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.

[colin340]

i like what Dave said here,

Originally Posted by dlavery

I think that for a lot of us, the realistic answer is "I don't manage it. Everything on my schedule pretty much goes all to hell during build season. Which is why I am glad it is only six weeks long!"

-dave

yeah school is a thing, in fact as a teacher it's a big thing in my life. But i feel that the actions and passion of a student, plays a way bigger role then grades do in terms of long term success.

yeah, do your work in HS so you can get in to a college, but work 10x harder to find what you love. THEN DO THE SNOT OUT OF IT!!

[Coach Norm]

Originally Posted by MechEng83

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)

Plus One or Like this

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Jeffy

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

Well, health remains first. That's fairly universal.

When I am at work, all I do is work. No FIRST stuff, no personal stuff, no plaing around. I put in my solid 8 hours, more when necessary.

After that is home, chores, and other mandatory commitments (like walking the dog).

Last is robots. If I can't get there some nights, I don't feel guilty. I do what I can, but not what I can't.

[gracie.]

Sometimes it's hard to remember school is the #1 priority when robots can be a lot more engaging. I've kind of been in a FRC family for the past 7 years, and there's a phenomenon my parents have dubbed the "robotics grade slump". You hit 2nd semester and everything goes to chaos.

I managed to avoid the slump last year, something different works for everyone, but here's my best advice:

1) Use the time. -- For our team, there's a 3 hour window between school ending and robotics starting. It's excellent for goofing off and going to CVS, but actually doing some work might be a nice idea. Yes, you'll have to work after too, that's just the reality of our school, but it'll bump up your sleep time (and let's be honest, you'll get to surf reddit before bedtime, too).
2) Talk to your teachers. -- If it's week four and you've got three tests on the same day, something's got to give, and chances are, one or more of your teachers will be forgiving. They're good people. It's a lot easier to negotiate an extension than to do damage control on a bad grade (and you'll be thankful when you're applying to college and have to look back on your gpa).
3) Have a quitting time. -- There's a point at which your neurological function just kind of drops off a cliff, whether you feel it or not. During season, learning to prioritize and knowing when it's bedtime anyway can really save you. 1am works for me.
4) Feed thyself. -- Honestly, forgetting to eat and drink properly is a big problem. Remaining hydrated and fed is important whether you're working with potentially dangerous tools or just trying to keep your eyes open for another 40 minutes to finish your calc homework. Plus, sometimes jumping jacks or breakfast food at midnight has a better kick than energy drinks.

That and have an excellent supply of diet mtn dew-- more caffeine, no sugar crash! Good luck this season, everyone!

Edit: Last thought-- know when you /need/ to miss robotics and know that that's ok. Seriously. Dance rehearsals and parental mandates happen.

[Dustin Shadbolt]

Originally Posted by Jeffy

If you're a college student, start everyday before 8.

Yep. This is what I have to do during the build season. It's worth it.

[yash101]

Homework is your priority. Get your homework done first, Study a couple hours for tests, and then spend the rest of your time on CD, doing robotics and playing video games

You will have a great life, then!

During build season, many more hours would be spent in robotics. Talk to your mentors if they can have a set amount of Homework time, where you are supposed to be doing your homework. Or even better, if the student finishes whatever homework is possible for them to finish (because some will need textbooks that aren't available), then they should be allowed to do robotics

[Gregor]

I'd like to bring this thread back up again as a new kickoff approaches. This thread really helped me remember where to focus my efforts in my later years of high school, as I definitely did not balance FRC and schoolwork well enough. You should read through the entire thread.

2015 was my last game as a student, and I'm currently in first year university.

This post is mostly targeted to university bound students, but there's some useful information for anyone.

You will see your grades decrease during build season. Don't let them crash too hard, and work extra hard before and after season to compensate. I'm the kind of person who has to be at every meeting or I'll feel like I'm missing out and not contributing. If you're that kind of person too, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave yourself sometime before, during, or after meetings to study. I had an hour commute each way by public transit to 1310, so I took advantage of that time. Don't be afraid to excuse yourself for an hour or two during meetings to go sit in an empty classroom.

Talk with your teachers, ask if they can give you some leniency on deadlines. I've found that once I explained my time commitment to robotics, my teachers were very understanding and let my hand in assignments late without penalty. Don't take advantage of this, but use it if you really have to. Do make sure you talk to them in advance, before anything is due. Don't show up to class the day a big project is due and say that you couldn't finish because you were at robotics. You will see your grades decrease during build season. Don't let them crash too hard, and work extra hard before and after season to compensate.

You do not have to go to meetings every day. I did and I probably shouldn't have. My team didn't meet on Sundays, I have no idea how people can attend meetings 7 days a week. If I had attended meetings on Sunday's too I can confidently say I wouldn't have gotten into the university I did.

FRC is not worth giving up your grades. If you're planning on attending university this message is especially important. FRC definitely provides you valuable skills over others, after one semester in engineering I've already noticed this, but you also have to get there. Don't trick yourself into "FRC is the best learning you'll ever do" mindset because it's not true. FRC is incredible and one of the most important aspects of my life, but your formal education is more important. Don't hurt yourself in the future.

You will see your grades decrease during build season. Don't let them crash too hard, and work extra hard before and after season to compensate.

This thread has good examples of things to try and avoid.

[jpetito]

Teachers, like students, have their own homework. If your'e one of those who go to the classroom by day and then the robot shop by night, you gotta find ways to manipulate the time in your favor; I mean, there's only so much of it, and when your time's up…

When you must twiddle your thumbs, waiting for Joey or Janey robot builder to affix some widget on the robot before you can weld on that list bit of shooter strut, you've gotta be on the phone ginning up the next crew of volunteers, or calling for quotes on getting a bus, or hotel reservations, or the parent who forgot to bring food for 25. Five minutes here, seven or eight minutes there can be put to use updating the grading program (when the kids look over your shoulder and see the gradebook open on your digital device, they slink away and leave you alone) or calling Freddie's mom to tell her he's been a stinker today if fifth period. Again.

School, like the military, is full of hurry-up-and-wait, full of down minutes at odd intervals. Take that Wait and put it to use, hacking on the lists you've made to do the tasks that keep the team functional, will keep all of them in the game. Somehow, in the end, it's all worth it. You wear the grey hair with a sense of accomplishment.

[Gregor]

This will probably be buried in the chaos of Kickoff, but I'm bringing this thread back again.

I don't really have anything to add to from my post last year, so please put your grades first. If you're anything like how I was you won't, but I hope this thread helps anyway, read the whole thing!

[GeeTwo]

Originally Posted by Gregor

FRC is not worth giving up your grades.

Nominated for spotlight.

[garyjune]

For us, managing school and FRC don't really conflict until we hit build season. At that point we're working 4 hours a day, 3-5 days a week. We don't have mandatory attendance every day, but members are encouraged to come out to at least twice a week during build season. It all depends on assignment deadlines in order to decide whether you're coming to FIRST on any given day. Grades are more important!

[JaclynGFC]

We always let the students decide when they need to be at build. No meeting is mandatory except our once a week recaps which are held after school. We also start build in the evenings so more mentors can be there to help (I have two small kids and live thirty minutes away, so I can't stay late for build). This year, I have opened up the option for team members to sit in my room after school to work on homework. This is especially useful for those who ride the bus and can't necessarily get back to build easily. It's also a way to help students stay on track with their grades.

For those team members that I teach, I often give them time extensions on assignments and projects during build.