[Marygrace]

I think a major thing a mentor/teacher needs was put into words by Redeadjokes. I don't remember the exact quote, but it was something a long the line of "A good teacher always needs to be a good student,"

A mentor that is able form a bond is the best. I think it is important for the mentors and teachers to not only help with the robot, fundraising, website, or whatever. But also to maybe be a life coach. Six weeks with people, they will look up to you. The team is likely to become a second family.

One that doesn't expect everything from everyone. They should realize that not everyone has the same abilities and they should be able to bring out each students attributes that would contribute best to the team.

They should love what they do, love the kids, and love the program. I dont know of anyone who doesn't love FIRST, but that is a big part.

Now I know there are a lot of debates over every team member having to know about the robot. But personnally, I dont agree with that. FIRST is for inspiration, if they dont get the robot, let them paint, fiundraise, cheer. As long as they get exposed to the PROCESS and maybe in the end get interested in engineering. They should be able to realize that it isn't about winning the comp, or building the best robot, it is about the experience and the process, gettin exposed to everything that has to deal with being a part of a FIRST team. Whether it be building a robot, fundraising, public relations, spirit, leadership, team work, people skills, negotiating skills....We can go on and on about the stuff a robotics team contains.

They also need to learn how to speak teen. Not all of us speak engineer. I am not a programmer, nor do i know anything about calculus or trig. LOL, pleeeeeez break it down for me. Lay out this bag of snakes.

The most important thing of a mentor is to understand the goal of FIRST. For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.