tag:peatix.com,2011:1 2021-11-17T00:59:36-05:00 Peatix Sam Alexander tag:peatix.com,2014:event-55346 2014-12-02T19:00:00EST 2014-12-02T19:00:00EST

When a corporate volunteer, a college student, or a teacher unfamiliar with FIRST walks into his or her first team meeting as a new mentor, where is the hook? Does the meeting continue as if the new mentor is not there or are there projects that the new mentor can facilitate for students? Do students view the new mentor as a stranger in the team space or do students help to orient and introduce the new mentor to the team and its culture? What impression does the new mentor receive when the meeting ends and students leave?These are challenging questions that each team should explore to ensure a positive team culture, but few do. The challenges continue past the mentor's first meeting. What if a mentor has limited availability during the build season or cannot attend a regional? How can the team show the mentor that he or she is an important part of the team and leaves the team lacking in his or her absence? How can the team navigate the information and resources gap when a mentor is absent?Mentoring a FIRST team is much more than robots and much more than tutoring computer science after school. Explore strategies to build mentor appreciation into team culture with other lead mentors.