team light

[RyanN]

Not related to the intended topic, but we found that giving test on the rules that would determine whether or not they go to competition to be pretty motivating.

Also, mentors shouldn't have to read the rules. We are just here to create ideas, then the students should say legal or illegal.

[Cow Bell Solo]

Originally Posted by RyanN

Not related to the intended topic, but we found that giving test on the rules that would determine whether or not they go to competition to be pretty motivating.

Also, mentors shouldn't have to read the rules. We are just here to create ideas, then the students should say legal or illegal.

That is not that bad of an idea, I think I will mention that to the mentors for either this year, or following. I know as one of the students on the team that reads the manual, it is annoying if others don't. They either all come asking me, and then even though I know the answer I tell them to look in the manual and then they just leave and sometimes I don't think they end up looking in the manual to answer their question. Just as a student this is frustrating let alone being a mentor.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by RyanN

Also, mentors shouldn't have to read the rules. We are just here to create ideas, then the students should say legal or illegal.

Au contraire! The mentors need to read the rules too. If a student says something is legal (say, 3" bumper segments), and the other students agree, and the mentors haven't read the rules, there just might be some nasty surprises at competition.

That doesn't mean that the mentors should simply give the students the answer, though. The mentors should ask what the rules say, then let the student find/quote the rules. Only correct them if they are actually wrong.

Also: Have you read the rules? Have your students read the rules?

The mentors should not just be there to create ideas, either. They should actually mentor. This means that they should actually work with the students to generate or refine ideas. Not only this, but they should teach the students how to make those ideas reality.

[jgraber]

Originally Posted by EricH

Au contraire! The mentors need to read the rules too. If a student says something is legal (say, 3" bumper segments), and the other students agree, and the mentors haven't read the rules, there just might be some nasty surprises at competition.
...
The mentors should not just be there to create ideas, either. They should actually mentor. This means that they should actually work with the students to generate or refine ideas. Not only this, but they should teach the students how to make those ideas reality.

Good points. I foresee lots of wasted time/trouble with random drive-by acts of industry mentors unfamiliar with FIRST or robotics or the rules.
Expected common utterances from drive-by mentoring, be prepared to deflect gracefully:
- "Lower the trailer hitch to get more traction"
- "Get higher traction wheels"
- "Latch onto their trailer"
- "angle the front bumpers to deflect balls into your harvester"
- "put a shield over your trailer"
- "build a flipper to turn over the other robots"
- "use a strobe light to blind the other cameras"
- "use my donated $5000 DSP+HD camera setup instead of KOP"
- "use two batteries for more power, or double the weight for more traction"

Potentially more useful specific questions for drive-by mentors to help with:
- What kind of bearing do I need for this rotational joint?
- What kind of fastening system would hold these three square tubes at 90 degree angles?
- Is there some kind of blind fastener system I can use so I add and remove this gearbox with just one screwdriver from the top side only?
- What parts of this existing robot can be simplified or weight reduced?

[Rick Wagner]

Sometimes the discussions make me wonder how many mentors have read the Mentoring Guide. Sometimes a mentor must do a task the students are unable to do while the students watch. The next time, the students should be able to do the task while the mentor watches.

[peter1626]

can i just make a quick point, this thread was about the light not mentors!

[EricH]

Originally Posted by peter1626

can i just make a quick point, this thread was about the light not mentors!

Can I point out that this thread is a full year old? (And request that it be closed by a moderator?