Quote:
Originally Posted by davidthefat
Spreading the love for STEM; that is why its their loss. They are missing out!  |
Are you sure about that?
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
FIRST is about Inspiration and Recognition. If a student does not want to be inspired, then yeah, their problem. But it's not just about STEM. Oh, no.
--FRC teams are run like small businesses. I know at least one person majoring in business who spent several years on a team.
--A number of former FIRST students have gone into teaching.
--FRC students can also go into manufacturing very easily, if they've been working with a team that has that capability.
That science and technology knowledge may not seem like it comes in handy for those, but the appreciation of them and the desire to allow those that don't know about how cool they are to find out doesn't go away easily. It's that spark of "I built that!" that can drive someone to do better in their chosen career, STEM or not.
If a student does not want to participate, that's what they're missing out on. If a student is being disruptive in addition to not participating, they'd probably get the boot--but if they changed their behavior, they should be allowed to return.
If a student does not want to participate, and does not show up at all, that's not really our concern. If a student does want to participate, but has schedule conflicts with other activities, then do not deny them the opportunity for that inspiration. Work with them and with as many of the other scheduling factors as you can (parents, sports coaches, etc.) to find a viable solution that allows them to participate. The initial situation, as described, was that of a student who wanted to participate but could not make it more than a little bit per week.