No one learns to program alone

I can't think of a single field where it is more important to have an active support system while learning than computer programming (by 'active' I mean actively involved with other human beings). Here's why you need to talk to other human beings while learning to code:

When our tools get confused about what we ask them to do, they are not good at explaining their misunderstanding of the problem.

Here are some things that I hear from my students in introductory programming courses:
"I have no idea what this error message means."
"The program compiled but I got this error message while the program was running and it makes no sense to me."
"The compiler told me there were 23 errors but after I fixed the first one everything was fine."

Imagine two people who know very little of each other's language but are discussing a mathematical problem. If both people understand the mathematics then the language barrier is not significant. If one person doesn't understand the problem and needs clarification from the other then the language barrier is significant. As a programmer, if you know your stuff then the language barrier is not significant. But if you are just learning to program this can be very frustrating. It's like the programmer and compiler barely speak the same language.

Having a knowledgeable human being to translate between the compiler and the beginner programmer will make learning so much easier. I often joke with my students that I will follow them around and answer all of their programming questions for a very large fee (I have had no takers yet). When I run into a student who is very frustrated I will often invite them to work in my office so that when they have a question they can get an answer from me right away. I dedicate a lot of in-class time for exactly this purpose and I think it is much more beneficial than simply listening to me lecture.

Working on a computer is a solitary activity and it is hard to see what other programmers do in similar situations.

I have written before about how knowledge work is a lonely activity. Even though my class is filled with great students who are willing to help each other learn, it is so hard for them to learn programming from one another. This is because it is hard for students to physically see each other work. There is a culture among knowledge workers (and students) of, "I work on my computer, you work on yours." I would like to see tools and techniques to open up the programming process for all to see.

In a sense, I feel that only professors like me get to break down the barrier between beginning programmers and their computers. We teachers are expected to watch others do their work. This is one of the most satisfying things about being a teacher. I'm amazed by some of the solutions my students come up with. One of the things I love about teaching is that I get to learn from my students and see their interesting ideas for solving problems.  If you are asked to solve a hard problem, you really should talk to others to see what ideas other people have about solving it. I guarantee this will broaden your horizons. 

Perhaps the title is misleading, I suppose one could learn how to program alone, but a budding programmer will learn so much more if they are actively learning from others. In my opinion, effective teaching of computer science is all about providing that support system.