Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Update main page to be more about the what than the why
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
  • Loading branch information
damwhit committed Jun 18, 2020
1 parent 4e01d0f commit 8ef6e36
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Showing 3 changed files with 34 additions and 59 deletions.
5 changes: 5 additions & 0 deletions _sass/base.scss
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ header {
width: 80%;
}

.calendar {
height: 400px;
width: 100%;
}

@media (max-width: $tablet-width) {
.content {
width: 100%;
Expand Down
75 changes: 21 additions & 54 deletions index.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -5,66 +5,33 @@ title: Mod 0 Curriculum

Hi there and welcome!

Over the next few days and weeks, you'll be referring to the instructions and guides on this website as you get ready to begin your time at Turing.
## What is Mod 0?

To get the most out of Mod0, we'd like to explain why this website exists at all, and more importantly _why you have to finish Mod0 before beginning Turing_.
Mod 0 is a prerequisite course for both of the programs at Turing. It is a structured series of 5 classes which take place remotely during the evening, and ideally starts 6 weeks before you begin your full-time FEE or BEE course at Turing. These classes are not in person, and are conducted fully remotely via Zoom. Please check the [calendar](https://sites.google.com/casimircreative.com/enrollment/documents-and-info/events-mod-0-calendar) for session dates.

## Why the Mod 0 curriculum exists
The goals of mod 0 are to:
* Understand the systems and behaviors needed to be successful at Turing and as a software developer
* Understand foundational technical concepts needed for Mod 1
* Begin to break down social walls and build community in your future cohort

I'm sure you've picked up on a theme: Turing is _hard_. The program will consume most of your time and attention for the seven months between starting the first module, and finishing the last module. It could take a bit longer, if you find yourself repeating a module.
In order to pass mod 0 and be mod 1 ready, you will need to:
* Attend all 5 sessions and complete the required homework
* Pass the mod 0 assessment (Info can be found in session 4)
* Pass the mod 1 pre-work (See side bar link for your program)

When someone has put their life on hold, quit their job, relocated to Denver, and put it all on the line for attending Turing - _everyone_ (that person, Turing staff, their classmates) wants to see them succeed.
## What will we cover in Mod 0?

For a variety of reasons, historically, not everyone who starts Turing has graduated the program, and this is a brutally difficult experience for that person. They do the work, they put in the effort and time, and... they don't finish the program.

We think anyone can learn software development.

What might explain the disconnect, between
> anyone can learn software development
and

> not every person who starts Turing graduates from Turing?
A theme among those who have graduated from Turing touches on at least two elements:

1. **A foundation of technical skills:** They've been able to poke around the internals of their laptop before they start, or they have a good "mental map" of how files and folders are organized on their computer, or they've had passing experience with git and a code editor and their command line.
2. **Life doesn't clobber them too badly:** They have friends and/or family rooting for their success, and are able to avoid some of the more difficult experiences we can experience, like: death of a loved one, illness (their own illness or that of someone they have to care for), etc. Many aspects of this "theme" are obviously entirely outside of everyone's control.

When these two themes work together, Turing students have enough "margin" or "slack" to pour lots of effort into the program, and are usually successful.

When either (or both!) of these themes are missed, it becomes _dramatically_ harder for Turing students to have successful outcomes. It's not impossible, but it is much harder.

Mod0 will speak to both of these themes, to prepare you as much as possible.

## Does Mod0 work?

Mod0 exists to set you up for success at Turing. We've been pleased with the results. Since we've started this program, we've had _dramatically_ fewer students repeat the first module. In the past, sometimes as many as 20-30% of the new students would repeat the first module.

After rolling out Mod0, some cohorts have _zero_ students repeating the first module.

This confirms our assessment - anyone can learn to program, but it's important that they're set up for success, learn how to learn, and are prepared as well as we can prepare them.

Mod0 works. The Mod0 instructors are here to help you succeed, so please use all the resources available to you, to learn all you can.

Because we want to see your success in the program, we require you to successfully finish the Mod0 program before the first day of the in-person Turing program.


## What will we cover in Mod0?

Over the next few weeks, you'll be learning a lot. Feel free to click through these lessons; some are written lessons that you'll work through with our instructors, others are slide shows that you'll review in real-time with our instructors.

All of these lessons are linked in the sidebar, as well.

- [First, you'll need to install some software on your laptop, and do some configuration around that]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link setup-instructions.md %})
- [Session 1: You'll learn about what _does_ success at Turing mean, what strategies you can begin to employ to be successful, keyboard shortcuts, and how to google]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session1/index.md %})
- [Session 2: Using your Terminal, git and Github, and how to navigate files and folders _in_ your terminal]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session2/index.md %})
- [Session 3: We'll go deeper in Git and Github usage. Git is an amazing and powerful tool, but tricky, and this is time well spent]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session3/index.md %})
- [Session 4: Basic principles of software development, like object-oriented principles, top-down design of classes, and breaking a problem into small pieces]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session4/index.md %})
- [Session 5: Currently a work in progress]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session5/index.md %})
- [Session 6: Synthesis, Professional Development, Mentoring, More Turing Resources]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link session6/index.md %})
- The capstone! Depending on which program you're doing, we've got a capstone project for you. [Front-end capstone]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link capstone/fe_engineering/index.md %}) [back-end capstone]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link capstone/be_engineering/index.md %})
The key tools and concepts we go over in mod 0 are:
* Learning strategies
* Data types
* Troubleshooting and googling
* Git and GitHub
* Object Oriented Programming (OOP)

## Next steps

When you're ready to get started, click over to [environment setup instructions]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link setup-instructions.md %}) and start installing!

## Calendar

<iframe src="https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=casimircreative.com_12p4693hmer1orcepp74vg77pg%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America%2FDenver" style="border: 0" width="100%" height="500" frameborder="0" scrolling="yes"></iframe>
13 changes: 8 additions & 5 deletions session1/index.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ subheading: Expectations, Keyboard Shortcuts, Googling, and Data Types
<h3>Agenda</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>10 min: </strong><a href="#intro">Housekeeping, Intros</a></li>
<li><strong>20 min: </strong><a href="#expectations">Turing/Mod 0 mission and expectations</a></li>
<li><strong>20 min: </strong><a href="#turing-expectations">Turing mission and expectations</a></li>
<li><strong>20 min: </strong><a href="#mod0-expectations">Mod 0 mission and expectations</a></li>
<li><strong>20 min: </strong><a href="#studytips">Study Tips</a></li>
<li><strong>5 min: </strong>Break</li>
<li><strong>10 min: </strong><a href="#shortcuts">Keyboard Shortcuts</a></li>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ Other things to note as we go through Mod 0:
- <strong>You can raise your hand using zoom</strong>: go ahead and try it now!
- <strong>Problems or individual questions during the Zoom session?</strong> Send a message in the chat!

<a name="expectations"></a>
<a name="turing-expectations"></a>
## Turing Mission and Expectations

> “Our mission is to unlock human potential by training a diverse, inclusive student body to succeed in high-fulfillment technical careers.”
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ We will also remind you when these events are via **[slack](https://turingschool

This [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfq333EpWgM&list=PL1Y67f0xPzdMFq2S1bK7E7veT_BbK-zjt&index=2&t=110s) from Back-End instructor Tim Tyrrell is a great resource to get more comfortable with slack.

<a name="mod0-expectations"></a>
## Mod 0 Expecations

Mod 0 is less about code or solving difficult problems and more about developing and learning tools, procedures, systems, and learning behaviors/processes. For some of you, the technical content will be brand new. For others, it will be review.
Expand All @@ -127,15 +129,16 @@ At the end of mod 0, you'll be considered one of the following:
* You’ve missed more than one session or did not meet engagement expectations
* You’ve missed assignments or delivered poor quality work
* You were unable to pass the Technical Assessment
* You were unable to pass the Mod 0 Capstone
* You were unable to pass the Mod 1 Pre-work
* *Next step:* You have one chance to re-enroll in and successfully complete Mod 0
* If you don’t pass on your second try you will be asked to reapply to Turing in 6 months.

**Technical Ready**
* Your work and assessment have met the expectations of mod 0
* *Next step:* Submit your Program-Specific Mod 0 Capstone
* *Next step:* Submit your Program-Specific Mod 1 Pre-work

If your Mod 1 Pre-work meets expectations, you'll be **Turing Ready**

If your Mod 0 Capstone meets expectations, you'll be **Turing Ready**

<div class="try-it">
<h3>Break out rooms</h3>
Expand Down

0 comments on commit 8ef6e36

Please sign in to comment.