Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed1.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.156 X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.78; '*S*': 0.10; 'subject:Python': 0.06; 'appropriate.': 0.09; 'subject:language': 0.09; 'hammers,': 0.16; 'pilot': 0.16; 'subject:programming': 0.16; 'appropriate': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'saying': 0.22; "shouldn't": 0.24; 'subject:/': 0.26; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'dec': 0.30; 'message- id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'should': 0.36; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.38; 'pm,': 0.38; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'high': 0.63; 'our': 0.64; 'teaching': 0.64; 'school': 0.64; 'bang': 0.84; 'clearance': 0.84; 'steel': 0.84; 'dream': 0.95; '2013': 0.98 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=lZCKLeH8nAoYG8D/JJgukJeuYSVsQ4u/BCwn+yxYNhA=; b=TQDLbWQgDDc9VMcodQOaVK8jzKVE9eyCHLWKk7Kjvu39rTr4msEAnPSTG+L1+3/HZ0 Wbg/6COrb8PT80+NTTppy41QLEH95AXkmrGQNXB9tw2RybXoCPaITtFkO7EvyBgw0MxX jo/Wdvdl+Con4W38t1UMzsu7mJaQiTTEcdEwcR+4OTKgvlUfRQRD691H5LAHmotWXaYd S9FVnfmoMcmLFOp1lFQ9lhh2oZ01UJyfCzkn2BQ3LpKSe/GGfujnvo4LEA+ccxZvUNjv Dj91PY41mnYLgZpJCrxb6Zn2nwRp3zajDhZsyXEsmGQKcmyX3SXHVAbIemzCW0fDYonn PrVQ== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.180.206.116 with SMTP id ln20mr12270071wic.35.1386763726382; Wed, 11 Dec 2013 04:08:46 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: <889721b4-a980-4205-9b1d-a1bedadd7eb3@googlegroups.com> Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 07:08:46 -0500 Subject: Re: Experiences/guidance on teaching Python as a first programming language From: Larry Martell To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 20 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1386763733 news.xs4all.nl 2901 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:49108 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:61557 On Tue, Dec 10, 2013 at 9:16 PM, Denis McMahon wrote: > On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 20:35:47 -0500, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote: > >> On Tue, 10 Dec 2013 18:25:48 +1300, Gregory Ewing >> declaimed the following: > >>>That's like saying that when teaching woodwork we shouldn't let people >>>use hammers, we should make them use rocks to bang nails in, because it >>>will make them better carpenters in the long run. > >> NAILS???? >> Nails were verboten in my high school wood working class... >> We used dowels and glue; chisels to carve dove-tails; etc. > > We were allowed to use screws, but they had to be brass, not steel, we > had to drill appropriate clearance and pilot holes, and countersink where > appropriate. Ohhhh we used to DREAM of using screws! We were given steel shafts and had to tap the threads into them with our teeth.