You can be a great role model for these kids. This is a wonderful opportunity
for you and them.
Suggestions -
Try to know the material. Take a few days to go over the tutorials in the
programming section; they are awesome! The more you know the more your team
will know.
Take time to work on a group activity every meeting. Look up instant challenges
-
http://wilderdom.com/games/TeamBuildingExercisesWebsites.html
This pays off when your team is having trouble with one another; Being
friends and knowing they can rely on their partners helps make your job easier.
You can even point to concrete moments when you saw them working out a difficult
challenge together and overcoming it. Remind them they can do that now as well.
This is also one of the three areas they will be judges on, so working on
challenges is good practice.
Ask questions here when you have them. You won't always get the answer, but
you'll always get support!
Fund raising- car washes really helped us and allowed the kids to feel like they
were supporting and creating the funding. ( go to lush, well off area Gas
stations to stage your car wash. This will pay off in dividends, even if you
have to drive a little while to get there.) Corporate support is great, but we
found it hard to come. The best shot is often getting their parents (if they
can ) to bring the letter of sponsorship to their work place. Have several
different levels of sponsorship- a Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. That way
anyone can give on many different levels. I'll attach ours as a sample, but you
can find many other letters on a google search.
Let the kids make most of the choices, even if you don't think they are the best
ones. Our skit was created by the kids. I didn't always think they choose the
best lines to say out of the options they were considering, but I let them do it
(assuming the choices are between two appropriate things to say/do, etc.). They
really owned the skit and, in the end, our team won first place for their
research and skit.
Hold kids accountable. Decide what was in their control and what wasn't, but
hold them accountable for what is. Back to the skit example, one of our kids
wasn't pulling their weight. I made them do research during the time they
wanted to be playing with the robot. They never missed homework again. It
won't be that easy with all kids but hold them accountable to the work they need
to turn in. It will will make the whole team better.
Praise often, and always say something you like when you suggest improvements.
Before the tournament, get your kids to go over how they contributed and tell
something they liked that one of their teammates did. (That thing can't be
repeated by anyone else.) Go over who did what- the judges WILL ask them.
The handbook is great, but it's like a secret list only you know. Print it up a
schedule and give it to the kids allowing them to make some of the scheduling
decisions, that way they can check their own progress and see when they need to
move faster and when they can spend time working on different ideas. Even if
they find they are missing their deadlines, it is something to consider- where
we too unrealistic in what we could accomplish? Do we need to scale back? What
are our priorities if we need to cut? These are really valuable life lessons.
Having the goal list was crucial to my first year team.
Mostly, I found the first year to be a learning experience. Sure I wish I knew
then what I know now (that leader guide book was spot on!), but you'll get
there, and as long as the focus isn't winning, your team will have a great time
too.
Good luck!
Brandy
________________________________
From: Taylor Culman <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, May 29, 2011 10:52:10 PM
Subject: [VADCFLL-L] Taylor Again
Hello again!
I just wanted to clear up any confusion, and say that I already have a
registered team that I am coaching, with 4 kids already on the team, and it is
continuing to grow. I was looking for advice going forward, or any help that
anyone could provide me with. Please see my previous email below:
My name is Taylor Culman, and I am a tenth grade student at Thomas Jefferson
High School for Science and Technology. I recently received a grant from my
school to start a team at a middle school in a less fortunate neighborhood.
I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me. My brother has competed in the
competitions, but I still am a little clueless when it comes to the whole
coaching thing. In addition, I have already exhausted all of the grant money
buying the NXT and registering the team, so if anyone has any fundraising ideas,
or extra parts they can donate, that would be fantastic. I am trying to keep the
financial burden as low as I can for these kids. These kids all have a real
passion for Science and Tech, and I am so greatful i get to help them with that.
Thanks so much for your time everyone. This community seems so welcoming, and I
am thrilled to be a part of it.
Thanks again, and sorry for any confusion that i might have caused.
Taylor Culman
Coach of Holmes Hawks
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
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