Advice for Guides

Your role is to support the learners and help create a good learning environment.

• Give answers that are appropriate for the stage of learning.
• Ask if people want more detail before infodumping or editorializing.
• Speak from your experience. Do not use the Voice of Authority.
• Assume learners are capable, but inexperienced.
• Stay out of the way! If you are tempted to type on a learner’s keyboard, you are in danger! They should do their own typing, and drive their own machines.
• Help learners break down tasks into repeatable, understandable parts.
• Look for opportunities to empower the learners.
• Learners should be talking more than you are.
• Make room for the voices of all learners. Make space for quieter people to speak.

Safer Space

PyStar is a Safer Space. PyStar is a Learning Space.

• All women are welcome, including trans women.
• Speak from your own experiences.
• Don’t assume race, gender, identity or history of others.
  • Use preferred pronouns and names.
  • Respect people’s right to self-identify.
  • Don’t assume shared experience, belief, or history.
• Assume positive intent.
• Mistakes happen, and we can work through them.
• Everyone has things to contribute.
• Good coversations involve multiple voices.
• Make space for quiet voices to speak.
• Learners have different desires and needs.