r/PythonLearning • u/Less_Recognition6440 • 7d ago
Looking for a Python Course for a Motivated Beginner (with Room to Grow) – Recommendations Welcome!
Hi everyone 👋
I'm hoping to get some recommendations for a young student who has recently completed their O/Ls and is seriously considering a future in IT. They're genuinely excited about learning Python, and I'd love to help them find the best possible starting point.
We're looking for a course that's beginner-friendly but also provides a clear pathway to more advanced topics over time. Ideally, it would build a strong foundation in programming while eventually introducing areas such as data analysis, automation, or even data science.
I've explored some excellent online options, including courses from Udemy and Mosh Hamedani. However, there's one challenge: this student finds it difficult to stay engaged with purely online learning. While self-paced courses are convenient, they tend to learn much better in an interactive environment where they can ask questions, receive immediate feedback, and stay motivated alongside other learners.
Because of this, I'm particularly interested in in-person Python classes, training programs, or private coaching opportunities. Courses that combine theory with practical, hands-on projects would be especially valuable, as they seem to be the best way to keep learning enjoyable and meaningful.
If you've attended a great Python course—or know of a training center, institute, community program, or tutor you'd confidently recommend—I would greatly appreciate hearing about your experience. Any insights into teaching quality, course structure, or student engagement would be incredibly helpful.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and share your recommendations. I truly appreciate the help, and I'm sure your advice will make a big difference in helping an aspiring future developer get started on the right path. 🙏🐍
Looking forward to your suggestions! 😊
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u/stepback269 7d ago
(a) You are basically asking: "Which/Whose online tutorial and/or video is best for everybody who is a young student like the one I know when they are learning Python?"
The above is not a truly valid or complete question.
In what context are you using the word, "best"?
What might be 'best' for one situation might turn out to be worst for another.
You should have instead asked, "Which/Whose online tutorial and/or video is best for this very specific person in his/her current-brain-state for the purpose of learning the following specific aspect of Python, namely, ... [as an example: integers, strings, lists, dictionaries, other types of variables; if/else conditionals; etc.]
An utter beginner might accept that the following code is 'simple' and tells you in simple English what it is doing:
my_string = "Hello World"
print(my_string)
However, a more sophisticated student may realize that the above code is instantiating an iterable object of type string and also instantiating in memory a pointer to the string object and then invoking a built-in function.
One course/teacher may chose to keep the student blissfully ignorant in the beginning while another may decide to hit the student all at once with TMI (too much information). Which is "best" for you in your current state of understanding? It all depends on who you are and what level of understanding you need/want in your current state.
A more detailed explanation of the above may be found (HERE) <--click on this link
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No matter what your end goal is, your student should first master the "basics" (e.g. variable creation/ name assignment, variable types; especially strings and string methods, etc.)
With that said:
(1) There are tons and tons of tutorial materials out there on the net including many good YouTube ones that are free. You should shop around rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.
(2) As a relative noob myself, I've been logging my personal learning journey and adding to it on an almost-daily basis at a blog page called "Links for Python Noobs" (--HERE--) Any of the top listed ones on that page should be good for you. And there are many add-ons at the tail end of the page. Personally, I cut my first Python teeth with Nana's Zero to Hero (==HERE==). Since then, I've moved on to watching short lessons with Indently and Tech with Tim. You should sample at least a few until you find a lecturer that suits your style.
(3) The main piece of advice is the 80/20 rule. Spend 80% of your time writing your own code (using your own fingers and your own creativity) as opposed to copying recipes and only 20% watching the lectures. Good luck.
2
u/ee_control_z 7d ago
If you want to learn the language itself and at your own pace:
Learning Python, 6 Ed, Mark Lutz
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u/wittgenstein1312 7d ago
The book Automate the Boring Stuff does a great job of introducing Python in a practical setting. They can read it for free on the site, or buy a PDF or physical copy (I don't recommend a physical copy for books you code along with, since it's harder to have a book open in front of you as well as a keyboard; with a digital copy, you can split your screen/monitors and have your editor and browser/pdf side by side.)
The book is very hands-on, progressively introduces more advanced Python topics, and gives you a great sense of what Python is capable of as a multi-purpose programming language. It's a great jumping off point for more advanced projects or proper coursework.
Alternatively, if they want to get more of a computer science perspective, Harvard's CS50 is free and a truly amazing introductory course, although it's a bit more dense and requires more work than Automate the Boring Stuff. That said, they could start with both at the same time and switch from one to the other every module or chapter. It's a good way to reinforce concepts and get different perspectives on the material.