Managing Grades and Responsibilities While On A FIRST Team

[mrnoble]

I'm also glad this has been re-bumped.

Here's what I make clear to my students in August, and repeat whenever necessary throughout the school year.

Your life should be prioritized.

First priority is health: physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally. If you are paralyzed by health problems in any of these areas, nothing else will function anyway. Keep yourself sane, and keep your most important relationships intact.

Second (but a really, really close second) is doing well in school. What you do now determines a lot about your future, so keep your grades up. If necessary, use time after school in the robotics rooms to do your homework (in fact, a number of students do just that, and help each other).

Third is commitments. If you have a dog, feed it and take it for walks. If you have a job, or are in charge of something where someone is relying on you, fulfill your obligations. If you can't, you need to determine whether you can remain in a position like that, or if something else needs to give. Commitments include positions of leadership and authority in our robotics team.

Fourth is opportunities. Take them when you can, especially if they will help get you where you want to end up. For many of our students, robotics is an opportunity. I'd rather they come when they can, and contribute what they can, than they overcommit and hurt themselves in other areas.

Fifth is everything else: video games, relaxing, hanging out, etc.

We've used this scale a number of times, and it's really helped students sort themselves out without feeling guilty or left out.