The only point that I'd like to take issue with in Mr. Nussbaum's note is which team will be bringing up the rear. I feel that we have a very solid chance in beating you on this! But like you all, we're going to the tourey - ready or not. : ) Suzanne F. S. Hecker On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 1:51 PM, Phil Smith III wrote: > This is a GREAT post. I'm thrilled that you "get it", and I'm sure > your team will have a great time at your Regional! > The bad news: there likely won't be an opportunity to see a Research > presentation. Due to noise, space, etc., this just isn't usually > practical (consider how your team would do if some other team were > there, making faces at them...). > HOWEVER, there are a number of past presentations on YouTube; suggest > you look there. "FLL" is a good keyword. > -- > Phil Smith III > Virginia State Judge Advisor, 2007, 2008, 2009 > Judge Advisor, Northern Virginia Regional tournaments, 2007, 2008, > 2009 > Division 1 Judge Advisor, Virginia State tournament, 2006 > > Coach, The Capital Girls, Oak Hill (retired) > Team 1900 (2002) > Team 2497 (2003) > Team 2355 (2004) > Team 1945 (2005) > > -----Original Message----- > From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brian Nussbaum > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 1:08 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [VADCFLL-L] It's all about the process.... > > Hello VDACFLL, > (My thoughts with a question at the end) > > I am a first-year coach with a very young team of 5th graders. > Earlier in > this listserv there was some conversation about coaches who do not > feel that > they are ready for the competition. > > We have a week until our day at JMU, and I can definitely say that > ateam and > bteam from Thomas Harrison Middle School will be bringing up the rear. > It > will be quite amazing if our group is able to complete one task on the > table, and have any sort of powerpoint with a linear thought process. > We > have not completed any of the requirements on the rubric for our > research. > > HOWEVER, as coaches we are looking at the process rather than the end > result. Learning has happened on the part of both the students and the > coaches (for example, some of our students are learning that it is not > a > good idea to completely dismantle the robot a week before the > competition). > On the whole, it is a good example of how this particular group of 5th > graders has some significant growing to do in the thought-process and > maturity departments. > > As coaches, we have done significant scaffolding for them to try to > break > down the problem into smaller chunks, but we will just call our > students > 'creative thinkers' rather than linear or result-oriented thinkers. > > But this is OK, because we have made progress, even though very little > of it > will appear on Saturday. We are trusting that this will be a learning > experience for this very young team. At this point they don't even > realize > what they don't know. Seeing other teams will be a good opportunity > for > them to realize their potential for the future. > > If we work together a few times in the spring to go back and solve a > few of > this year's tasks, and then get an earlier start next fall, we may be > more > in the middle of the pack next year (I'm thinking optimistically). > > This is to assure all of you that are feeling worried--it's OK. > > Question: will there be an opportunity for my teams to watch other > groups' > research presentations? I think they never really got a full > understanding > of what we were going for on the research end of things. Seeing a > successful group could be helpful for them. > > Thanks. > -- > Mr. Brian Nussbaum > Mathematics Teacher > Thomas Harrison Middle School > > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message and any attachments are > for the sole use of the intended recipient and may contain > confidential or > privileged information. 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