I take graduate studies. They'll be learning python in a linux (ubuntu) environment. Thanks!

I don't know if you have decided on a text for the class or not, but you should take a look at Think Python. I've used it myself and it is pretty awesome ... very accessible. The manuscript is available for free on that site.

Also, this is druink post [wink]

It usually goes without saying, but be prepared. Sometimes first-time teachers get too complacent and not plan ahead because they think they know their stuff well enough not to, but that's a recipe for disaster. Have something planned for the students to be doing during every minute of the class, whether it be listening to you lecture or doing in-class assignments. It's okay to leave a little leeway for questions and other impromptu (on topic) conversation, but if you're not prepared for class with a lesson plan your students will know and it will be a very uncomfortable situation. Plus it's extremely unprofessional, and if a department head ever walked in they would not be impressed. On the flip side, being prepared helps calm the nerves because you always have something to fall back on.

Do MORE than just lecture. If you give them all some sort of participation in the class, they will retain the information better. Think back to what your best and worst teachers were like. The worst ones I recall were the "Let's fly through this power-point really really fast. Don't bother taking detailed notes, I'm going to put the slides on the web later =D" In depth questions and small group-work are great (though determining groups can be a bit tough. It can be good to choose for them to prevent over-dominating personalities from preventing proper discussion).

Also, on the line of 'be prepared' as zipster mentioned: If you use a PowerPoint or something along those lines, have a backup way to both access it and display it (i.e. bring your laptop in case the room's computer is busted, and put the PP on a web server as well as a [flash/hard]drive. You never know what happens.

Remember to keep your cattle prod charged at all times.

Be prepared to find you don't know Python/programming basics as well as you thought. Nothing like teaching to test your own level of understanding...