1. 2018-2019 FTC Kickoff MENTOR WORKSHOPBy
Brian Johnson
Lead Mentor – Team 4625
The Kings and Queens
Facebook:

2. About me… Former mentor - 4628 Suitbots (2 Yrs)
Current mentor Kings and Queens (5 yrs)
Member of the LA FTC Region Operating Committee
LA FTC Regional Head Robot Inspector
Background in Marketing, Business and Accounting NOT Engineering/Mechanical
Hobbies of Model Trains, Plastic Model Kits, Woodworking, Home Improvement

3. What is a Mentor? Mentoring is an important part of the FIRST program
and largely contributes to the program’s success. Every
adult on a FIRST team is a mentor, simply because he
or she leads through guidance and example. It is
important to remember students need guidance,
structure, encouragement, and most of all, a fun
experience! When done correctly, this learning process builds and expands team members’ self-confidence and
knowledge

4. A Mentor…
Requires no special skills, but should have patience, dedication, and a willingness to learn alongside the team.
Is any person who works with the team in his or her area of expertise, for as little as one team meeting or as many as all of them.
Helps provide valuable support and serves as a resource in his or her area of specialty.
Directs the process the team follows to solve the yearly Game Challenge, without providing the solution him or herself.
Is a coach, teacher, motivator, and facilitator.
FIRST strongly encourages teams to invite people with backgrounds in engineering and programming to share their knowledge and experience.

5. A Mentor’s Role Includes…
Inspiring students in science and technology.
Actively sharing knowledge and experience with the teams to help foster intellectual growth.
Motivating and engaging students in meaningful activities.
Balancing effective work habits with FUN!
Allowing students to do as much of the work as possible.
Encouraging the team to welcome and include all members.
Providing students with opportunities to make choices, good and bad.
Encouraging students to take risks and be inventive.
Allowing and encouraging independent thought.
Creating, encouraging, and facilitating open, honest communication within the team.
Fostering a reciprocal environment of trust and respect for every member and his or her ideas.

6. A Mentor’s Role Includes…
Encouraging accountability within the team.
Facilitating team activities and discussion.
Developing roles within the team.
Coordinating help.
Maintaining equipment and purchasing supplies.
Communicating with sponsor organizations.
Registering for competition(s).
Planning and scheduling meetings, visits, and trips.
Acting as a liaison between team members, mentors, parents, and volunteers.
Informing students and parents about what is expected of them in terms of their commitment to the team each step of the way.

7. And especially …
Being a champion for Gracious professionalism and role modeling the principle within the team.
Ensuring that the team ALWAYS follows good safety procedures and rules as laid out in the FIRST Youth Protection Guidelines
As much as possible, making
the whole experience FUN!

8. Time Energy Focus Money
Before anything else, the team needs to agree on their expectations for the season.
Achieving excellence requires commitment
Time Energy Focus Money
How much are they willing to put in? What do they really want to get out of it?
Not every team can advance to Worlds
8 Advancements Teams in region
What are their goals, and your goals?

9. How much should the mentor do?
“As a Mentor, it is important to be involved, but it is equally important to make sure the process is directed and completed by students. Mentors differ in the amount of instruction they give their teams. Some give very little, and others give much more.” FTC Mentor Manual
NO real FIRST rules about this
The need for mentor involvement depends on the experience and skills of the team members
Every team is different
The only possible impact will be on judging for awards

10. The Myth of the Superhero Mentor…

11. The Reality… It Takes a Village

12. Building Your Village…
Recruit Help!!!
Ask Parents of your team members
Approach organizations in your community
Rotary Club
Kiwanis Club
Chamber of Commerce
Ask on Local Social Media
Approach local businesses.
Seek out experts of all types

13. DOES THE MENTOR HAVE TO KNOW EVERYTHING?

14. You just need to know who to ask or where to go to find out!

15. Where can you go for answers …
FIRST Publications and guides
Game Materials
Team Management Resources
Programming Resources
Robot Building Resources

16. Official FIRST Q&A Channels…
First Tech Challenge Community Forum
FIRST Tech Challenge Coaches and Mentors Forum
Teams Helping Teams Forums
How Does Judging work in FTC Forum
Funding Your Team Forum
Official Game Q & A Forum
Answers here become official game rules

17. Official FIRST Q&A Channels…
SoCal First Tech Challenge Region
Website
Weekly Robot Tuesday blast
support

18. Ask other mentors… SLACK Group Facebook Groups
FTC Mentors
Ftcmentors.slack.com
Facebook Groups
SoCal FIRST Tech Challenge Mentor Support
Ask other teams / mentors in the region
Ask other teams /mentors around FIRST
Social Media

19. Building a more successful season…
Help the team to understand the game rules THOROUGHLY especially the scoring.
Help them come up with a variety of ideas and approaches to accomplishing the game tasks by
Brainstorming
Looking outside robotics for mechanisms that accomplish the same result
Looking at other robotic programs for similar games and see how teams addressed the challenge
Seeing what other teams in FTC are doing
Robot In 1 Weekend Challenge Results
YouTube / Websites / Other Region Events

20. Building a more successful season…
Encourage them to explore what robot parts and materials are available that they haven’t used before
Guide the team to solutions that are within their ability to execute successfully - but subtly
Encourage them to re-design and re-build when the robot does not work as well as they hope. The robot you start out with does not have to be the robot you end up with
Nag them to PRACTICE!!!!!! Practice driving in game conditions, and practice their judging presentations and Q&A.

21. Nothing the team does is more important than keeping up a good NOTEBOOK!
Engineering Notebook Guidelines
Team Engineering Notebook Self-Reflection Form

22. Good Notebook Examples
Team 365
Team 4250
Team 5037
Team 6134

23. Places to look to get ideas and stuff…
FTC/Tetrix compatible robot parts:
Pitsco/Tetrix FTC
Gives 25% discount to FTC teams
AndyMark FTC
Rev Robotics FTC

24. Places to look to get ideas and stuff…
Non-compatible robot parts:
Pitsco/Tetrix
AndyMark FTC
Rev Robotics FTC
Servocity
VEX Robotics
Adafruit

25. Places to look to get ideas and stuff…
Non-compatible robot parts:
Polulu Robotics and Electronics
Robot Shop
Amazon
eBay
Alibaba
Be careful of the difference in hole spacings between different robot component makers

26. Places to look to get ideas and stuff…
General Materials -
Fasteners / Sheet Stock / Metal & Plastic Shapes:
McMaster Carr
Grainger Industrial Supply
Industrial Metal Supply

27. Remember…
It’s supposed to be FUN!