"I'm not that smart"

[SafetyGracie]

Our team had a booth set up at our 4H fair, trying to get attention from kids who might want to join. Some of us were driving around the '06 and '08 robot, and the other half were building a new, vex type robot just for the fun of it.
Well, a few boys seemed pretty interested, they were watching us drive and build, and when I asked him if he was interested in joining the team, he said "I'm not that smart."
That's not the first time I've had that response, I've been getting it a lot lately. Does anyone else have this problem, and more importantly, how do we dispell the myth that FIRST and the robotics teams in general are only for the genius and the tech geek?

[Carol]

[quote=SafetyGracie;758277]
Well, a few boys seemed pretty interested, they were watching us drive and build, and when I asked him if he was interested in joining the team, he said "I'm not that smart."
QUOTE]

And what was your reply?

[Molten]

Usually I give them an example. I point at one of the kids that are just goofing off and tell them, "He's not that smart either". Joking, of course, but it makes them realize that we are still kids too.

[SafetyGracie]

Originally Posted by Molten

Usually I give them an example. I point at one of the kids that are just goofing off and tell them, "He's not that smart either". Joking, of course, but it makes them realize that we are still kids too.

Yeah, we always try to show them Samir. =)

[Elgin Clock]

Obviously you don't want to respond with "you don't have to be smart" because as AndyB stated, it doesn't give the program the justice it deserves & it comes off like you are agreeing that they aren't smart without even knowing them. Not the best way to start things off with anyone.

I'm curious about the ages of the boys who gave that response to you. Answers may vary depending on how old the person is who says that to you, but the following will work for anyone I'm sure.

All you need to do in these situations is to turn it around on them & give the hope that even folks who don't think they are smart can succeed in the program, & that everyone has potential for turning themselves into one of the "smart ones" if they just want to step up & take that challenge upon themselves with some help from joining a team of course.

A lot of the time in FIRST it's not what you have when you enter the program, but what you gain from being in it.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Obviously you don't want to respond with "you don't have to be smart" because as AndyB stated, it doesn't give the program the justice it deserves & it comes off like you are agreeing that they aren't smart without even knowing them. Not the best way to start things off with anyone.

In what was does it not give the program justice? By starting with that, you've almost left no way to reply.

I must've offended a lot of people in my time, 'cause I've heard this line and given more or less the same answer every time; you don't have to be smart, and you'll get out what you put in. I can even think of some members who joined, and ended up being extremely valuable members.

[tennispro9911]

The problem when people say they aren't that smart is that usually they mean they don't have enough knowledge, or that they aren't good at specific things.

I try to start off by saying that when I started that I didn't know very much about robotics either.

Our team tries to explain that we will go through and teach incoming members all of the basics they need to succeed and that there are many different positions and needs on the team other than just building robots. Every member will make contributions in what they enjoy doing and are good at doing. We are a team that needs lots of people who are different and not just the "genius and nerd."

At least thats how it works in theory. Our team doesn't have many non-tech people.

There is a difference between aptitude and knowledge.

On a seperate note, what would you do if someone who really wasn't smart was thinking about joining? I don't mean someone who is average in school, I mean someone who say is having serious trouble understanding remedial classes in school?

[SafetyGracie]

Originally Posted by tennispro9911

On a seperate note, what would you do if someone who really wasn't smart was thinking about joining? I don't mean someone who is average in school, I mean someone who say is having serious trouble understanding remedial classes in school?

We kind of have that situation. There is a kid on our team with a mental disability(it's mild) but we still find things for him to do. He deburs and rivets and some other stuff. He enjoys it, and he's still putting something in for the team, so no one minds really.

[tennispro9911]

A lot of people outside FIRST, for the most part, think along the lines of smart=knowledge=experience=intelligence=ability=.. ...

Thats not true. Its not how much knowledge you have, its how much you want to learn. Its how much time you are willing to spend learning X Y and Z. Thats what is important. The senior who comes in knowing everything about programming, and just writes the code he already knows how to write doesn't gain nearly as much as the freshman who goes in knowing next to nothing about robots and emerges in four years knowing a heck of a lot about robots, and even more about leadership, teamwork, and the term is overused, but gracious professionalism.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I like to think that the majority of people have about the same level of intelligence. The difference between us is how much we are committed to narrow our focus. I once met a brilliant heart surgeon. He would analyze your heart function by measuring it's volume when fully open and when fully compressed, throw in some variables based on your size (skin surface area), age, sex, etc. and be able to tell if your heart was capable of delivering the required flow at the right pressure. He was called on as an assistant in all kinds of difficult surgeries at different hospitals all over the state. But he couldn't remember how to play, rewind and fast forward a tape machine. He had focused his vision so much that all of his attention was on hearts and nothing else. His office assistant told me he had a hard time finding his office some days.
So if everyone is about the same then the response should be "you are already smart enough, you just need to focus on something. Join the team and we will help you learn how to do that."

[RoboMom]

There are lots of resources available on the FIRST website, and within the Regional Planning Guides (although the challenge is often finding them )

Over the years I've collected various "core messages" and responses from FIRST when questions like these arise.

I found this is one. Sorry I don't know where it came from on the site, but it is "official" language.

Is scientific, technology or mathematics expertise required for students to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition?
FIRST invites students who may not be predisposed to science, math, or technology to participate. In fact, the FRC is designed to inspire, motivate and encourage students to learn basic principles while challenging more experienced students. Since there are critical roles for students in everything from design and building , to computer animation, to fundraising and research, every student can actively participate and benefit.

I also add the words "teamwork" "professionalism" and "problem-solving". And the word "FUN."

[Lancer Robotics]

As a rookie team this past season I took our school coordinator to vidit one of the most experienced team in out State. (only had 3 at the time) and they let us go over their past 7 robots and take pictures and ask 1000s of questions.

When we got in the car to return home she looked at me and said "can our girls do that? It looks so complicated". this is a similar reaction that I get from potential students. I tell them the same thing I told our coordinator, don't look at the final product, look at the individual parts. it is easy to make a gusset and fasten it to a piece of metal, or easy to conect a wire to a motor.

Just like an airplane home builder says, look at the individual step not the whole project or you will become over whelmed.

Our team members who thought they could only design tee shirts are now looking at designing the robot for next year. It is not brains but desire that matters.

These are just my ramblings but i hate hearing anyone say "I am not that smart" As Alexandre Kemurdjian said "Everyone is capable of doing extraordinary things in their own way"

[sgreco]

I have gotten that a lot. I request to someone that they join our team and they say that they aren't smart enough. I tell them "I'm not smart either...heck...I just asked you to join."

I'm just kidding. But seriously, I do get that a lot. I usually tell them the truth, "I hardly knew anything when I started." The way I like to represent my team, is by saying that we are a team that teaches engineering, programming etc. This way, I think kids feel less intimidated, because they are being taught instead of just applying skills that they already (or don't already) have. Of course it doesn't always work, but it is a good place to start.

[Andrew Schreiber]

I would always tell people that it isn't a matter of "smart", more a matter of passion. Basically that even if you THINK you lack the natural abilities that some people have you can more than make up for them with a willingness to learn. (story at end of post)

Also, a good point to always make, FIRST is about teamwork. I know very few people who would be capable of taking a FRC robot from design through to competition all alone. Yet I know TONS of "smart" people. You don't need to know how everything is done, you need to know what you have an interest in.

An interesting story about someone who feels they are not so smart:

My father is a man who often tells us he has never read a whole book in his life. I believe him, he is slow at reading. He is horrible with computers, and frankly gets confused using a TV. What my father IS good at is math, not so much the calculus math, he hasn't taken much past algebra. But he is very at using numbers to make a point. By looking at numbers he was able to help us keep our school alive. Here is a man who claims he is not very smart but using what he does have, and what he knows, he was able to make a HUGE difference.

Another point about my father, despite not understanding computers, he follows several tech stocks and surprises me with his understanding of what they make on a pretty regular basis.

I tell this story because here is a person who doesn't think they are smart (like your young man) who has made a massive difference for at least one school. Brains aren't everything, in fact they count for less than nothing. What matters is using your abilities, whatever they may be, to improve yourself and those around you. Oh and for reference, I think he is one of the smartest people I know.

Sorry for the essay

[Branden Ghena]

My response has always been:

"Can you hit something with a hammer? If you can do that then join robotics, and we can teach you the rest."