Managing Grades and Responsibilities While On A FIRST Team

[Ankit S.]

One thing to make sure you do before build season is to drill into your members minds that between robotics and school, they will have very little time for anything else. As a result, video games, hanging out with friends, and even dates will have to be cut down.

[daniel_dsouza]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I have photos of students working the lathe dressed for a concert! Makes me wish for a formal dress night at robotics.

You and me both.

Our high school starts at around 7 (or earlier sometimes). That being said, we have early release times (2:15). So build sessions start at 3ish, giving us some time to do homework. Coupling that with a firm "end at 6*" policy, we seem to have plenty of time to balance homework and...more work . Programmers like to work at home, and use build sessions to debug, so they teach about/finish homework when they aren't busy.

However not everyone has the luxuries of a free period or a early release to do homework. Our team's juniors spend every free minute of their time on school, and still manage to do okay. Juniors and other die-hard roboticists, dispose of their social lives, and plan standardized tests around build season.

Sleep is very important*, and we have found that getting more sleep helps us work faster when we are awake. Which leaves me wondering why I'm awake now, on CD...

*except during the last week.

[sanddrag]

I'm curious to hear debates on homework before robotics time (at school) or after robotics time (at home).

[mlantry]

pretty much being a student during build season whenever i have free time i do homework nothing else like when were there late eating dinner i do homework during it, during the school day when i have a free period or lunch i do HW. When i don't have HW and i have free time i try to get ahead of work.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I have photos of students working the lathe dressed for a concert! Makes me wish for a formal dress night at robotics.

You think that's good? We have pictures of students working in the shop in hair curlers! I think there's even one of a student dressed for ballet...

To answer the initial question... I manage it all by working overtime in December and March (Since I'm salary, it doesn't really count as overtime from my boss's perspective). Seriously... before build season I work as far ahead as I can, and after build season I catch back up. You just have to accept how the build season goes, and have a plan to make sure your boss doesn't get mad at you

[JaneYoung]

Hi all,

I'm very surprised that this thread has been resurrected and am happy about it. One reason is that I'm being contacted by students who are saying that this thread is helpful to them.

Since reading the thread again, I've been thinking about how much my respect has grown for students and mentors in how they do manage their time and set priorities. I've also grown to respect the decisions that some of the parents that I've known and spoken with have made. The decisions have usually had to do with the consequences that occur with failure to meet deadlines or turning in assignments. I've also been surprised by their responses to 'good enough'. What may be good enough for the student is not good enough for the project and the parents and teachers know that and enforce stated consequences. If the student is slacking, blowing off deadlines, and failing to turn in assignments - the consequences can be very serious and can be detrimental to the student and to the team and the team's performance.

Another thought I've had since creating this thread is about the challenges that may be new to students. If a student hasn't had to study because school was 'easy' and is now suddenly impacted by a challenging curriculum and poor study habits - that could possibly impact the student's methods of setting priorities and meeting them. As a consequence, the team will be impacted. I would encourage students who feel overwhelmed by the demands of the classes - to seek help from teachers, parents, advisors, and fellow classmates in how to study and prioritize. There's no shame in that. And be realistic in what you can do on the team and do well, based on the demands of your school work and other activities.

I've been continually inspired by the efforts and sacrifice of families in order that their child can be a part of such an incredible experience - working with mentors and coaches on a FIRST team. Part of those efforts include using tough love and saying no - when deadlines are missed and assignments aren't turned in. On the flip side, I've been disappointed when structure and expectations are not in place and the students don't get a clear sense of consequences, acting surprised when things don't go well or smoothly for themselves or for the team.

Those are some thoughts that have continued to develop since this thread was started several years ago. Bottom line... many of the students that I've known and worked with since 2007 are furthering their education or are working in career fields in areas of science and technology. All of those students cherish their time in FIRST and the lessons they have learned.

Jane

[Mark Sheridan]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

I'm curious to hear debates on homework before robotics time (at school) or after robotics time (at home).

We push for the students to start homework after school. From about 3:00 to 5:00 (mentors arrive around 5-6), students work on their assignments. Sometimes it works with the team acting like a giant super study group with everyone helping each other. However I noticed essays rarely are done in these sessions. I got this tip from team 27's handbook.

I think we will push harder this year with the homework being done before robotics. Frankly, I don't want a student operating a drill press while thinking about that history report due tomorrow.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

For WildStang students, robots are dead last on the priority list. Family, school, church and what ever is needed at home comes first. Students need to maintain a minimum grade standard to be on the team including a grade for the robotics class. There is a higher standard for pit crew and drive team. And of course, grades are also part of the consideration for travel. Yes we have had drivers and pit crew in the past try to push the envelope and they lost. Grades fell and they were taken off the drive team or pit crew until things improved.
Mentors are in contact with the teachers and when grades start to fall, we will send students home to study until grades rise. We are an all year program and class that is assigned grades that affect GPA. The school district requires students to register for the class and attendance and participation are tracked for grade purposes.

[SarahBeth]

We tell our kids that school and work comes first. They can't travel if they dont meet grade requirements (I think its a C- or better in everything) and while school lets out at 3, we don't start meetings until 6 - this means a lot of our kids just stay after school. Some have stuff to do (sports, or other meetings) and some want to do homework.

Last year we ran into the problem where we'd open the room right after school for kids who wanted to do homework and more kids would come in and distract them, which would lead to fooling around time. Now we're not really opening the room until about an hour or so before the meeting, but we're running into a problem where the library in our school only stays open for an hour after school, and the senior cafe (the other place that they can hang after school if they don't have an activity to be at) has all its tables up after school.

I think we're going to talk to our liaison at the school and open the room at 4pm, with the strict rule that if you come at 4pm, its essentially study hall and its going to be quiet so people can get their homework done. We want to encourage the kids to get their work done before robotics rather than wait until after they get home.

[dcarr]

I'll echo what Mark said - and I think we'll plan to make these guidelines even clearer this year.

I'll speak from my own experience: Robotics taught me good time management. My entire senior year was my best academic year ever, with straight A's in all classes including numerous APs, all while being president of our team which was an incredibly demanding job both in and out of build season. I think when you have more to do you're forced to learn proper time management, so just like some studies show athletes having better grades during the season, I think the same could be observed of students in robotics (although I lack data other than my own personal observations to back that up).

[Gregor]

Going to bump this thread again as we head into the 2014 season. It's worth the read for anyone worried about keeping their grades up.

[cmrnpizzo14]

Originally Posted by Gregor

Going to bump this thread again as we head into the 2014 season. It's worth the read for anyone worried about keeping their grades up.

Thanks for the bump, I wish that I had read some of the advice while I was in high school.

I am a college freshman this year and for me maintaining a schedule during build season was darn near impossible.

I was on our FIRST team at school but I was also on our varsity rowing team (something that I now do at the division 1 level, I took that very seriously too). There would be days when our team meeting didn't technically start until 5:30 but I would have practice from right after school until then so I would be occupied at school until 8:30 at night.

Our team only met twice during the week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) so I learned very quickly that Monday, Wednesday and Friday would have to be my extra homework days. Until the end of build season when we were struggling to finish the robot I would use MWF to finish and get slightly ahead on schoolwork. I would try not to leave big projects or papers until a Tuesday or Thursday night because I knew I wouldn't be home in time to finish it.

My parents were very helpful too and let me slack on chores around the house during build season. Responsibilities like washing dishes, laundry, or keeping my room neat could be put off for a little while because I was so busy with school and robotics.

Overall, there were some nights when sleep was minimal but I learned which nights I could count on for homework and a little extra sleep and I could get through pretty well. I never had to rely on energy drinks or coffee to get me through the day.

[Jeffy]

If you're an underclassman, do your homework during down time at meetings.
If you're an upperclassman, get a study hall period.
If you're a college student, start everyday before 8.

Someone will have to help me with what adults with professions do...

[MechEng83]

Originally Posted by Jeffy

If you're an underclassman, do your homework during down time at meetings.
If you're an upperclassman, get a study hall period.
If you're a college student, start everyday before 8.

Someone will have to help me with what adults with professions do...

If you're a professional, adjust your schedule to accomodate, don't commit to optional engagements, use the "I'm helping build the future" card (that one has the side benefit of promoting FIRST)

[philso]

For the 2013 season, the build since it started at 3:30 so I used 6 days of my vacation time (2 hours per day x 4 days a week) to get off work early to go help/supervise/teach. I will most likely do the same this year.

I also put a priority on reserving time each week for a "date night" with my wife to make sure she stayed happy. Like Cam's parents, my wife deferred most of the items on my Honey-Do-list till after the build season. I am currently trying to get some of my chores done before the next build season.