Ep. 68: From homeschooler to self-taught full stack developer
Jun 17, 2019
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Madison Kanna, a self-taught full-stack developer at Mediavine, shares her inspiring journey from homeschooling to tech. She discusses the challenges of remote work and balances productivity with flexibility. Madison delves into overcoming imposter syndrome and emphasizes the importance of positive thinking in learning. She highlights the value of personalized learning and curiosity-driven coding education. Additionally, she advocates for community support and mentorship, showcasing how setbacks can transform into growth opportunities, especially for women in tech.
Madison Kanna's journey as a self-taught developer highlights the importance of finding personal learning styles over following traditional educational paths.
She emphasizes the significance of maintaining self-belief and viewing failures as essential learning experiences to overcome imposter syndrome.
Madison advocates for proactive approaches in gaining coding experience, such as creating internships through networking and seeking mentorship opportunities.
Deep dives
Path to Coding
Madison Canna, a self-taught software developer, started her coding journey after being influenced by her sister, a successful programmer. Growing up homeschooled in California, she initially hesitated to pursue coding, fearing it required a formal degree or extensive background. It wasn't until she tried several free coding tutorials, including Free Code Camp, that she slowly nurtured her interest over months. This gradual exploration underscored that not everyone experiences an instant passion for programming, emphasizing individual paths to success.
The Importance of Self-Belief
A significant challenge for many new developers is the internal struggle of self-doubt, making it feel like the goal of becoming a developer is unreachable. Madison stresses the necessity of maintaining unwavering belief in oneself throughout this journey. This belief acts as a counterbalance to self-doubt and serves as motivation during tough times. As developers face various obstacles, it is crucial to remind oneself of the eventual achievement of their goals.
Learning Resources
Madison highlights Free Code Camp and Udacity as her primary learning resources while coding. However, she notes that many new programmers overly focus on finding the 'best' resources or courses instead of prioritizing their own learning styles and needs. Learning how to learn effectively is just as crucial as the curriculum itself. This shift in focus can enable programmers to excel, as understanding one's optimal learning approach will lead to more growth than simply following a set course.
Creating Opportunities
After facing numerous rejections while applying for entry-level developer jobs, Madison sought alternative ways to gain experience, ultimately creating her own internship through cold emailing a startup. By positioning herself as a volunteer willing to contribute while seeking mentorship, she secured valuable hands-on experience. This proactive approach demonstrates that aspiring developers can carve their paths by seeking out unique opportunities rather than adhering to conventional job-seeking methods. Through this experience, Madison learned the importance of mentorship and exposure to real-world coding situations.
Embracing Failure
In her journey, Madison emphasizes the critical lesson of embracing failure instead of succumbing to its negative connotations, a common mindset among traditional students. She encourages new developers to view failures and setbacks as essential parts of the learning process, akin to a gamer retrying levels until mastering them. Shifting the perspective on failure enables developers to persist through challenges that arise while coding. This approach fosters resilience and can lead to healthier, more productive learning habits.
Focus and Deep Work
Madison discusses the challenge of maintaining focus in an age of constant distractions. She recommends implementing strategies, such as avoiding social media during work hours and setting specific time blocks for concentrated coding efforts. Inspired by Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, she learned to train her focus and resist the addictive nature of digital notifications. By dedicating uninterrupted sessions to problem-solving, developers can improve their productivity while honing essential coding skills.
In this week's episode of the freeCodeCamp podcast, Abbey chats with Madison Kanna, a full-stack developer who works remotely for Mediavine. Madison describes how homeschooling affected her future learning style, how she tackles imposter syndrome and failure, and how she helps others teach themselves to code.
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