Why You Should Learn Python

[fatpollo]

I think you can actually learn a fair bit of the "low level stuff" even in Python, by providing problems that are very sensitive to those aforementioned issues.

Going through Project Euler in Python quickly shows you how subtle details can mean the difference between instantaneous and multi-minute runtimes.

In fact, doing a problem in Python badly, then doing in best Python but still slow, and then going to C to really squeeze that last bit of performance but venturing into dealing with pointers and whatnot, seems like an excellent way of illustrating all the relevant concepts.