James Haff
Software Engineering Bootcamp Instructor, General Assembly
Chicago
Jim Haff is a full stack Web Developer with an extreme passion for all things programming. His interests lie across the board, and he is currently focusing on working with golang and Machine Learning (AI). System architecture is also a subject he loves exploring. When he is not learning new technologies, he enjoys playing jug band music and attending classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
IN CONVERSATION WITH JIM:
What is your favorite technical skill to work with on your own projects and why?
Lately I've really enjoyed using generative AI to create images, voices, and videos. Then being able to deploy applications to servers really allows me to scale my work out and make them useful in a variety of places.
What is your favorite technical skill to teach to students and why?
I love teaching students how the client/server relationship works which is a really important part of how the internet works. Teaching them how to debug those processes and read the error messages really allows the students to start learning any language or framework they want. To see them start to understand those ideas and then start exploring on their own is really inspirational.
What is most important to you about teaching technical skills at General Assembly?
The core of my teaching philosophy in programming is fostering a mindset that approaches problems like a seasoned developer. I emphasize breaking problems into manageable parts and modeling them with objects and functions—a task that is both demanding and rewarding for everyone involved.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to learn technical skills to reach new career goals?
In a field of a million things to learn and explore it is important to follow your interests. For one to be successful in this field, you need to be constantly learning and the best way to do that is to be passionately curious. Plus it gets more fun the more you know.
What would you like to highlight about your experience in your technical domain outside of teaching?
Outside of teaching, I’ve built my expertise by working with cloud infrastructure, designing small business websites, developing APIs, and exploring generative AI, all of which allow me to offer real-world technical insights in my educational work.
WHAT JIM'S STUDENTS ARE SAYING...
"Jim does a fantastic job of explaining complex and difficult topics in an easy-to-digest manner. Many times his explanations made information clear where the text or resource did not. Jim is an awesome instructor. He is patient, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. He is willing to explain things in various ways. He has a good demeanor and is easy to talk to."
In recognition of his exemplary service in the classroom, Jim has been selected as a member of General Assembly’s Distinguished Faculty program.