Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaxom
Big Al taught me to start an inspection by asking for the various systems' student leads and asking everyone else - especially adults - to leave the pit. If you don't want to talk to the adults, don't. I suspect you'll be pleasantly surprised. In 5 years of inspecting I can only recall 2 inspections that turned into me talking significantly to adults.
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I like the idea here... and I know what you are getting at. I agree that most of the discussion should be with students, but to ask the adults to leave the pit area is like saying to them "You aren't part of the team. This isn't your robot. Go away."
I know you don't mean it like that... but the adults are part of the team. They've got a little bit of their heart in that robot, too. More importantly, however, the adults are the team's brain trust and memory banks. Students graduate and move on... you're lucky to get three years of useful FRC experience from a student, and never more than five. The teachers and mentors, however, can stick around for a long time. If you can educate them about the inspection process, then they can educate their team members in future years.
Work with the students. Talk to the students. Don't let adults dominate the conversation, and keep the number of people in the pit down to a safe, managable level. But please include the teachers and mentors as part of the inspection process, particularly with newer teams. The adults, as much as anyone, need to know what is going on, what you are looking for, and why you are looking for it. After all, if it weren't for those adults that you suggest kicking out of the pit, there wouldn't be any kids or robot in the pit, either.
Jason