Very
well said, Stuart.
My
own $.02: As others have noted, the project is a big part of the experience,
both in terms of how tournaments go but – and perhaps even more importantly –
as part of the whole FLL experience. I see FLL as providing everything you want
your kids to have: fun, teamwork, science, engineering, obstacles to overcome,
learning to do research, having to present a research project…and as such, it’s
all important.
Ask
them, “What’s the worst that could happen? Your project isn’t the best?” I’ve
seen projects that the team thought were weak that won, and projects that teams
sweated blood over that wound up middle-of-the-pack. The point is, it’s part of
the learning process, and it would make me sad to see a team not even try to do
the project.
--
Phil Smith III
Coach, The Capital Girls, Oak Hill (retired)
Team 1900 (2002)
Team 2497 (2003)
Team 2355 (2004)
Team 1945 (2005)
From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stuart & Lori Roll
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 9:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VADCFLL-L] rookie coach and team looking for some help
Another
thing to keep in mind is that the research project judging is done privately
with only the kids, the coach and the two judges in the room. It is about
as un-intimidating and un-embarrassing as it can be made. Even if their
project is incredibly bad (as my first team's was - ten 4th graders that just
didn't get nanotechnology) no one else will know and the kids will have grown
through the experience.
The
alternative is to say it's okay to just "give up" which isn't ever a
good model to teach the kids.