in this issue we can discuss different ideas for making HYF (especially in the first JS module) approachable to absolute beginners, we can always give challenges to more advanced students if they finish early.

there is a markdown in this repo on the same topic as this issue. As we reach consensus on different points we can update the MD.

 a 1-2 week module before HTML/CSS to act as an onboarding module.

it would cover how to use VSC, browser & a git client to complete and submit homework, what to expect from their time at HYF, ... all the stuff that would get in the way of focusing on HTML & CSS in the first module

How can we better prepare students for React before they reach the module? As things are there are too many new concepts that are introduced at the same time as React, students are finding it hard to distinguish what's React, what's JS, and what's good practice.

I think building two lists would be helpful, one for observed misunderstandings or missing knowledge and the other for ideas of how to introduce these concepts before they reach React:

For inspiration, here's the React module from Amsterdam: click link

things that could be taught before to help when they reach React:

• Class-based inheritance
• vanilla DOM components
• Dependency injection
• Build scripts and transpiling
• JSX
• ?

ways to incorporate these concepts earlier on:

• ?

We ask them to create a directory structure, but a good way could be a repository that they can fork and work directly on it

Like a super repo hyf-quickstarter with all the architecture that they need to work inside, then they won't need to care about how to organise the file and exercices

@colevandersWands Can you perhaps share the dates when the class will start to have more info about timeline that we have to respect?

As developer you know that conventions are so important, and we need to be an example for students.
Is for me mandatory that we define somewhere some guideline about conventions.

WHY?
Because we tach that to our students
Because for the moment there are lot of inconsistencies:

• Example these repo names are in CamelCase: https://github.com/HackYourFutureBelgium/JavaScript3
  https://github.com/HackYourFutureBelgium/CommandLine
• This one in snake_case:
  https://github.com/HackYourFutureBelgium/teaching_tips_tricks
• This one in kebab-case:
  https://github.com/HackYourFutureBelgium/built-with-branches
• This one... we don't know:
  https://github.com/HackYourFutureBelgium/NodeJS_course

We need a way to make that more consistent, is the base of the development.

Flipped Class is an idea that students study theory before coming to class, and class is all about applying the theory with help from the coach and classmates.

At HYF this means a module would begin the Sunday before you teach class for the first time, and the students are expected to come to class having completed the basics exercises. The third Sunday would also be the last day of the module, with students expected to begin studying for the next module on Monday.

We wouldn't necessarily expect them to finish each week's project before coming in. They would still submit on Friday so we know what to cover on Sunday, but the goal of sunday would be to complete and discuss the project.

I think this makes a lot of sense for HYF:

• we simply can't teach everyone the basics in class, and there are many great tutorials to do it anyway
• your coaching efforts are best spent showing how to integrate skills, work together, and answering specific questions. All things that are much harder for students to get out of self-study
• the third week of each module often ends with a puff as students are already preparing for the next module and the third week project gets no in-person recap
• because programming has to be a self-motivated and disciplined skill, it's not unreasonable to ask students to study the basics independently and without the direct guidance of a coach