How to Run a ClojureBridge Workshop
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This document provides guidance on how to teach a ClojureBridge workshop. It discusses organizing introductions, getting attendees and sponsors, training teaching assistants (TAs), creating a safe and inclusive space, logistics like food and space, determining the audience and content, and selecting projects. The goal of ClojureBridge is to increase diversity in the Clojure community by offering free beginner-friendly workshops for underrepresented groups in tech. Sample projects discussed include a drawing app using Quil, tones using Overtone, interacting with APIs, and creating a web app.
How to Run a ClojureBridge Workshop
- 1. How to Teach a ClojureBridge Workshop 1
- 4. Nola • Co-founder of devchix • Organize several meetups, currently Austin Ruby, help with Austin Clojure and Women Who Code • Have done two ClojureBridges, one Clojure Workshop, one RailsBridge • Independent consultant doing Ruby and Clojure
- 5. Millie • Member of the ClojureBridgeMN Board who has hosted six ClojureBridge workshops since 2014. • Founded and lead a Women's Affinity Group for two years at my previous company. • Currently a Software Development Instructor at Prime Digital Academy in Minneapolis. Previously, server-side Java Developer. • Studied Computer Science at a Women's College. I believe strongly in the power of Women's Education, especially in STEM.
- 6. Your Turn! • Name • Where you are from • Favorite kind of Taco?
- 8. Inspired by Railsbridge • San Francisco Ruby: 97% men, 3% women • In one year -> up to 18% women
- 9. RailsBridge
- 10. ClojureBridge • Initially started by a group of Clojure devs who wanted to have the same success as RailBridge • Sean Corfield, Bridget Hillyer initially started getting together the materials
- 11. Other Bridges • RailsBridge • MobileBridge (IOS/Swift) • GoBridge
- 12. BridgeTroll
- 13. ClojureBridge Objectives ClojureBridge aims to increase diversity within the Clojure community by offering free, beginner-friendly Clojure programming workshops for underrepresented groups in tech. — https://github.com/ClojureBridge/ organizing
- 15. Advertise: Where word of mouth and delegation • Attend local Clojure meetup. • Attend any other technical user group. • Attend or advertise through other local affinity groups. • University Computer Science Departments. • Website for event, Facebook, and Twitter.
- 16. Advertise: How word of mouth and delegation • Attending events in person is the most effective. • When attending events, it is helpful to have something to hand out. • Have a few stock emails ready to send to various groups to advertise the event.
- 17. Getting Sponsors
- 18. Sponsorship short term management • Companies who do clojure in town • Coworking or boot camps might let free use of space • Book companies who have Clojure books (Pragprog, ORA, Manning etc) https://github.com/ClojureBridge/organizing/blob/master/Money- Things.md
- 19. Bridge Foundry long term management • Bridge Foundry is the umbrella organizations for all bridges with 501c3 non-profit status. • Apply for a PexCard through Bridge Foundry. • Donations can go through Bridge Foundry and be accessible on your clubs PexCard (debit card). • More official way to handle money and Paypal link for individual donations. • [email protected] https://github.com/bridgefoundry/operations/blob/master/using-funds/pex- cards.md http://bridgefoundry.org/about.html
- 20. TAs
- 21. Getting TAs • Local Clojure meetups or people in your network • Any local (functional) programming user groups • ClojureBridge Slack channel and mailing list • The nation/international organization might be able to help connect your area with a trainer
- 22. Training tech • Meet at least once in person before the workshop. • Meet to go over workshop projects and materials • Meet to learn how to use the chosen editor
- 23. Training code of conduct If you are not sure if something is appropriate behavior, it probably isn’t. • Bridge Foundry and ClojureBridge Oraganizing docs have a lot of good tips. Review these documents with all TAs. https://github.com/ClojureBridge/organizing/blob/master/TA%20Training.md https://github.com/clojurebridge-minneapolis/organizing/blob/master/ resources/ta-meeting-notes.md
- 24. Creating a Safe Space 24 https://github.com/ClojureBridge/organizing/blob/master/Resources-on- Diversity.md Below is a list of resources, created by people of diverse backgrounds, about how to facilitate inclusive spaces for (cis/ trans) women, people of color, and people who identify as LGBTQIA.
- 25. People • Who ever comes are the right people • Introductions • Name, how you heard about ClojureBridge (easy icebreaker), track • Have someone watching the space and check in on people that look like they need help. But, don't hover. • Introduce students to each other • Clear direction
- 26. Planning Ahead • A lot of the groundwork with the TAs will pay off here. • Code of contact printed and easily accessible. • Main point of contact at workshop with contact information printed and easily accessible. • Pronouns. Ask as part of registration. In Minneapolis we print these on badges. • Badges or t-shirts that help identify TAs and organizers.
- 27. Logistics
- 28. Food • ask about food allergies / preferences (gluten free, vegan, vegetarian) • taco/burrito bar is good choice, ingredients are separated (ie meat and cheese) • greek/indian food is also good but may be expensive • pizza or sandwiches are good if you can accommodate food preferences
- 29. Keeping Food Costs Low • To avoid wasted food, choose a food that you can order morning of when you know how many people are there. • Get some food in bulk that could be reused later (ie chips or cookies in individual packages) • Breakfast not required, coffee/tea/water would be sufficient
- 30. Managing Signups • Eventbrite • Google form to express interest and then people are chosen • ClojureBridge never charge a fee • Not even a donation to a good cause :)
- 31. Improve Attendance Free workshops can have higher numbers of no shows. • Signup - doesn’t mean they get a seat. Appearance of a selection process. • Email Reminders • One day workshops • Invite ladies directly • Announce a month early but not before https://github.com/ClojureBridge/organizing/blob/master/How-to- Improve-Attendance.md
- 32. To Install Fest or not? • Traditionally Friday night is InstallFest • In Austin for example… Friday night traffic can be .. interesting • Could send install instructions to be done ahead of time (at least java install) • Could install first thing on Saturday, but then you have less time for workshop
- 33. Space • Use a Bootcamp or Co-working space • Use an office space • Make sure you have a projector • Have plenty of power strips and table/chairs • Plan for what to do with leftover food (coolers etc) containers to give out leftovers
- 34. Workshops
- 35. Determine Audience • Beginner (no programming experience) • Experienced in a language (+6 months) • Alumni (attended prior workshop)
- 36. Styles of Workshops • Lecture with pauses to work on exercises • Self-study with folks around to help • A mix of both
- 37. Extra Content • have a panel of women developers to inspire new developers • have experienced Clojure Devs talk about what they use Clojure for and Q/A
- 38. Editors • Nightcode - structured editing, instarepl • LightTable - structured editing, instarepl • Atom, no repl but could use console repl • Nightlight
- 39. Perks
- 40. Companies that donate • PragProg may give free ebooks or % off coupon • PurelyFunctional will give 1 yr free subscription • LambdaIsland will have 1 yr free subscription • Alumni will get a free ticket to ClojureWest, Conj • O’Reilly Media may donate books
- 41. Swag • group stickers with ClojureBridge Logo • some groups have printed t-shirts or other items
- 42. The Projects
- 43. Quil - Drawing App • learn functions • getting mouse coordinates in quiz • function composition • loading images in quil
- 44. Quil - Turtles • using predefined functions • using the repl • using doseq • creating your own functions • using :keys to destructure function params
- 45. Overtone - Tones • sequences • using doc to look at function docs • writing a function with multiple arities • using let to build up local vars • composing functions to be more complex
- 46. World Bank API - Global Growth • learn about APIs • parsing json • using clj-http • using compojure • cleaning/filtering data
- 47. Web App Intermediate Chatter App • simplest web app • increase complexity • add bootstrap, elements on page as functions • use kerodon to create integration tests
- 48. Web App Beginner Chatter App • Simple web app online by the end of the day • exposure to coding ecosystem and a taste of what you could build • terminal, git, GitHub (other), heroku • Clojure! http://clojurebridge-minneapolis.github.io/
- 49. MN Track2 • Deeper dive into Clojure syntax and what it means to be a functional language • Try it out with with Clojure Koans • Concurrency talk that revisits chatter app from track one http://clojurebridge-minneapolis.github.io/