[Tutor] Python as Teaching Language

[Alan Gauld]

On 09/02/14 13:36, Oscar Benjamin wrote:

> We're talking about iteration so this is quite early in the course. At
> this stage I want my students to understand that closing a file is an
> explicit action that needs to occur. Later in the course I will teach
> exception handling and explain that the above should be rewritten as

These are good points.

And in my tutorial I deliberately don't teach many of the "standard" 
Python idioms because I'm trying to teach programming rather than 
Python. So if python has an insanely great way to do stuff but virtually 
no other language has it I will ignore it. (Or more
likely mention it as an aside/footnote.)

What's interesting (to me) is that I'm currently working on a new
project aimed at beginners who have progressed beyond the first
steps but are not confident in putting together a bigger program.
That is allowing me to address many of the idiomatic aspects
of Python that my first book didn't permit. It means that although there 
is some overlap in coverage the style and content are quite different.

Context and target make a big difference in what and how you teach.

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alangauldphotos