Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Resources and Curriculum

Code Review Checklist

README

How

The Sparkbox Apprenticeship is loosely separated into three phases. Completing a phase provides a clear checkpoint for review, reflection, and closure.

Phase 1 - Source Control and Programming Basics

Reading:

• Getting Real, 37signals
• Passionate Programmer, Chad Fowler

Training:

• CodeSchool: Try Git
• CodeSchool: Git Real 2
• CodeSchool: Git Real
• Sparkbox how_to: your first experience with Git
• More Git: more Git practice
• CodeSchool: Try Ruby
• Ruby setup: set up your machine for running Ruby
• Ruby koans: let's start learning Ruby
• CodeSchool: Ruby Bits 1
• CodeSchool: Ruby Bits 2
• CodeSchool: Testing with RSpec
• Triangle Kata - Ruby with test suite
• Game of Life Kata - Ruby with test suite
• Game of Life - Git: push your project to Github for review
• Game of Life - Review: code review your project with your technical director
• Ruby Warriors
• Game of Life - Refactor: implement changes discussed in review
• Book Reviews - add to weekly journal (all books asigned above). 100-200 words with a brief summary and your biggest applicable takeaway.

Additional Resources:

• Learn the Command Line the Hard Way
• Learn Ruby the Hard Way
• Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby
• Apprenticeship Patterns
• Practical Vim ("sb-bookshelf" in Dropbox)
• Treehouse

Phase 2 - Frontend Development: Markup, Style, Interaction, and Preprocessing

Reading:

• HTML5 for Web Designers, Jeremy Keith
• CSS3 for Web Designers, Dan Cederholm
• Responsive Web Design, Ethan Marcotte
• Mobile First, Luke Wroblewski
• Design is a Job, Mike Monteiro

Ongoing Programming Projects:

• Game of Life Kata - Ruby
• FizzBuzz Kata - Ruby
• Bowling Kata - Ruby
• Tic-tac-toe Kata - Ruby

Training:

• Introduction to frontend project
• CodeSchool: Functional HTML5 & CSS3
• CodeSchool: HTML5 & CSS3 Updates Screencast
• CodeSchool: CSS Cross-Country
• Frontend project style prototype review
• Frontend project HTML review
• Frontend project CSS review
• CodeSchool: Assembling Sass
• CodeSchool: Assembling Sass Part 2
• Introduction to Compass
• Frontend project Sass review (CSS to be rewritten)
• CodeSchool: Journey Into Mobile
• Frontend project RWD practices review (CSS to be rewritten)
• CodeAcademy: Introduction to JavaScript
• Introduction to Jasmine
• FizzBuzz Kata - Javascript with unit tests
• CodeSchool: CoffeeScript
• CodeSchool: jQuery Air: First Flight
• CodeSchool: jQuery Air: Captain's Log
• Frontend project JavaScript review (CSS to be rewritten)
• Frontend project final review and launch!

Additional Resources:

• TryJasmine

Phase 3 - MVC Frameworks, Databases, and Personal Projects

Reading:

• Exceptional Ruby, Advi Grimm
• The Rails 3 Way, Obie Fernandez

Training:

• Intro to Rails and MVC (Model View Controller)
• CodeSchool: Rails for Zombies 1 (Redux)
• CodeSchool: Rails for Zombies 2
• CodeSchool: Rails Testing for Zombies
• Code school: Rails Best Practices
• Set up a rails application environment from scratch (this will be done multiple times and potentially with a variety of requirements).
• Intro to database models
• Create a to-do app
• Kick off team project
• Complete and launch team project
• Intro to sparkbox/project-init
• Kick off Pet Project

Additional Resources:

• Agile Web Development With Rails
• Crafting Rails Applications
• Rails Recipes
• Rails Test Prescriptions