As a mentor I try to follow:
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Watch one, build one, teach one
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with the students. Intent is to make sure they have the skills and are able to spread them to other students. And you will see interchanges between roboteers and I: "Mr Foster can you show me how to do X? No, but I showed Chuck and he can show you, lets get him" and I watch Chuck show how to do the construction.
Having said that, if we are short handed with students then I will build/ make/ assemble robot parts. I'm not going to let them miss ship date because someone isn't there. And the only time I <gently> push a roboteer away from a robot is when they are about to or are doing something that isn't safe.
I would like to see a 100% roboteer designed and built robot, but we have a problem that the roboteers that have the level of skills to do that graduate and go off to an engineering college. (I've tried starting a "Super Duper Double Senior" program, so far no takers)
So to summarize:
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Our team is run 50/50 with mentors and students working hand in hand on ALL aspects of the season. We've found when students get to work as peers with "real" engineers, magic happens. This really allows our students to get the most out of the FIRST experience. (JVN)
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