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Unread 06-10-2014, 15:09
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Rachel.Alaynick Rachel.Alaynick is offline
Head of Public Relations
FRC #0004 (Team 4 ELEMENT)
Team Role: RoboCoach
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Rookie Year: 2012
Location: California
Posts: 4
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Re: Large amount of team members.

Team 4 has a larger group of students this year (appx. 70), and our membership has fluctuated in the past. We're not allowed to cut anyone unless they fail to meet the minimum number of hours or GPA requirement.

We have veteran team 'leads' that manage sub-groups such as machining, programming, public relations, etc. New members typically spend the first couple weeks alternating between all of these and getting a feel for what they want. Our leads focus on teaching and inspiring new members during that time through lessons and some short, hands-on tasks.

Some people drop out after this because they don't have the time or interest, or their GPA doesn't meet our requirement.

After the initiation period and first cut, we have a variety of hands-on projects for new members to work on. A veteran member oversees it to ensure safety rules are being followed, to answer questions, etc. Students can choose which project they want to be a part of: the 254 project, VEX, robot rebuild, or specialized programming tasks. By having new members take ownership of a project within small groups, they become more invested in their success. These projects also encompass a myriad of skills, so students get experience in all aspects of the team.

I suggest utilizing hands-on projects to help engage new members and to help them take ownership of their role on the team. Of course some members will drop out naturally over time, but the projects are great learning experiences and provide direction.
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