Emphasize that having more experience does not make some students smarter than others.

  • This can prevent the creation of an informal student hierarchy that puts students with previous CS experience at the top.
  • By not labeling experienced students as "smarter," inexperienced students should feel more comfortable speaking up in class.
  • To foster a more inclusive learning environment, remind that being "smart" is not limited to having programming experience, that there are many kinds of expertise.