Software engineer & founder of @RailsBridge and @LivableCode. Currently stirring the pot at @SalesforceUX. She/her. 
Twitter at the speed of parenting
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I still remember my programming books as a kid, teaching you how to make a bunch of different apps - text readers, video players etc. That worked way better for me than just learning code. YMMV of course
We don’t think potential history students need to already have a graduate thesis topic to “guide their learning.” We don’t think potential lawyers need to already know what kind of cases they want to work on. We don’t think potential civil engineers need to know (etc)
No entirely fair, and I don't think people should have to here either. I do think it can help with learning (helped me a lot) but also that it has its downsides (as I said, it only teaches you some stuff, not very broad knowledge etc) and that of course it's not for everyone.
Having a project idea in mind is also a valid starting point - it’s when people assume it’s the _only_ valid starting point (which is what the original quoted tweet is assuming) that it becomes gatekeeping.
Well the original tweet just said it would be easier. Should have been 'may be easier', sure. But they didn't say it was the only way etc. I agree it can seem like gatekeeping that way though, yes.
Everybody is continuing to miss the critique. It doesn't matter what's easier or more effectice. When someone comes to you and says "I wanna learn to program", why would you choose to focus on finding ways to tell them they have the wrong motivations.
The OP and everybody else is really only thinking about themselves. Not thinking about meeting a student where they are. The whole point is that responding to an eager student by telling them what they're missing and telling them it's gonna be harder is not a good idea.
There are tons of people in the replies saying that out loud. That they're turned off by this rhetoric and it's making them feel inferior. And for some reason y'all can't hear it, and just keep repeating the same thing as if we didn't understand you the first time.
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