Carpentries Certified Python Instructor
Multiple Workshops, University of California San Diego, 2025
A Carpentries-Certified Python Instructor
A Carpentries-certified Python instructor combines subject-matter knowledge with a strong foundation in educational best practices. The training and certification process focuses on teaching people how to teach, rather than just knowing the content.
Key Aspects of the Teaching Experience
- Evidence-Based Teaching Practices: A central pillar of the Carpentries approach is the use of evidence-based teaching. Instructors are trained in educational psychology principles like managing cognitive load, creating an inclusive learning environment, and using formative feedback. This means they’re not just demonstrating code, but actively thinking about how learners are processing information and how to make the material stick.
- Live-Coding and Hands-on Learning: Carpentries workshops are highly interactive. Instructors lead live-coding sessions where they write code in real-time, explain their thought process, and make deliberate mistakes to show learners how to debug. The hands-on format encourages learners to follow along and practice new skills immediately.
- Inclusive and Welcoming Environment: A Carpentries instructor is trained to create a positive and inclusive classroom. They use practices like the Code of Conduct to ensure a respectful and safe space for all participants, regardless of their background or level of experience. They’re also taught to be mindful of and adapt to different learning styles and needs.
- Team-Teaching: Workshops are typically taught by a team of two lead instructors and several “helpers.” This collaborative model provides several benefits:
- Reduces Instructor Burden: Instructors can share the teaching load, allowing for breaks and fresh energy.
- Provides Real-time Support: Helpers circulate the room (or breakout rooms in virtual workshops) to provide one-on-one assistance to learners who get stuck, preventing them from falling behind.
- Models Collaboration: It demonstrates the value of working together in a scientific or data-intensive environment.
- Teaching Foundational Skills: The focus is on fundamental, reproducible research skills, not advanced topics. For a Python workshop, this might mean teaching concepts like data types, loops, conditionals, and working with libraries like Pandas for data analysis. The goal is to give learners a strong base from which they can continue to learn on their own.
- Volunteer-based and Community-Driven: Most Carpentries instructors are volunteers who are passionate about sharing their skills. They are part of a global community of practice. This provides an ongoing support network where they can connect with other instructors, share experiences, and get advice. The community also maintains the curriculum, which is open-source and collaboratively developed.
- Continuous Improvement: Teaching with the Carpentries isn’t a one-and-done event. Instructors are encouraged to continually develop their skills. After each workshop, they gather feedback from learners and their co-instructors to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. This process of self-assessment and community feedback is a core part of the experience. In essence, a Carpentries-certified Python instructor’s experience is less about being a coding virtuoso and more about being an effective, empathetic, and collaborative educator who empowers others to learn and build confidence with computational tools. —
Dr. Allaband has been a Python Instructor for the following Workshops:
- Annual Fall UCSD Workshop - Sept 15-25, 2025
- Annual Spring UCSD Workshop - May 6-9, 2025
- Fall UCSD Workshop - Nov 12-15, 2024
- Annual Fall UCSD Workshop - Sept 11-21, 2023