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What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 8, 2024

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What’s Going On in This Picture? | April 8, 2024

1. After looking closely at the image above (or at the full-size image), think about these three questions:

2. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)

3. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.

Each Monday, our collaborator, Visual Thinking Strategies, will facilitate a discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time by paraphrasing comments and linking to responses to help students’ understanding go deeper. You might use their responses as models for your own.

4. On Thursday afternoons, we will reveal at the bottom of this post more information about the photo. How does reading the caption and learning its back story help you see the image differently?

We’ll post more information here on the afternoon of Thursday, April 11. Stay tuned!

More?

• See all images in this series or slide shows of 40 of our favorite images — or 40 more.

• Learn more about this feature in this video, and discover how and why other teachers are using it in their classrooms in our on-demand webinar.

• Find out how teachers can be trained in the Visual Thinking Strategies facilitation method.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Does Trash Talk Have a Place in Sports?

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Does Trash Talk Have a Place in Sports?

Do you play or watch sports? If so, is trash talk ever a part of those games or matches? Do you think taunting, jeering and disparaging your opponents makes sports more fun? Or is it just bad sportsmanship?

In his guest essay, “Hey, Losers! Here’s How to Bring Baseball’s Very Boring Era to an End,” Rafi Kohan makes an argument for bringing trash talk, or “bench jockeying” as it was once known, back to baseball:

Bench jockeying took many forms. Satchel Paige, the legendary pitcher, would do his talking from the mound. Paige named his pitches — the bat dodger, the trouble ball, the midnight creeper — and psyched out hitters by telling them exactly which one he planned to throw or by calling in his fielders, confident in his ability to strike out the side. “I’m gonna throw a pea at yo’ knee,” he’d yell toward the batter’s box. Meanwhile, as a manager, John McGraw, who was said to have “a genius for making enemies,” would go so far as to hire private detectives to dig up dirt on opponents, which served as distracting grist to be bellowed at critical moments in a game.

At the most basic level, talking trash raises the stakes of a competitive confrontation. It puts more on the line — like pride and possible humiliation — and that makes the outcome of the contest matter more than it otherwise would. It puts more pressure on the performances of all involved, both the talker and the target, and demands to know whether they can handle that added stress and expectation.

It’s not just athletes who become more invested by such bluster and abuse, though. We all do. That’s why trash talk is such a reliable tool for marketers in the sports world and beyond. When professional wrestlers cut smack-talking promos on one another, that makes fans care more about the outcome of the match and draws them into the arena. Trash talk is the secret sauce behind the viral success of Wendy’s social-media accounts, and it’s the foundation for basically all reality television and talking-heads debate shows. It gets us to tune in, to not click away.

In baseball, bench jockeying started to fade from the picture sometime in the mid-20th century. Among other factors, the advent of a players’ union and free agency cultivated a feeling of more fraternity among those in uniform. Athletes also imagined themselves as having more to lose as game checks ballooned in size: No one wanted a retaliatory fastball aimed at his head. (Throughout the bench-jockeying era, violence was not uncommon as a response to verbal abuse.) But without trash talk, baseball has lost more than the occasional dugout brawl and well-timed zinger; it’s lost some of its drama.

Students, read the entire essay and then tell us:

  • What do you think? Does trash talk make sports more entertaining — for players and for fans? Or is it bad sportsmanship? Explain.

  • Do you ever engage in trash talk in the sports you play? Do your teammates? Your opponents? Your parents or coaches? If so, how do you feel about it? Do you accept it as part of the game? Do you enjoy it and find it motivating? Or do you wish it would stop?

  • Can trash talk go too far? When, if ever, do you think it crosses a line?

  • Mr. Kohan makes a case for allowing trash talk in professional sports. Should youth sports also permit a little taunting and jeering? Or is it different for young players? Why?

  • If you’re not an athlete or a sports fan, is trash talk a part of any other area of your life, like when you’re playing video games or are involved in some other kind of rivalry? Does this kind of taunting create more fun in your life? Or do you find it annoying — even hurtful sometimes?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Word of the Day: extravaganza

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Word of the Day: extravaganza

The word extravaganza has appeared in 90 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Dec. 21 in “A Light Display With Many, but Not All, Glowing Reviews” by Ronda Kaysen:

Timothy and Grace Gay have been decorating their property in Union Vale, a town about an hour and a half north of New York City, since 1995. The display attracted a cultlike following when the family first won the Guinness World Record in 2012. Now, from the day after Thanksgiving through the week after Christmas, around 60,000 tourists — 13 times the town’s population of 4,600 — drive along the dark country roads in search of dazzle.

This year, the Gays strung up 720,420 lights around the pond in front of their home, about 17,000 more bulbs than their 2022 tally.

… I returned three weeks later to see the display in all its glory. At night, the country roads were disorienting. But out of the darkness appeared an extravaganza of flashing, twirling colors reminiscent of a circus or a carnival fun house.

Can you correctly use the word extravaganza in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how extravaganza can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.

Teenagers on Saying ‘Like’

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Teenagers on Saying ‘Like’

Maybe with some self-reflection and practice, I can kick this habit and speak more confidently and clearly.

— Adaobi, Valley Stream North

To me filler words are just like any other word. They have meaning when you deliberately place meaning in them but when you use them to fill natural silence in your conversation they become superficial and hinder communication. In the end the reason we speak is to communicate our ideas. When the words we use get in the way of that clearly something needs to change. To some extent filler words can be a part of your identity as a communicator but I think they have become overused in the teenage repertoire. It’s better to say few meaningful words than a lot of filler ones.

— Daisy, Independent Hill

I think filler words serve as a pausing moment for people to gather their thoughts and formulate their next words. I think they can help in conversations by emphasizing what you are trying to say but can also hinder meaningful conversations because it makes the speaker sound hesitant.

— Nia, Valley stream north

@Nia It is also hard for me to stop using the word “like.” I think this is because we typically use “like” in informal conversations, and it helps us convey our ideas more clearly, while providing comfort to the person you are talking to. If I don’t use words such as “like” in a conversation, sometimes I fear I sound unfriendly or robotic. So, I think using filler words occasionally doesn’t hurt anyone.

— Harnoor, Valley Stream North High School

@Nia I totally agree. I feel that using filler words makes the conversation flow more smoothly. However, in a more professional setting such as when one is giving a presentation, I think pausing between thoughts is better. Overall, the presenter could better convey their confidence and understanding of the topic that way. Although, in this situation, one has most likely reviewed and practiced what they should say. So, it may be easier to avoid filler words than it would be in a conversation.

— Sumaiyah, Yilmaz

The right amount of filler words can allow for better comprehension and add subtle breaks in communication. However, the overuse of filler words can make the communication a little confusing and hard to follow. This is when it poses negative effects to communication, and it requires further explanation.

— Jazmyn, Valley Stream, NY

In discussions of filler words, one controversial issue has been the formality of using them. On one hand, some might argue that they allow for people to think of what they are going to say next and use them to fill in the time they use to think. On the other hand, others would argue that they are disruptive and are not needed to fill in for pauses in conversations. My own view is that the use of filler words are okay if they are not constantly being repeated. I personally think I use filler words too much, but in moderation, it is okay.

— Emily, Glen Ellyn

Like most people, I use filler words throughout my speaking because I immediately start trying to respond to a question or a previous comment and I haven’t fully thought through my response. That leads me to stop mid-sentence to think about what else I am going to say. It is not bad to do it every so often, but everyone should take the time to formulate their idea in their head more in order to minimize the filler words. I noticed when I prepare a presentation or speech for school, I use little to no filler words, as I am way more prepared on what I am saying. The same goes for many others when they give speeches and it enhances it, making it stronger. To get that time, I think I will be using phrases like “give me a second to think about that” or “I need a moment to think about that more,” which will give me more time to process my thoughts. Others should use tactics like this as those tactics will lead to less likes and ums.

— Nik, Mclean

Film Club: ‘Island in Between’

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Film Club: ‘Island in Between’

Growing up in Taiwan, I heard a lot about Kinmen. “We hope you have enjoyed the flight, and we are looking forward to serving you again in the near future. Thank you, and goodbye.” Like most Taiwanese, I had never been to these islands so close to China until I came with my parents a couple of years ago. [GUNSHOT] [APPLAUSE] I knew that Kinmen had been the front line for Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. But it was still a shock to see that China is literally right there. [MUSIC PLAYING] I sang this song all the time as a kid. We were taught that we Taiwanese were Chinese in exile. And, one day, with help from the U.S., we would retake China, freeing the mainland from the evil Communists. And Kinmen would be the launching pad. “About 100 miles across open water from Taiwan, Kinmen is surrounded on three sides by the mainland and has frequently been shelled by red artillery. Kinmen is, in effect, a cork in the Communist invasion bottle, performing much the same role for Asia as does Berlin in Europe.” This was my dad in 1968. When he drew Kinmen for his mandatory military service, my grandmother cried. She was afraid that he might not make it back alive. As I got older, politicians on TV stopped trying to convince us to take back China at all costs. But the folks in Kinmen were still expected to defend Taiwan, even though they have family and history just on the other side of the divide. As for my family, like most ethnic Chinese in Taiwan, we’ve been here for generations and have no connections to China. Instead, my father dreamed of going to the U.S., which is where I have spent most of my adult life, until I moved back to Taipei a few years ago. After so many years away, I’m still figuring out my own relationship to Taiwan and China. Kinmen connects Taiwan to China but also keeps them apart. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to this place. I want to make sense of it. Growing up, this channel of water was the edge of our universe, separating good from evil. Then, one day, we were suddenly allowed to cross to the other side. And all it took was a half-hour ferry ride. On my very first trip to China, I used my Taiwanese compatriot permit. It’s basically a separate passport issued by the Chinese government — the same government that considers my Taiwanese passport illegal. But when I began working in China, it was actually easier to travel with my American passport. The China I saw was not the sad and scary Communist wasteland that I learned about in school. It was an exhilarating place, bursting with colors and possibilities. [CHEERING] I wanted to be a part of it, with whichever passport I needed to use. I was last in China in 2018. I had a hard time getting a film I made to pass through the censors so we could show it there. Then China’s crackdown on Hong Kong happened. And the pandemic shut down everything, including the Kinmen ferry, in 2020. I’m not sure I’ll go to China again anytime soon. When Covid broke out, I moved back to Taipei after several decades in the U.S. There you go. I’ve spent more time with my parents in the last three years than in the past 30 years combined. This place is feeling like home again, though I can’t help but wonder how long this will last. I have split the last 15 years of my life going between Taiwan, China and the U.S. More and more, I feel like a kid whose parents are involved in a three-way custody battle — hostile, codependent, manipulative, each pair with their own dysfunctions. They all think they know what’s best for me. They don’t care what I want. Many in Kinmen think that China will never attack Taiwan, and the U.S. should stop interfering. We’ll be reunified peacefully, they said, because, after all, we’re all one big family. At dinner recently, my mother casually reminded me that I should have a plan if China invades — that they intend to stay in Taiwan. We’re going to be too old to leave, she told me. “Hello, hello, hello.” [GUNSHOTS] Starting in 2024, Taiwanese compulsory military service will be extended to one year for all eligible men. When these young men arrive in Kinmen, will they be surprised, like I am, by the peaceful sunsets — the same ones that my father must have seen when he served here all those years ago — and by the kindness of the people here who are forever caught in between? [PIANO MUSIC]

Our 7th Annual Student Podcast Contest

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Our 7th Annual Student Podcast Contest

Do you listen to podcasts? Do you tune in to find out what’s happening in the world? To stay up-to-date on sports, music, film, fashion or TV? To get advice? To laugh? To hear a good story? To learn something new?

Imagine you — or you and several of your friends — were behind the microphone. What would you talk about? Who might you like to interview? What thoughts, talents, insights, opinions or stories would you want to share with the world?

In our Seventh Annual Podcast Contest, we invite teenagers to submit original podcasts of five minutes or less. Your creation can be about anything that interests you, in any form that you like. Our favorites will be featured on The Learning Network.

Take a look at the guidelines and related resources below. Please post any questions you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com.

Produce a podcast of five minutes or less that informs or entertains.

You can create a podcast on any topic you like in any format you like, whether that’s an interview with an expert, an informal conversation with a friend, a journalistic investigation, a fictional story or anything else you can think of. We welcome podcasts across genres, including, comedy, true crime, news documentary, history, radio theater and sports — let your imagination run wild.

Just make sure that whatever you produce is a complete listening experience. That is, your podcast should have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Your submission can be an excerpt from a longer podcast, as long as you demonstrate thoughtfulness about how you are using time. The beginning, for example, should give listeners some context as to what they’re hearing; the ending can be a hard “end” of the podcast, or it can be the conclusion of a segment, or even the closing of an introduction within a longer episode.

In addition to the guidelines above, here are a few more details:

  • You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle school or high school to participate, and all students must have parent or guardian permission to enter. Please see the F.A.Q. section for additional eligibility details.

  • Please be sure to use non-copyrighted sound effects or music, with some exceptions. You can find royalty-free music and sound effects on Freesound and SoundBible, or by doing a web search for royalty-free files. You can also use audio editing software to create your own music or sound effects. There are limited fair use exceptions when you can legally use copyrighted music or sound effects, such as when you are critiquing a song or reporting on a film. Read more about those exceptions to ensure that your use of copyrighted material does not infringe on copyright protections. If you use any music or sounds effects, please list the sources in the designated field in the submission form.

  • We suggest uploading your podcast to SoundCloud to make it easier for our judges to listen to your work. Make sure that the track settings are set to “public.” Our judges will also listen to entries hosted on other podcasting sites, including Podomatic, Buzzsprout, Anchor, Spreaker and Podbean. Please make sure you follow your hosting site’s terms of service. Note: Our judges have often had difficulty listening to podcasts hosted on GoogleDrive, so we strongly recommend you use a different method.

  • Your piece should be no longer than five minutes. Please be sure to check the length of your audio file before submitting. Just to be very clear, 5:01 is longer than five minutes.

  • The work you submit should be fundamentally your own — it should not be plagiarized, written by someone else or generated by artificial intelligence.

  • Your podcast must be original for this contest. That means it should not already have been published at the time of submission, whether by a radio station, another contest or an any other site (not including your own page or a teacher’s class page). However, after you submit to this contest, you are allowed to submit your entry to another publication or contest for possible publication.

  • Keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

  • You may work alone or with a group, but students should submit only one entry each.

  • You must also submit a short, informal “artist’s statement” as part of your submission, that describes your process. These statements, which will not be used to choose finalists, help us to design and refine our contests. See the F.A.Q. to learn more.

  • All entries must be submitted by May 15, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time using the electronic form below.

Use these resources to help you create a podcast:

  • A unit plan on writing for podcasts, which includes writing prompts to inspire your work; a mentor text featuring past winners of our contest; a lesson plan that focuses on storytelling, interviewing, editing and producing; and much more.

  • Three short videos from two Times audio producers and one student contest winner who share tips on how to plan, script and record meaningful podcasts.

  • A recorded webinar on writing for podcasts in which you’ll hear from a school librarian with experience teaching podcasting to students, New York Times podcast producers and previous student winners of our contest.

  • Our winners from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018, as well as a video with advice from several of them (below).

Answers to your questions about writing, judging, the rules and teaching with this contest. Please read these thoroughly and, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, post your query in the comments or write to us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PODCASTING

What is a podcast?

Simply put: Podcasts are audio programs that can take almost any form. They can be a news report or a one-act play; a formal interview or a friendly conversation; a personal narrative or a book review. Some podcasts are informative, others are entertaining, and others try to persuade. They can be funny, serious, thought-provoking or emotional. In short, your podcast can be pretty much whatever you want it to be.

How can I make my podcast stand out?

We are primarily looking for thoughtful pieces with a clear beginning, middle and ending. Here are a few tips to get your podcast noticed by our judges:

  • Choose a topic that matters to you. Not only will your passion sustain you during the creative process, but it will shine through in the final product. Remember, though, you have only five minutes, so make sure you choose something that you can do justice in that time. For example, you probably won’t be able to take on all of climate change, but you can focus on a small aspect of it, like food waste in your community.

  • Use a format that brings your topic to life. Ask yourself: What is the best way to tell this story? Is it appropriate to tell the story from your own point of view or should you interview an expert? Does it make sense for the podcast to have a rigid structure or should it be more of a free flowing conversation? Should it be nonfiction or could a fictional story be more entertaining or meaningful?

  • Prepare. Before recording your podcast, create an outline or a script. Having a plan will both help you make the most use of your five minutes, and make it easier for your listener to follow along.

  • Make sure your audio is clear. You don’t need to have high-grade recording equipment to make a great podcast, but do be mindful to speak clearly and to eliminate background noise as much as possible.

  • Use sound thoughtfully and intentionally. Spoken word, music, sound effects and environmental noise can all make for a compelling listening experience. Consider how you might use them strategically to provide context, create structure for your podcast and engage your listeners’ emotions.

How do I come up with a topic for my podcast?

Your podcast can be about anything. To get ideas, start by browsing our list of 1,000 writing prompts, which includes questions on everything from video games and fashion to smartphones and parenting. Try responding to a few prompts that interest you. Then, you might choose one you enjoyed writing about as inspiration for your podcast.

If you’re thinking about sharing a personal story, take a look at these prompts for personal and narrative writing. If you want to assert an opinion or engage in a debate, look at this list of prompts for argumentative writing. You can find even more in our Writing Prompts column, where we publish a new question every school day.

Can someone else produce or edit my work?

You are welcome to get feedback on and suggestions for your podcast, but the work you submit, including the editing and production, should be fundamentally your own.

Where can I find examples of podcasts in The Times?

You can find all regular Times podcasts in the Podcast column, and special narrative projects from Serial Productions here. Here are a few of our favorites:

  • “The Daily,” a 20-minute morning news program powered by New York Times journalism.

  • “Still Processing,” a show about all things culture, from television and music to dating and the internet.

  • “Modern Love,” stories that explore the complicated love lives of real people.

  • “Popcast,” a podcast by the The Times’s pop music team on music news, new songs and albums, and artists of note.

  • “The Opinions,” short (5-10 minutes) audio essays from the Opinion section.

But remember, you’re not limited to The Times for inspiration. You can find other podcast recommendations in the Arts section, such as this list of suggestions from 36 podcast personalities.

_________

QUESTIONS ABOUT JUDGING

How will my podcast be judged?

Your work will be listened to by producers and journalists on The New York Times podcast team as well as by Learning Network staff members, professional podcasters and educators from around the United States. We will use this rubric to judge entries.

Why are you asking for an Artist’s Statement about our process? What will you do with it?

All of us who work on The Learning Network are former teachers. One of the many things we miss, now that we work in a newsroom rather than a classroom, is being able to see how students are reacting to our “assignments” in real time — and to offer help, or tweaks, to make those assignments better. We’re asking you to reflect on what you did and why, and what was hard or easy about it, in large part so that we can improve our contests and the curriculum we create to support them. This is especially important for new contests, like this one.

Another reason? We have heard from many teachers that writing these statements is immensely helpful to students. Stepping back from a piece and trying to put into words what you wanted to express, and why and how you made artistic choices to do that, can help you see your piece anew and figure out how to make it stronger. For our staff, they offer important context that help us understand individual students and submissions, and learn more about the conditions under which students around the world create.

What’s the prize?

Having your work published on The Learning Network.

When will the winners be announced?

About two months after the contest has closed.

My podcast wasn’t selected as a winner. Can you tell me why?

We typically receive over a thousand entries for this contest, so, unfortunately, our team does not have the capacity to provide individual feedback.

_________

QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING WITH THIS CONTEST

I’m a teacher. What resources do you have to help me teach with this contest?

Start with our unit plan for creating a podcast. It includes writing prompts, mentor texts and lesson plans that can support this contest. To learn more about how to teach with this unit, watch our on-demand webinar.

Do my students need a New York Times subscription to use these resources?

No. The Learning Network is completely free.

What can you tell me about student copyright and privacy issues?

Students retain the copyright in their work. That means that they own their work, and can sell it and/or have it published elsewhere after submitting it to our contest.

However, by submitting an entry, a student — or if they are not yet 18 years old, then their parent or guardian — agrees that The Times can use the submission in print in The New York Times and online at nytimes.com. And they agree that The Times can authorize third parties to do so as well. The permission form is part of the submission process.

Students are not required to provide their full name. We let students and their families decide how they want to identify themselves if their entry is selected as a finalist.

Please contact us at LNFeedback@nytimes.com if you have other concerns about privacy issues.

We will post the submission form here on April 17, the day the contest opens.

11 Full-Stack Developer Interview Questions

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11 Full-Stack Developer Interview Questions

You’ve landed an interview for a new position as a Full-Stack Developer. That’s fantastic, exciting, and maybe even a little nerve-wracking. Don’t worry. It’s normal to be nervous about something you’re really looking forward to.

To make you feel more at ease in the interview, we’ve created this list of common questions to help you prepare. We’ve included potential answers that you can review, as well as a few tips to keep your coding and interviewing skills sharp. 

You can elevate your interview preparation with our new AI-powered Interview Simulator (currently in beta), which is crafted for Front-End, Back-End, and Full-Stack Developer roles. Practice articulating your responses, whether by typing or speaking, and receive actionable insights on your performance.  

Get started today by upgrading to Codecademy Pro and gain access to the Interview Simulator alongside other essential job search tools like the job-readiness checker and portfolio projects.

Learn something new for free

1. What programming language are you most comfortable working with?

Be sure to answer this question honestly, but also show that you’ve done your homework and learned which programming languages they use. First, answer with your preferred language, whether it’s Python, JavaScript, or C++, and explain why.

If it turns out that the company prefers C++, but you prefer Python, let them know that you also took the time to learn C++ because you know how useful it is and how many companies rely on it. Of course, if you don’t know C++, don’t lie. Instead, tell them that it’s not your strongest language, but you’ll dedicate some time to get more familiar with it.

Because this is a Full-Stack Developer interview, it wouldn’t hurt to mention that you know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, along with any back-end languages like SQL or Python. You want to show that you have the basics required to be great at your new job.

Don’t let this question stump you if this is your first job as a Full-Stack Developer. You can use your experience with courses, personal projects, or open-source projects online. The interviewer wants to know if you can think critically and select the best tools for the job.

When you answer this question, think about a recent project, website, or program you built. How did you select the programming languages, hosting sites, design elements, and user interface? Explain your thought process and reasoning when answering this question. It’s more about how you came to select the tools/tech than the exact choices you made.

3. How would you make a website as efficient as possible?

There are more than a few ways you can answer this question. Your interviewer may even give you a variation of this question and ask for three ways you can make a website more efficient.

Think about the heavy-hitters — give the most powerful and logical answers first. Explain how you would optimize assets, minimize the code on the page (or reduce duplicate code), or use browser caching.

You can also relate this question to your own experience by explaining how you improved or optimized a website you created. Or maybe you helped a friend who was having issues with their website, and your solution increased efficiency. That’s a great tidbit to add to this answer.

4. Have you worked with any front-end frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js? If so, can you discuss your experience with them? 

This ties into the previous question, because frameworks can significantly impact the scalability and performance of web applications. Interviewers may want to know how much experience you have with different frameworks, and how you’ve used them to collaborate and solve problems with other teams. Share your experience with any framework you’ve worked with, and discuss the projects where you applied it, the features you find useful, and any challenges you encountered. 

5. Can you explain the difference between relational and non-relational (NoSQL) databases? When would you choose one over the other? 

Psst, read this blog about the differences between SQL and NoSQL databases and when to use them. This is a pretty common interview question, and you should be prepared to provide a simple comparison between relational and non-relational databases, mentioning key characteristics like data structure and querying methods. Throw in an example scenario where you might choose one over the other. For bonus points, consider taking our Learn MongoDB course to get a grasp on basic NoSQL operations.   

6. Can you define DevOps?

The company you’re interviewing with might be heavily invested in DevOps, so you’ll want to show you can hit the ground running. Explain that DevOps is a method or practice that allows teams to collaborate, communicate, and release software faster and more effectively. Read this blog to learn more about DevOps practices and functions.   

For example, development and IT departments work in cross-functional teams, combining their strengths to create software. DevOps is a way to iteratively develop software in steps, correcting failures as you go and reaching the end product faster than traditional design methods.

7. What is multi-threading?

Multi-threading is when a CPU can execute multiple threads within a program concurrently, using the same processing capacity. You might also want to explain what a thread is to show you aren’t just regurgitating jargon.

A thread is a set of instructions that can be executed at the same time as other threads that are part of the same root process. This approach helps improve speed, for example, when implementing a machine learning algorithm.

8. Describe your experience with continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. How have you used them in your projects? 

Full-Stack Developers are involved in both front-end and back-end development, and they often use CI/CD pipelines to automate tasks and streamline workflows. This set of tools and practices helps you catch bugs earlier and contribute to efficient project delivery. Check out our free course Intro to DevOps to learn more about the practices and tools that development teams use.

9. What version control systems are you familiar with, and which do you prefer? Why? 

Developers use version control systems (aka VCS) to manage code changes, track revisions, and collaborate effectively. They maintain a complete history of the codebase, so that multiple devs can make changes (without overwriting). The interviewer wants to know how well you can manage code, collaborate with teams, and follow software development best practices.

Mention any version control system you’ve used and briefly explain your workflow, like creating branches, committing changes, and resolving conflicts. Got a strong feelings about why one VCS is better than another? Talk about your experience and preferences. If you want to refresh your knowledge of one of the most popular VCS, check out our free course Learn Git & GitHub.

10. Can you explain what an application server is?

As a Full-Stack Developer, this is a concept you want to be familiar with. An application server allows you to design and maintain applications on both the server- and the client-side. In essence, it hosts the web applications that the end-user interacts with and the environments required to run them.

11. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in full-stack development? 

The tech landscape is constantly evolving, with new frameworks, languages, tools, and best practices emerging all the time. If you actively follow industry trends, you’ll be aware of new opportunities, advancements, and shifts in technology that could impact your work.

You don’t have to constantly refresh Hacker News to stay up to date. Mention a few reliable sources you use to stay informed about new technologies and trends, like tech blogs (including this one!), influencers, newsletters, and coding communities. It also helps to talk about how you make time to learn new technologies and upskill into your daily life.

More tips to prepare for your Full-Stack Developer interview

Now that you’ve reviewed possible questions for your Full-Stack Developer interview, practice providing your own answers with our AI-powered Interview Simulator (currently in beta). You can customize the interview scenario for a specific role in full-stack, front-end, or back-end development.   

You can also sign up for one of our online skill paths that help you pass the technical interview with JavaScript, Python, or Java. Before you start, be sure to research the company’s preferred programming languages and read the job description closely. 

Don’t forget that practicing your programming skills is one of the best ways to prepare for your interview. Solving problems with code will keep programming concepts fresh in your mind. A bonus? You might even solve a problem or experience a challenge that you can discuss in your interview. 

Lastly, don’t worry if you don’t know the answer to one of your interviewer’s answers. Take a deep breath and explain that you aren’t sure off the top of your head, but you can explain exactly how you’d determine the answer through research and communication. 

To prepare for your career as a Full-Stack Developer, learning the required skills, building a portfolio, and preparing for technical interviews, check out our Full-Stack Engineer Career Path. 

This blog was originally published in September 2021 and has been updated to include more questions and details about new job-readiness features.  

What’s Going On in This Graph? | April 10, 2024

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What’s Going On in This Graph? | April 10, 2024

3. Below the response box, there is an option to click on “Email me when my comment is published.” This sends the link to your response which you can share with your teacher.

4. After you have posted, read what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting a comment. Use the “Reply” button to address that student directly.

On Wednesday, April 10, teachers from our collaborator, the American Statistical Association, will facilitate this discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time.

5. By Friday morning, April 12, we will reveal more information about the graph, including a free link to the article that includes this graph, at the bottom of this post. We encourage you to post additional comments based on the article, possibly using statistical terms defined in the Stat Nuggets.

We’ll post more information here on the afternoon of Thursday, April 11. Stay tuned!

More?

• See all graphs in this series or collections of 75 of our favorite graphs, 28 graphs that teach about inequality and 24 graphs about climate change.

• View our archives that link to all past releases, organized by topic, graph type and Stat Nugget.

• Learn more about the notice and wonder teaching strategy from this 5-minute video and how and why other teachers are using this strategy from our on-demand webinar.

• Sign up for our free weekly Learning Network newsletter so you never miss a graph. Graphs are always released by the Friday before the Wednesday live moderation to give teachers time to plan ahead.

• Go to the American Statistical Association K-12 website, which includes teacher statistics resources, Census in the Schools student-generated data, professional development opportunities, and more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

How to Answer the Interview Question: “Tell Me About Yourself”

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How to Answer the Interview Question: “Tell Me About Yourself”

It sounds like the easiest question you can get in an interview, but it’s often the hardest to answer: “Tell me about yourself.” It can be overwhelming to summarize your entire life in a few sentences, but luckily that’s not what you actually need to do. We’ve gathered perspectives from a recruiter and hiring managers so you can confidently introduce yourself in a job interview.  

What are they really asking? 

This interview question is usually one of the first, and while it’s just an icebreaker on the surface, “the fact that it’s such a broad question is actually a test in itself,” says Jean du Plessis, Senior Engineering Manager at cloud platform Upbound. “They will be looking to see how you respond to an open-ended question and if you can be articulate.”  

Learn something new for free

Interviewers are also likely to be assessing how well you understand the industry, role, and company you’re applying to, based on what skills, experience, or anecdotes you choose to highlight in your answer. This is your chance to surface anything that you feel aligns your profile to the opportunity, says Lucy Jones, Headhunter and Director of the Executive Search firm Lawson Brooke. “Number one, before you join the interview: Do your research.” 

By the time you meet with a hiring manager, you will have seen a job description and may even have had an initial screening call with someone from the company. “So, you’ve already got a load of intel to help decide which key things from your experience to surface when asked that question,” says Lucy. 

Be succinct and curate your story 

Remember: You don’t need to regurgitate what’s on your resume — the interviewer might even have your resume on-hand to reference during your conversation. “You can set the expectation with the interviewer around what you’re going to constrain your answer to,” Jean says.  

For example, you might choose to focus on roles or aspects of your experience that are transferrable to the position or the type of customer the company serves. “The interviewer can always ask follow-up questions, but having a clear point of view of what you want to share about helps you keep your answer brief and easy to follow,” Jean says. 

Curating the story you want to tell about your career ahead of time helps you start the interview on the right foot. You don’t want to go into the rest of the interview feeling flustered because you rambled. Giving a concise, confident answer is like giving a firm handshake, says Jean. “This is the virtual equivalent.”

How to answer “Tell me about yourself” if you’re changing careers 

If your background isn’t an obvious fit for the role, this question gives you an opportunity to explain what led you to this point. “I like to see that there’s a narrative thread throughout your work,” says Lisa Tagliaferri, Senior Director of Developer Enablement at the cybersecurity company Chainguard. In addition to her full-time role, Lisa is an interdisciplinary researcher across the humanities and technology and has interviewed many candidates making career changes. 

“Think about your personal mission or the themes of your work that have stayed consistent from previous roles,” Lisa says. “You can go through multiple career shifts throughout your life, but there’s usually a common thread you can bring to light.” 

For instance, transitioning from teaching to software development might stem from a shared desire to help people, Lisa says. (Codecademy learner Pj Metz was a high school English teacher when he landed a developer relations job focusing on students and teachers at GitLab.)  

Highlighting your passion for teamwork and mentoring or showcasing technology-focused creative projects can add depth to your story, Lisa suggests. “Giving that color and showing your broader interests is a positive thing,” she says. 

Sample answer for a career changer

“My name is Adriana, and I currently work as an English teacher. My professional background has primarily been in education, but I’ve always had an interest in technology and its potential to transform learning experiences. I’ve actively incorporated technology educational software and online platforms into my teaching methods to boost student engagement. 

Through my experience in education, I’ve developed strong communication skills, a knack for problem-solving, and a passion for continuous learning — qualities I believe are highly transferable to the technology field. Recently, I’ve been exploring coding through online courses and have completed several projects that my students and I use in the classroom. 

I’m drawn to the technology field because of its dynamic nature and its potential to drive innovation and change. I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to leverage my skills and experiences in a new context and to contribute to technological advancements that positively impact society.”

How to answer “Tell me about yourself” if you’re early in your career 

You might be light on work experience, but have a wealth of relevant life experience to draw from, Lisa says. “Before you go on the job market, there are ways to do meaningful development projects that showcase your work — from a technical perspective but also from a mission-driven perspective,” she says. 

Lisa worked with Computer Science undergraduate students at MIT who were doing Python projects for the digital humanities, ranging from literature and history to music. Some students conducted data analysis on online public archives. “Those students could talk about how history [for example] was important to them in the context of a group development project,” says Lisa. “Those examples are great signal to interviewers that you see how the software you make can be useful in different contexts, and you’re excited about the application of what you build.” 

Contributing to open-source code or documentation, or even participating in communities related to your areas of interest are also good examples to highlight. That time spent interacting with your course mates in the Codecademy Forums and contributing to Docs will be worth it! 

Sample answer for an entry-level job seeker

“I’m Amrit, a visual art student passionate about leveraging creativity in functional design. While my background is in visual arts, I’ve honed skills in UI/UX design through personal projects. I’ve explored design principles, prototyping, and user research, aiming to create intuitive and visually appealing digital experiences. Last semester I volunteered to re-design a mobile app for our local food co-op. I’m eager to apply my artistic sensibility and design expertise to make digital interfaces more accessible.”

Be authentic and show your personality 

You already made it to the interview, which is a strong signal that you meet the minimum hard skills requirements. Now you get to show them what you’re like to work with as a human and set the tone for the rest of your interview.  

“The best interviewees, the ones that leave a lasting impression, are the ones that I enjoyed a conversation with,” Jean says. It’s normal to feel nervous, but use that energy to showcase yourself authentically.  

Be yourself and inject personal anecdotes to paint a fuller picture of who you are. “This is your one opportunity to make an impression outside of the role-specific requirements, so make an effort to share something interesting about you,” Jean says. And while you do want to be prepared, avoid sounding rehearsed by preparing some bullet points of what you want to share.  

Want to practice introducing yourself in an interview? Try out our new beta Interview Simulator: Build a mock interview based on the job title, level, type of interview and company and your own experience, then practice giving written or spoken responses. The AI interviewer is trained to ask intelligent follow-up questions like a recruiter and will provide you with feedback after the session. 

What Author Would You Most Like to Meet?

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What Author Would You Most Like to Meet?

Has a book ever made such a big impression on you that you felt a deep connection with the author? Perhaps you found it to be extremely moving, or you thought it spoke directly to your experiences in life.

Have you ever wished you could meet that writer and talk about that book and its significance to you?

In “A Bronx Teacher Asked. Tommy Orange Answered.,” Elisabeth Egan writes about how a high school English class recently had that wish granted:

Tommy Orange sat at the front of a classroom in the Bronx, listening as a group of high school students discussed his novel “There There.”

A boy wearing blue glasses raised his hand. “All the characters have some form of disconnection, even trauma,” Michael Almanzar, 19, said. “That’s the world we live in. That’s all around us. It’s not like it’s in some faraway land. That’s literally your next-door neighbor.”

The class broke into a round of finger snaps, as if we were at an old-school poetry slam on the Lower East Side and not in an English class at Millennium Art Academy, on the corner of Lafayette and Pugsley Avenues.

Orange took it all in with a mixture of gratitude and humility — the semicircle of earnest, engaged teenagers; the bulletin board decorated with words describing “There There” (“hope,” “struggle,” “mourning,” “discovery”); the shelf of well-thumbed copies wearing dust jackets in various stages of disintegration.

His eyebrows shot up when a student wearing a sweatshirt that said “I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams” compared the book to “The Road,” by Cormac McCarthy. When three consecutive students spoke about how they related to Orange’s work because of their own mental health struggles, he was on the verge of tears.

“That’s what drew me to reading in the first place,” Orange said, “The feeling of not being as alone as you thought you were.”

It’s not often that an author walks into a room full of readers, let alone teenagers, who talk about characters born in his imagination as if they’re living, breathing human beings. And it’s equally rare for students to spend time with an author whose fictional world feels like a refuge. Of all the classroom visits he’s made since “There There” came out in 2018, the one at Millennium Art Academy earlier this month was, Orange said later, “the most intense connection I’ve ever experienced.”

The article recounts how the classroom visit came to be. It was thanks to Rick Ouimet, an energetic, pony-tailed English teacher who took a chance and reached out to the author:

Last month, Ouimet learned that Orange, who lives in Oakland, was going to be in New York promoting his second novel, “Wandering Stars.” An idea started to percolate. Ouimet had never invited an author to his classroom before; such visits can be pricey and, as he pointed out, Shakespeare and Zora Neale Hurston aren’t available.

Ouimet composed a message in his head for over a week, he said, and on Monday, March 4, just after midnight, he fired it off to the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau.

“The email felt like a raw rough draft, but I didn’t agonize,” he said. “It was my midlife college essay.”

The 827-word missive was written in the go-for-broke style Ouimet encourages in his students’ work, full of personality, texture and detail, without the corporate-speak that infiltrates so much Important Professional Correspondence.

Ouimet wrote: “In our 12th-grade English classroom, in our diverse corner of the South Bronx, in an under-resourced but vibrant urban neighborhood not unlike the Fruitvale, you’re our rock star. Our more than rock star. You’re our MF Doom, our Eminem, our Earl Sweatshirt, our Tribe Called Red, our Beethoven, our Bobby Big Medicine, our email to Manny, our ethnically ambiguous woman in the next stall, our camera pointing into a tunnel of darkness.”

Orange, he added, was a hero to these kids: “You’ve changed lives.” There was Tahqari Koonce, 17, who drew a parallel between the Oakland Coliseum and the Roman Colosseum; and Natalia Melendez, also 17, who noted that a white gun symbolized oppression of Native tribes. And then there was Dalvyn Urena, 18, who “said he’d never read an entire book until ‘There There,’” and was now comparing it to a Shakespearean sonnet.

He ended with: “Well, it was worth a shot. Thanks for taking the time to read this — if it ever finds its way to you. In appreciation (and awe), Rick Ouimet.”

“I took a chance,” Ouimet said. And why not? “My students take a chance every time they open a new book. There’s groaning, and they open the page. To see what they gave this book? The love was palpable.”

The article concludes:

Eventually the bell sounded. The students pushed back from their desks and lined up to have their books signed by Orange, who took a moment to chat with each one.

Over the din, to anyone who was still listening, Ouimet called: “If you love a book, talk about it! If you love a story, let other people know!”

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

  • What author would you most like to meet — and why? What would you say to that person about how his or her writing has moved and affected you? What questions would you ask?

  • During Tommy Orange’s visit to the Bronx, many students told him that his novel “There There” spoke directly to them. Have you ever read a book that felt as if it was describing your life and the world you live in?

  • The article says that the author found a way to work a visit to the high school into a packed, 24-city tour for his new book, “Wandering Stars.” Why do you think he made such an effort to visit a high school in the Bronx? What do you think he gained from the experience?

  • What is your reaction to Rick Ouimet’s passion for teaching and the power of the written word? Have you ever had a teacher who made books and their authors come alive in the classroom? Did anyone ever invite an author to visit your class?

  • Inspired by the story? It’s your turn to take a chance writing a letter to invite an author to visit your class — in person or via Zoom. (You can reach out to the book publisher for contact information.) Be sure to include your personal connection to that writer’s books and be persuasive as you extend your invitation. Use the Bronx teacher’s passionate letter — “full of personality, texture and detail” — as a model. Good luck!

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

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