Good Feedback is Essential for Improved Pairing Skills

Pairing is a skill which requires good feedback to learn

Pairing with others is definitely not easy. I think in the beginning, I didn't realize how much extra time it was going to take to accomplish something while pairing. I do think this was partially due to the fact that we are pairing through a video call as well as the fact that we are all new to this.

I think it was really fun to be able to interact with someone else who is interested in the same things you are. I've spent the past few years teaching myself HTML and CSS, and then some JavaScript, and more recently, Ruby. To be able to work on problems and see how others approach them really helps you gain confidence in your knowledge as well as learn great new things.

I have to believe that everyone experiences some frustration when learning to pair. We've all learned most of these skills on our own, and each one of us has our own way of doing things and our own quirks. I was definitely frustrated a few times when I would have done something one way and we decided as a team to go another. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. All in all, it was much smoother than I anticipated and I think that has something to do with the quality of people in my cohort.

I was in one way very pleasantly surprised and in another a bit let down. Most of the feedback was very positive, which made me feel very good from an emotional standpoint. However, I was kind of hoping to receive more constructive feedback so that I could improve as much as possible.

I don't feel that the feedback I received was extremely helpful in my learning. There were a few things here and there, and I think I had some positive behaviors re-inforced. I think that people are shying away from constructive feedback, and that concerns me. I know from experience that constructive feedback is crucial for learning.

Sometimes, there is no way to know that you are doing something wrong unless someone else is kind enough to point it out to you. I think we all need to remember that, and really try hard to give constructive feedback even if it is a bit uncomfortable.

Based on the feedback I received, I'm going to try to stay focused on producing the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) first before diving into the more advanced parts of a challenge.

Writing constructive feedback is never easy. It always feels like I am being too critical. As I stated above, I believe that it is absolutely critical to make a strong effort to find something constructive whenever possible.

To say that I am comfortable giving constructive feedback would be incorrect. However, I do value it from others, and I do my best to provide it for my peers out of kindness and respect for them.

 

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Let's do something EPIC!