[FTC]: Judging Session and Student Ideas

[F Elliott]

My students raised a few questions while they were preparing for the judging at our regional this weekend.

1. Should they each introduce themselves? Shake hands with the judges?
2. 2/7 of my students are Asian and think it would be a nice touch if we bow.
3. 4/7 of my students are multilingual and asked if we should speak in other languages.
4. Should all students talk/say something?
5. How "scripted should they be? Is this better handled as formal or casual?
6. Should we have a "set" of things we say or do (and if so, for how long) and leave time for questions or should we just let the judges ask questions the entire 10 minutes?

THANKS!

[safiq10]

As a student who will be competiting at the same regional (team 3697) I think
Students should definitely introduce themselves it builds a basic relationship.I also think that the asian bow and bilingual thing would definitely get you guys noticed from the get go. We were also planning on starting in a similar manner. We hope to see you at the competition. Maybe we can meet up at the competition?

[F Elliott]

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, let's try to connect Saturday. At our qualifier we were scrambling just to finish so my students didn't get to meet many other teams. I am hoping this weekend they get out and meet more students. I will send them your way!

[cadandcookies]

Regarding foreign languages: introductions or "color language" would be good for getting noticed, actually presenting in a different language is probably a bad idea unless your judges are fluent (which you probably don't have a guarantee of).

Scripting your presentation immediately sets you ahead-- especially since you're a rookie team, coming into judging prepared will give you a leg up immediately.

Fill your presentation with as much content as you actually have-- explaining the robot, explaining what your team's strengths in regards to a certain award are, etc are all valid strategies. Don't have "filler time" or repeat content that isn't important.

Good luck at your tournament!

[Carol]

As a judge, it's nice when the students shake hands, but it takes time that can be used to better purposes - promoting your team. And don't forget, judges shake a lot of hands, and it IS cold and flu season......

You definitely need to come in with a practiced presentation of some sort. Make it succinct and emphasize your team's strengths, which may or may not be about the robot. Allow time at the end for judges to ask questions. Not everyone has to talk (although it looks better when more than one does) but everyone has to be prepared to answer questions.

It isn't a bad idea to have some type of handout summarizing your team and it's strength. Judges have to take notes, and having something to help with that is always good.

[MattRain]

This is straight from our Valley X Robotics' website. On there we have tips and tricks. There is a compeititon tab in there, that can explain some of the stuff that will be going on at competiton if this is your first one. http://valleyx2844.com

Judging

Once you pass inspection, by that time, or around there, you will probably be given a sheet of paper with your judging time. THAT RARELY CHANGES, don’t miss it! That is your time to shine to the judges. When you go in, they will ask you different questions. Be ready to answer question, like who everyone is on the team, and what they do. (MENTORS and PARENTS, if you go into the judging room, which some vendors will let you do, DON’T talk, your not allowed.) Let your students shine It’s the students responsibility to talk about the team and robot.

​Here are some things you as students should be ready to answer:

- Your team / your position or what you do on the team
- Outreach
- Your robot (Go into detail of the strengths or unique designs of your bot)
- Your weaknesses. (Be ready for this question, it comes up sometimes)
- What Gracious Professionalism means to YOU. (This WILL come up)

[TRWSHSHLX]

1. Yes they should each introduce themselves (name & title in the team). Keep it short. Shake hands if you can. For all the competitions I went to they sit behind a table so it's a bit of an inconvenience but it can't hurt.

2. Bowing is a nice touch but nothing more than that - not necessary but can't hurt.

3. No. The goal of judging is to present your team & robot, not to "show off" how many languages each student know. It distracts away from the presentation. However it can be noted in the engineering journal if you have a profile section.

4. Yes. Each students do something on the team so they can talk about what they do for example. It also shows team balance / dynamic / work.

5. Think of it as a conversation. You are telling someone about your team and what you do. It's more towards casual since all the technical stuff are recorded (or they should be) in your engineering journal; the team is there to talk with the judges and clarify / highlight anything they want to talk about. Practice a few times and have a general guideline / routine that the team does, like first introduce themselves, then each subsystems of the robot, then Q&A, etc.

6. The judges usually let you know how long the team have to present and for a Q/A. Practice beforehand helps tremendously.

[F Elliott]

Awesome suggestions and ideas everyone. It will help me tremendously in giving structure and guidance to my students. Many thanks!

There have been two local teams and coaches who have been a big help to us. I was going to have our team acknowledge them during our judging session.

[Carol]

Originally Posted by F Elliott

There have been two local teams and coaches who have been a big help to us. I was going to have our team acknowledge them during our judging session.

Great idea! That helps not only you but those teams as well. Judges do take note of that.

[skatefriday]

Originally Posted by Carol

As a judge, it's nice when the students shake hands, but it takes time that can be used to better purposes - promoting your team. And don't forget, judges shake a lot of hands, and it IS cold and flu season......

Ugh, yeah, the shaking hands thing is just not a good idea.
If I'm sitting there with a bottle of Purel in front of me, you
should take the hint that I don't want to touch you.

If you want to bow, that's fine, but make sure it's the
entire team. But if I'm looking at that and I'm judging I
might just think you are playing off of stereotypes. Does
anyone use a bow in any other setting? No? Then why
are you using it here?

Similarly, if I'm a judge I want to be able to understand
you. Talking in a language that I don't understand, for no
other reason than to show me that you grew up in a
multilingual household isn't going to score a whole lot of
points. And it's going to consume time that could otherwise
be used telling me how awesome your robot is.

I think the key to an effective judging experience is
excitement about the program, the robot, and the
competition. All team members should be engaged
and all team members should have a specific item(s)
to talk about. Show enthusiasm. Show an intimate
knowledge of the robot, hardware and software, and
the game. Do outreach in the off season and then talk
about it in judging.

[F Elliott]

This thread is rapidly becoming my favorite.

Last year during a graduation rehearsal, teachers played the roles of the dignitaries. After we shook hands with all 335 graduates we all, as a group, without even being dismissed or told to do so, marched off the stage and washed our hands. It was a sign I had "arrived" as a teacher. Rookie no more!