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Unread 31-01-2013, 10:34
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AKA: Kelli
FRC #1802 (Stealth)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Re: At what point does it become unacceptable for a mentor to design/build the robot

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivan Malik View Post
As an FLL mentor, I watched as other mentors and head coaches would simply change code or redesign the whole robot and not explain it to the students. When parents would enter the room, at the end of meetings to pick up their kids, these mentors would act quite differently. Any attempt to talk to these colleagues about their actions would end in their denial the events ever happened.
I have also seen this at FLL competitions and rumbles. Although comparing FLL mentor involvement and FRC mentor involvement is like comparing apples to oranges. In FLL mentors are supposed to, I don't have my handbook in front of me to actually quote it, step back and let the students do the work but help them work through issues and challenges. Just look at one of their core values "We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors." It doesn't happen often but in our region we actually disqualify FLL team if we see mentors/coaches doing the work for the students.

FRC mentor involvement, as everyone has said, is a fine line. These students are working with tools and parts that can be dangerous if not used properly and sometimes there is a need for a mentor to do some of the work. Each team is different find the balance that fits your team and keeps every single one of the students engaged in the program. If we don't allow students to learn anything or be inspired we have not met what FIRST strives to do. We want to promote STEM fields and teach life/career/business skills. How can we achieve this by shutting students completely out of the process?
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