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Originally Posted by JamesCH95
Don't you students forget that us mentors might actually *like* building robots. Most of us are also volunteers. It's easy to keep volunteer mentors around when they get to do things that they enjoy. I pencil-whip problems and model things in CAD all freakin' day, and I really enjoy going to robotics and making parts, it's a great change of pace. Coaching would hold less appeal for me if I couldn't work with my students in the hands-on part of FRC (as well as designing).
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In the past, I mentored a team where the teacher leading the team didn't want the mentors to do anything other than ensure the students didn't hurt themselves with the power tools. We were admonished for telling some of the students that they needed to read the rules after they suggested strategies or mechanisms that we knew would be ruled illegal. It was okay with her that many of the student leaders spent half their time at the build meetings sleeping or playing computer games. I don't think that the students learned very much, nor were they inspired. We were basically babysitters. That was no fun so I moved on to another team where the students actually listen when given advice. It is gratifying to see a student using some tool technique that I taught them the previous week. It is now worth it to me to drive about 18-20 miles one way (3 times as far as for the other team).
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamesTerm
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It is very tempting to leave a copy of this picture on my Boss' desk.