Help! Getting teachers inspired

[David Kelso]

Just some thoughts that may help you see how some teachers may view your group and some suggestions.

Think about how much is involved with a FIRST team and how much a teacher may fear they are getting involved with. It seems simple to a student, but not to an outsider.

Teachers hear kids talk. Have they heard things that causes them to want to stay away from your team....from all night work sessions to an exageration of who did what on a team trip. Have teachers heard things about your team that would scare them away? If so, you need to be able to garantee that the problem has stopped.

Start off trying to get a teacher involved in one aspect of your team. Is there an art teacher who will assist with making props for a competion or help with Tee shirt design? How about a computer/technology teacher who may help lead the animation entry. A teacher who may help build the field.(Look for a teacher who might build things for use in his/her classroom. Have you considered an English teacher who may be able to help you organize your award entrys or listen to you talk about your robot and give speaking suggestions? (Always be sure that you are specific in what you are asking for and do not ask for more if they agree to help. ....let them offer to do more (until after their first season, and then go for more)

Finally, schools often pay a stipend to teachers for advising teams. In my district, this amounts to less than my travel expenses to a single travel event.
Be sure you are not going to cause your teacher to unwillingly spend money out of their pocket.

Now, if you can snag a single teacher and they are happy or at least they do not complain to others, it will be easier to get more teachers.

All this sounds just so easy, now go do it............