Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

You might take a look at the makeup (and age groups) of some of the teams that are a part of the FIRST programs. International teams that are making tremendous inroads in their cultures, at no small cost. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and private schools with religious affiliations, to name a few. FIRST is much bigger than the current U.S. popular culture trends. Way bigger. Just look at the impact of our 2016 Championship WFA.

Food for thought.
Jane

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

Legendary. As will.i.am said... "I'm just gonna say it the way I feel it"
He's saying what some of us are thinking. He's saying what many of our students are thinking.

I have a lot of complicated thoughts about "explicit language", what the appropriate or inappropriate use is, and how a coherent team policy can be crafted around them since the use of language is so heavily context-based and culturally-driven.

I've had mixed results when they slip out of my mouth. Sometimes, particularly when it shows emotion, it humanizes me to the people relying on me (students at 841, engineers and construction workers at work) & I earn respect. Other times, because it sounds like I'm not a Real White-Collar Engineer, I lose respect. Sometimes, both in the same audience. Double edged sword. Handle with care.

On 841, I'm working on building an explicitly framed "Code Switch" facet into the program, based on ideas from "For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y'all Too" by Christopher Emdin, to emphasize awareness of use of language. My students are #$%^ing inspiring to me, but they don't always know how to use the right words to *sound* inspiring to people who only speak Engineering English.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

Very true, and I totally understand that, I think it's amazing. I can't wait for a future where every school in the world will have access to some sort of FIRST resource. But we also have to think about the present moment. It is facts that the United States is much more involved in FIRST than all the other Nation's combined. With a popular social figure like this you will be reaching many more people.

Now don't get me wrong, I would love it if the President took the time to come to the FIRST championship (on other thought did he make a video this year, I know he made videos the last 2 years saying good luck). There is no rule preventing both a figure like Will.I.AM and the president to come to the championships.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

I know I've posted about this in another thread already, but I kind of have a lot to say on this subject in general and on this instance in particular. I'll try to be brief.

I use cuss words as teaching tools. I play NWA songs to start discussions about racism and other related issues. I started every day of Freshman Orientation by showing a different Epic Rap Battles of History episode, using their crudeness as a hook for learning about great artists, philosophers and scientists. And yes, when I think it has an appropriate educational purpose, I will cuss in my students' presence. I do this consciously, seeing as I rarely cuss at all for any other reason.

The culture has shifted, people. Fifteen years ago my teaching mentor (God bless him) told me never to allow chewing gum, and talked about his "virgin ears" not wanting to hear curse words, but he also told me to always shake boys' hands and squeeze them hard enough to cause pain, just so they they would know I'm the boss. Fortunately I haven't taken any of that advice to heart or action, and if any teachers still take that outdated approach then I'm shocked.

Every single one of my students, and a half dozen parents who attended champs with us, wants what Will.i.am said on a t-shirt. At dinner Thursday night (before he ever said what he said), around the "adult" table, one of our topics of discussion was this very issue, and every one of those parents said the f word without a blink, including a lay minister, a married couple who are practicing Presbyterians, and a Lutheran pastor whose name many people would recognize from her books and radio and television appearances.

The culture has shifted, people. You can act shocked and complain, and likely lose the attention of the students you want to reach through FRC and other activities, or you can shift with it, and make FRC relatable and relevant to a bunch of good kids with foul mouths.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

Finally, someone came out and said EXACTLY what I've been thinking about for the past 2 years.
Kudos to you man.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

I'm sorry, but I didn't even see what he said. What did he even say?

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

Look at the link below.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

I feel like the reaction to swear words by adult figures and authorities is often misplaced. we shouldn't fear children learning these words - I knew words like $@#$@#$@#$@# (it blurts it out if I try to type it on this :v) and hell when I was, like, 11 or so, and have experienced no ill effects from knowing them. They aren't "evil" and they aren't going to corrupt anyone. it's more a matter of teaching us that they are rude and inappropriate to use in professional settings, instead of pretending that they have some sort of... I don't know... corrupting effect on our youth or something.


I'm not sure if that ended up making much sense. at any rate, I really appreciated WILL.I.AM's comment - even if it was a somewhat rehearsed idea (and he was definitely thinking about doing it for about half of that speech :P ), it was an expression of pure emotion, and:

it helped him to connect with the students, doing stuff that the "authorities" might have issues with, or whatever it is that makes teenagers like about rebels :v .

yeah, so my point is that people over-value swear words, I think. I don't think they should be a normal part of the language, but to fear them is folly

I too want what he said on a t-shirt :P

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

So much this, you nailed it.

Anyone dwelling on the words are missing the message. Get over it and be pumped that Will.I.Am took time out of his schedule to come hang out with a bunch of robotics students and actually cares about this program.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

[quote=The other Gabe;1581313]I too want what he said on a t-shirt :P
is making one up and selling them. Message him for more info.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

^ couldn't have said it better myself

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

This.
The people that FRC is meant to be for are a bunch of high school students across the world. We can all pretend like they don't know foul language and all manner of things, but I bet if you really thought back to when you were in high school, you were doing similarly terrible things and saying things when your parents weren't listening!

At one of the regionals I attended this year, there were a bunch of unwashed windows near the entrance to the arena. I walked past these windows to the volunteer entrance and noticed that the kids had applied many illustrations of $@#$@#$@#$@#$@# to the windows, while this is generally frowned upon, it's still relatively harmless and pretty funny. :)

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

I could not agree more. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that long speeches given by former presidents are more relatable to teenagers than these "music" clowns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NelBNtNm8l0

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

As a student, when we have Dean or another important figure come out and give long-winded speeches about how STEM is great, that's cool and all, but it's not something I'll remember. In fact, after hearing the same spiel year after year, it just puts me to sleep, and listening to opening/closing ceremonies gets pretty insufferable.

But this quote, concise and memorable, will be the single "speech" that I will remember after I graduate.

Re: WILL.I.AM's comment on Einstein
 

Exactly, as a fellow student, I completely agree. This isn't us being arrogant, it simply isn't within the interests of the common teenage mind. I personally will remember something out of the ordinary and super interesting (like 330 flipping themselves... twice, 118's grappling hook, and Will.I.Am's comment) much more than I will remember exactly what Dean said at the closing ceremonies in 2015 (I actually don't remember much....).