[Scott_4140]

Originally Posted by Barry Bonzack

Here is my bottom line, your team is welcome to have a 100% students design and build process if that is how your mentors believe will provide the most inspirational experience. However, there is nothing in the rulebook that gives this specific guidance, the same standard will not be held to other teams, and the judges will not punish other teams who choose not to.

Well, I wouldn't say there's nothing in the rulebook...

The FIRST Tech Challenge is a student-centered activity that is mentor supported and is about giving students a unique and stimulating experience. We want students to learn the value of teamwork and to respect everyone’s ideas and contributions to the team. The FIRST Tech Challenge allows high school students to work hand-in-hand with technical professionals to develop a solution to the annual challenge. The students do a majority of the work, but the mentor is there to offer guidance, suggestions, and coaching to keep the students on task and successful. FIRST values are about appreciating our differences and learning what those differences add to our lives. FIRST programs succeed most fully when team members bring the FIRST values they learn back to their communities.

Beyond that, the Mentor Guide is fairly specific.

A Mentor…
• Requires no special skills, but should have patience, dedication, and a willingness to learn alongside the team.
• Is any person who works with the team in his or her area of expertise, for at least one team meeting.
• Helps provide valuable one-on-one interaction and serves as a resource in his or her specialty.
• Directs the process the team follows to solve the yearly game challenge, without providing the solution him or herself.
• Is a confidant, supporter, Coach, teacher, motivator, and facilitator.

A Mentor’s role includes:
• Allowing students to do as much of the work as possible.

Twelve Basic Guidelines for Mentors
2. Avoid the temptation to do the work or to deprive team members of the chance to discover the right the answer on their
own. Mentors should guide a team without directing it. This creates the best learning and growth experiences for team
members.

The Mentor as a Facilitator
As a Mentor, it is important to be involved, but it is equally important to make sure the process is directed and completed by
students.