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Unread 24-04-2007, 21:27
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Billfred Billfred is online now
...and you can't! teach! that!
FRC #5402 (Iron Kings); no team (AndyMark)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: The Land of the Kokomese, IN
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Re: Mentors level of power

Quote:
Originally Posted by Niffer View Post
This stuff is great guys, along with this question I'd like to ask another one too

How much control should a mentor have on a team?
Enough to keep the kids from hurting themselves, the team (and its affiliated entities), and others. This is a non-trivial amount.

Quote:
Like lets say you team runs in a group structure system, meaning you have a student group leader for strategy,build,imagery,etc and then other students as team members for that group

Lets say your group makes a decision and a mentor comes in and shuts down that idea because they don't think its going to work. When you ask that leader why they say "Its not going to work its a waste of time" (we'll assume also of course that the group of students came up with a good idea and not an idea to,say make the robot fly =p).

Now do you think thats fair?
As tempted as I am to avoid the question (as FIRST is not fair), I will say that a good mentor will elaborate on why something is a waste of resources (time, material, money, etc.). This is not always obvious to the kids.

Quote:
Should a mentor be able to do that?
Absolutely, provided that the mentor explains his or her reasoning. Shooting down an idea is one thing; curtness is another.

Quote:
What should a mentor be able to do, not to do?
In my opinion, the mentor ideally should handle the things that the kids can not or should not do. If they can do things better than the kids, then teach the kids and work with them until they're just as capable--then let them handle it.

[edit]As a caveat, this would be my ideal situation. I found myself doing more as much or more work on 1618's robot this year compared to any of my years on 1293, for a variety of reasons. I'm hoping to be far more relaxed in 2008.[/edit]
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William "Billfred" Leverette - Gamecock/Jessica Boucher victim/Marketing & Sales Specialist at AndyMark

2004-2006: FRC 1293 (D5 Robotics) - Student, Mentor, Coach
2007-2009: FRC 1618 (Capital Robotics) - Mentor, Coach
2009-2013: FRC 2815 (Los Pollos Locos) - Mentor, Coach - Palmetto '09, Peachtree '11, Palmetto '11, Palmetto '12
2010: FRC 1398 (Keenan Robo-Raiders) - Mentor - Palmetto '10
2014-2016: FRC 4901 (Garnet Squadron) - Co-Founder and Head Bot Coach - Orlando '14, SCRIW '16
2017-: FRC 5402 (Iron Kings) - Mentor

93 events (more than will fit in a ChiefDelphi signature), 13 seasons, over 60,000 miles, and still on a mission from Bob.

Rule #1: Do not die. Rule #2: Be respectful. Rule #3: Be safe. Rule #4: Follow the handbook.

Last edited by Billfred : 25-04-2007 at 20:33.
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