tips and tricks for hosting a nodeschool event

[max-mapper]

I'm planning on writing an in-depth blog post after my next two nodeschool events (both have about 100 rsvps), but here's how i've planned mine:

• tito.io for RSVPs, it's free. feel free to copy the content in mine
• adopt a code of conduct like http://confcodeofconduct.com/. put it on the ticketing page:

NodeSchool strives to be a welcoming and safe event for all attendees. Attendees should follow the conf code of conduct.

• link to the event from nodeschool.io, which is just a github repo (this repo) that you can send pull requests to
• reach out directly to different groups that you want to see attend -- this means finding existing tech groups like JS meetups, women in tech groups, people of color in tech groups, gender neutral groups etc and inviting them to come and learn node. if you don't reach out beyond who you know personally then your event will likely be less diverse, and nobody likes a monoculture
• invite existing node.js developers to be mentors. mentors basically hover around the room during the event and try to find people who are stuck and then they help them get un-stuck. i've noticed that many people are too shy to ask questions so you have to have hovering mentors to find those people
• at the beginning of the workshop you help everyone get the workshop of their choice installed. this means you have to have good wifi. if you can't rely on good wifi then it helps to have some USB sticks with the workshop software preloaded on them (then you just need to unzip and rum npm link inside the folder)
• for about an hour have people dive into the workshops. show a demonstration on a projector or verbally if you dont have one of how to solve the hello world challenge
• during workshop time explain to people that they can and should bug the person next to them to help out if they have a question, or to raise their hand
• I like to force people to throw their hands in the air and yell 'WOOOO!!' each and every time they complete a challenge, as it tends to keep the ambient noise level up which encourages more question asking
• once or twice during the hour you might pick a random challenge a live code a solution, but this is optional
• at the end of the hour you can invite someone up to show off one of their solutions in lightning talk format
• provide half an hour before and at least an hour after of socializing time. the goal isn't to have people complete the workshops, it's to meet mentors and peers and make friends and get their feet wet in the node.js pool party
• ask local tech companies to throw in a couple hundred bucks to donate to the venue, or to buy drinks/snacks. I've been using this spiel:

"
At some Node conferences around the world for the last 6 months (NodeConf US, NodeConf EU, CampJS Australia) myself and other collaborators have been teaching NodeSchool workshops to conference attendees. Cumulatively we've taught just over 1000+ adults in person, with another few thousands downloads from nodeschool.io directly (people doing them at home on their own time).

I really like the event format because it's highly collaborative, and based on peer learning. Instead of the usual meetup format where everyone listens to a powerpoint, the workshop format we've developed engages everyone simultaneously, while also letting attendees progress through the workshop at their own pace.

We also invite mentors to come and float around the room helping people when they get stuck, in addition to encouraging people to ask questions to the person sitting next to them.
"

[gergelyke]

Thanks for the quick reply! Can't wait to host one in Hungary :)

[max-mapper]

For posterity here is the blog post I ended up writing: http://blog.hood.ie/2013/11/nodeschool-london/