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  1. title: Beginners in a sea of experts
  2. url: https://nedbatchelder.com/blog/202103/beginners_in_a_sea_of_experts.html
  3. hash_url: 5c20cd102357c0140e36a902ca400c8f
  4. <p>I help organize <a href="https://about.bostonpython.com" rel="external noopener">Boston Python</a>.
  5. It’s a great group. We’ve been active during the pandemic, in fact, we’ve added
  6. new kinds of events during this time.</p><p>One of the things we’re trying to get started is a Study Group based on the
  7. observation that teaching is a great way to learn. The idea is to form a small
  8. but dedicated group of beginner-to-intermediate learners. They would take turns
  9. tackling a topic and presenting it informally to the group.</p><p>Here’s the problem: how do you make a space that feels right for beginners
  10. when you have thousands of experts in the group who also want to join in?</p><p>Beginners:</p><ul><li>Beginners can be shy and uncertain, both about the topic and about
  11. whether this space is even for them.</li><li>They don’t want to appear dumb. They are afraid they will look foolish,
  12. or will be ridiculed.</li><li>They don’t know that everyone has uncertainties and gaps in their
  13. knowledge. They don’t know that not knowing something is inevitable, and
  14. can be conquered.</li></ul><p>Experts:</p><ul><li>Experts want to help. They have knowledge and want to share it.</li><li>Can forget how hard it is to be a beginner.</li><li>Experts can be blind to how their speaking is keeping other people
  15. quiet. There’s limited space for talking, but more importantly,
  16. expert-level speaking can set the tone that you must be expert-level to
  17. speak.</li></ul><p>Experts are very good at occupying these spaces. They are comfortable
  18. speaking, and eager to share their knowledge. How do we ensure that they don’t
  19. monopolize the discussion?</p><p>Beginners can be shy, and reluctant to speak. They may feel like they don’t
  20. know enough to even ask a question. They don’t want to appear dumb. They hear
  21. the experts around them, and feel even more certain that this is not for
  22. them.</p><p>The experts could have the best intentions: they want to help the beginners.
  23. They are interested in the subject, and have useful bits of information to
  24. contribute.</p><p>I’m looking for ideas to solve these problems!</p><p>How to keep the balance of attendees right:</p><ul><li>Explicitly label the event as “for beginning to intermediate
  25. learners.”</li><li>Send a reminder email about the event, asking people to select
  26. themselves out of the event: “We’re really excited that this idea has gotten
  27. so much interest. Our goal was to have a smaller conversational group for
  28. beginning learners. If that doesn’t sound like you, now is a good
  29. opportunity to step back to make space for others.”</li><li>Have other events labelled for experts so they have a space of their
  30. own.</li><li>Invite specific people one-on-one to increase the number of “right”
  31. people.</li><li><i>more ideas?</i></li></ul><p>How to encourage beginners to join the group:</p><ul><li>Use lots of words to underscore the welcoming nature of the group, and
  32. that beginners are welcome.</li><li>Invite specific people one-on-one so they feel sure it’s for them, and
  33. that they are wanted.</li><li><i>more ideas?</i></li></ul><p>How to encourage beginners to speak in the group:</p><ul><li>Ice-breaker question</li><li>Set an expectation that everyone will ask at least one question.</li><li>Be especially supportive when someone asks a really basic question.</li><li>Contact them individually to ask if they have anything they want to ask,
  34. and help them get it asked.</li><li><i>more ideas?</i></li></ul><p>How to encourage beginners to lead a session:</p><ul><li>Demonstrate vulnerability while leading.</li><li>Offer to pair with them instead of having them do it alone.</li><li><i>more ideas?</i></li></ul><p>Like I said, I’m looking for ideas. The more I run events, the more
  35. interested I am in helping beginners get started.</p>