RMOTR

I like the format of one class a week, lots of in-depth reading and basic assignments on Learn, then group coding exercises twice a week. I found the assignments to be incredibly helpful in actually teaching me how to use things from the classes and Learn. I also felt like I could reach out at any time for help from any of the instructors, mentors, and classmates.

Personally, it was just hard to always be able to fit shared coding time into my busy schedule, but that's my problem. If I took another course I'd try to clear my schedule more.

I recently finished the Introduction to Python programming course put on by Rmotr. Coming into the course I hadspent some time familiarizing myself with the Python language through various interactive resourrces, but they all fell short when it came to learn how to actually problem solve with programming. It's a very different thing to follow a step by step process where all you have to figure out is syntax (like it's done in Codecademy etc...), compared to be given liberty to chose your own method to solve a problem. This is where Rmotr's teaching method really shines. They will let you lose to solve exercises along with your team mates, but follow up on you the moment you get stuck. This makes for a very efficient learning process where you gain confidence while not wasting your time beating your head against difficult problems.

As for the curriculum, there are essentially three separate parts: 2 hours of classroom/ lecture time each week, independent programming exercises and readings through an e-learning platform, and 2-3 group programming sessions of longer, comprehensive projects each week. The instructors are well-informed and clarify many difficult concepts in the lectures, but the real gem here are the group sessions. Working with other team members ensure that you actually communicate the programming concepts, which really help you tink on your feet and reinforces what you've learned.

The course is also a great intoduction to collaborative tools such as Github, Slack and the Cloud9 online IDE, and it has taught me lot about how to effectively work with others remotely.

Overall, expect for a fairly hectic 4 weeks of programming, but when you are finished you will have gone from being a newbie to being someone who can use programming to solve real-life problems. It really is a great value and I highly recommend this to those interested in learning Python programming!

RMOTR provides a well structured blend of individual and group learning.  A typical week consists of 1 pure instruction/overview session, 3 group project sessions, and individual learning comprised of readings and exercises.  At all times either an instructor or mentor is available to provide one-on-one assistance... that alone justifies taking their courses.  Moreso, they emphasize real-world applicability over rote memorization or follow-the-leader.  Python may be the tool, but the focus is on programming irrespective of the language used. All projects are guided by test driven development and must comply to multiple standards of Python, further reflecting a real use approach.

I found the Intro course fruitful enough to roll directly into the Advanced course which, while considerably more work, is also mirroring my positive experience of the Intro class.

Pretty much exactly what I was looking and hoping for. The course provides an excellent mix of reading references, live instruction, challenging projects, and similarly-minded students. There is a TON of reading to work through; one might not be able to absorb everything in a single pass nor within the time frame from week to week, but every bit is worthwhile (and helpful in the long run).

The instructors are clearly knowledgeable, willing to help without simply giving away answers, honest, and strive to communicate clearly. Their guidance through the class sessions, projects, and direct messaging is invaluable. in addition to learning more about Python, this course provides some exposure to helpful tools such as Git and Cloud9. The group projects are where the rubber meets the road, and some of that rubber might be burning before you take off.

This is a course definitely designed in a way where the time and effort you put in will make all the difference. Make sure you have enough time and energy to maximize your learning experience.

I just completed RMOTR's 4 week Advanced Python course (Oct - Nov 2016). I actually attempted to take the previous session in September, but found out quickly I was not ready due to not truely understanding the basics. Although there is a short quiz to demonstrate that you have the knowledge to qualify, be aware that this is the bare minimum. If you want to succeed, you should have a very solid foundation in Python. Despite feeling unprepared, Santiago, one of the co-founders, was extremely understanding and encouraging. He let me take the next session without any penalty, and even said I could continue with the current session.

However, I did decide to drop out after the first week to go back to the basics to really hone my skills, and it was well worth it.  The true value of this course is being able to code with others on interesting, difficult projects. Most of the class learning materials can be found freely online, so if you're looking for a course to hold your hand through learning new concepts, this is not for you. With that being said, the course instructors are more than willing to help you with anything questions you have.

The most important things that I took away besides new concepts, was how progammers actually code. As an amateur, it was insightful to see the tools and strategies that professionals use on a daily basis. Moreover, it was great to see how different people approach problems. While there is obviously bad code, the number of good ways to the solution surprised me. Everyone is expected to review other's code, and you'll learn a ton this way.

They say that you need 20hrs/week, but for me it was full time. If you have a very talented team, then you may get the projects done in the 3 hour time, but for most projects, I was coding for 5+ hours the first night, and then maybe another 3-5 the next day. Additionally, you are expected to learn the next week of material. So if you're an amateur like me and have a lot of time constraints, you will have trouble keeping up.

The teams were pretty good. Sometimes you get people that are excellent, some are okay, and some are baffling - just like in real life. Sometimes you will have a teammate that is in a very different timezone, so you may have to meet in the middle of the night to make it work. This is the inherent difficulty of having a remote course, but in general, the pros far outweight the cons.

Overall, this course propelled me to a new level of knowledge and skills I never would have gotten to if I had just learned on my own. I highly recommend it if you have a solid foundation of Python already, are looking to code like the pros, and don't have a lot of time constraints. The instructors are top notch, the projects are super interesting, and the curriculum covers all the best advanced concepts of Python. You won't regret it.

Rmotr helped me go from stuggling to learn the basics on my own,- to understanding the basics of Python, and preparing me for a wounderful future of Python programming. I truly mean it when I say that taking this class has changed my life. I feel ready to get into the deeper more complex things Python has to offer, and their whole team helped me to get here.

This was the best experience I've EVER had learning how to program in any language. The RMOTR team honestly did everything abolutely perfect. Class on Wednesday, and 3 group projects spaced out untill the next class, plus the assignments on the learn platform.

The amount of programming that they have you do considering the fact I took the Introduction course was suprising, and it helped me to be able to put everything they were talking about in class together into a functioning piece of code. We worked on real projects that could have even been used in the real world. We even learned test driven deployment since day one. They really wanted us to understand test driven deployment, and they explained everything about it really well to us. Rmotr isnt just showing people how to become developers, they are showing people how to become good developers.

They flawlessly execute the classes and beautifully explain everything, always giving everyone the chance to ask a question at any time.

They also don't JUST teach you the basics of Python, we learned how to do things like use Github -Fork Repo's, Clone/Download them on Cloud9, Set up a virtualenv in Cloud9, use pip to install dependencies, commit our changes, and push our changes to Github. Also, the group projects teach you how to work in a group, coding with another person.. As a beginner this is hard to do because if you dont fully understand all of the concepts yet it may be hard for you to explain why you should do something a certain way to your partner. As time goes on this gets a whole lot easier and teaches you a valuable lesson, teamwork. 

Another thing to note, the general atmosphere of the Slack channels, and conferences is like we've all been friends for a few years. Everyone is very respectful, and friendly. The teachers and mentors are always there to help, and I found that so are your fellow classmates; Everyone works together to help eachother grow and understand everything as best they can.

I truly thank RMOTR for this wonderful experience.

One of the biggest challanges I've had with learning a new programming language outside of university hasn't so much been the actual learning as it has figuring out what to learn next. So, much of the time is spent figuring out what to study and where to find the material rather than actually studtying. This is where the RMOTR course really shines. It can be really intimidating to learn an advanced topic when all the content you're unsure of exists in one big bubble in your head and you're not sure where to begin. This course really helps with that and I can't say enough about it. 

The syllabus is well designed and allows you to pick up difficult topics quickly because they're taught in a logical manner; most weeks call for use of material previously learned. 

The readings assigned are incredibly helpful and detailed. The min-assignments that apply the readings are also very helpful and allow you to get comfortable with a subject before the class/assignments. 

And the methods Santiago and Martin use to teach the course are exactly what I hoped for. They progressivly challange you more and more but offer their support whenever you need it. 

If you're looking into this course and considering taking it I would highly suggest it. I can't say enough about it or the guys behind it.

The advance python course is excellent for learning the stuff that other courses decide to overlook. This course covers the correct way of developing real world applications using the tools that can help you to be an asset to any programming team. 

The projects from day one are created using source control and professional ide tools. The main benefit for me personally is that the course taught me the relevance and true advantages of test-driven development. Before I took this course I had read countless articles about writing unit tests for applications, but until I took this course I could not really relate to how this was applied in the real world.

All projects are given with a set of tests which guide the process of the development. Most of the projects have a place where the student has to write their own tests. All projects are recorded on github and they are submitted as pull requests and reviewed by peers, much like it is done in the real world.

I cannot recommend this course enough. It is really time consuming, but the assignments are so fun, that you cannot wait until the next one comes up. This is really how programming should be taught everywhere.

Thanks to the instructors for a great course. Looking forward for the next one!