Mentor Onboarding - Code-the-Dream-School/rails-guidebook GitHub Wiki

Welcome to Code the Dream! Thank you for your commitment to creating a world in which tech comes from all of us and benefits all of us. This guide has all the resources you need to get set up as a classes volunteer with Code the Dream.

If you have questions, please reach out to Reid, Mary Alice, or your Cohort Instructional Leader.

Also, make sure to add Code the Dream as a volunteer experience on LinkedIn! Here is a quick reference guide with language to describe your volunteer role. Also, connect with CTD on social media:

Getting Started

There are two main platforms you'll use to volunteer:

  • CTD's Slack workspace
  • CTD Learns App (Code the Dream's LMS for students).

Let Reid know if you have not received access to either of these platforms.

Students may be enrolled in any one of our four 18-week classes: Intro to Programming, React.js, Node.js, and Ruby on Rails. Each week, students have access to video and article learning materials and are required to complete a coding assignment. Mentors help students by reviewing assignments, hosting small group instructional sessions, and meeting 1:1 with students.

Overview of mentor roles and responsibilities

Code the Dream class mentors can take on two roles: Group Instructors and 1:1 Mentors & Reviewers. These responsibilities are also linked in the Mentor Toolkit folder.

Group Instructors

Group Instructors hold one (or more) weekly one-hour Zoom sessions with small groups of students. In these sessions, Group Instructors can review the content students have learned asynchronously, answer questions and provide examples about the content, facilitate discussions on the content and assignments, and guide students through the initial steps of the assignment.

Check out the Quick Start Guide for Group Instructors to get an easy overview of your responsibilities and resources.

How do I get set up as a Group Instructor?

  1. Choose a day and time for your weekly group session. The time will be listed on the schedule posted by your Cohort Instructional Leader (CIL) each week.

What should I be doing each week?

  1. Your goal is to host at least one group session each week. You can expect about 5-7 students at each session, although there may be more students in the first few weeks or during challenging weeks. See the Leading a Group Session page for a sample group session outline and tips for mentoring.
  2. Fill out the Mentor Session Report Form after each mentor session.

By-Appointment Mentors & Reviewers

By-Appointment Mentors & Reviewers are paired with 3-5 students in a cohort. They review these students' assignments each week and are available for 1:1 meetings with any students in the class who need individual help.

Check out the Quick Start Guide for 1:1 Mentors and Reviewers to get an easy overview of your responsibilities and resources.

How do I get set up as a 1:1 Mentor and Reviewer?

  1. Create a Calendly and set up your availability using these instructions..
  2. Mary Alice will send you a personal dashboard with your assigned students and links to their submitted assignments to review. Introduce yourself to these students through Slack!

What should I be doing each week as a By-Appointment Mentor and Reviewer?

Your goal is to connect at least once with each of your assigned students each week. This can be through an assignment review, Calendly 1:1 meeting, or a Slack conversation.

  1. Review student assignments using the rubric in the GitHub guidebook. See below for some tips on reviewing student assignments. Try to review an assignment within three days of its submission.
  2. Meet 1:1 with students who schedule a meeting. See below for a sample outline of a 1:1 session.
  3. Feel free to check in with students via Slack regularly, especially if you haven’t heard from them in a while. This can help build relationships and let students know you are invested in their success.

For resources on completing assignment reviews and 1:1 sessions, access the Big-Picture Resources page.

Teaching Resources

Check out the curriculum section of this wiki for week-by-week teaching resources.