By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by experience, which is the bitterest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by reflection, which is noblest.
Confucius
An unreflected life might as well not have been lived, for all the good it brought it's owner. (me)
In my business of actually participating in the world, I failed to carve any time to write about it. I find myself seeking reflection at the end of this First Lego League (FLL) season, not just for my own sake but for my team. If I am to spend the great mental, as well as actual, energy and money season after season, I need to understand why I do it. I have to find meaning in this maddening pace I set for myself (and kids.)
Maybe it's the season of fall, with all it's bright colors that in their astounding beauty catch me off guard and quiet my mind while soaking in the shape and form- if only for a second. As I take that next breathe I realize the noise that fills my head consistently. So many tasks. Maybe it says something about me, I read a review about the movie "How does she do it?" and thought, 'that's not that bad. I have slow weeks too.' I refuse to the see this movie, not just because I dislike the dramatic twangs the main actress, but because it's a whimpering, pathetic cry of the modern life that perpetuates madness and then cries- "why am I so busy." Let the worker bee tell you, 'it's not the work that drives you to question your existence, it's not knowing why you work. ' Being busy is a fine state of affairs, but I need solid, thoughtful proof that what I am working towards is the goal I hope to obtain.
My best reflection came from an email from a fellow FLL coach. Eric apparently works for PBS, and they are doing a special about STEM (science, technology engineering and math) and wanted to include a connection to Lego robotics. He asked for videos and got way more responses then he thought he would! To narrow down the field of applications, he wanted us to email me him a list of answers to his question set. Here's that reflection:
Please submit to me the following:
Because we rock the FLL's core value menu :)
So while I run my dizzying pace of life, trying to catch my head and keep my calendar up to date with the obligations from event to event. My little moment of reflection created new found resolve to keep going.
Congratulations Electrical Invaders!! I can not express how proud I am for all that you accomplished.
First, by experience, which is the bitterest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by reflection, which is noblest.
Confucius
An unreflected life might as well not have been lived, for all the good it brought it's owner. (me)
In my business of actually participating in the world, I failed to carve any time to write about it. I find myself seeking reflection at the end of this First Lego League (FLL) season, not just for my own sake but for my team. If I am to spend the great mental, as well as actual, energy and money season after season, I need to understand why I do it. I have to find meaning in this maddening pace I set for myself (and kids.)
Maybe it's the season of fall, with all it's bright colors that in their astounding beauty catch me off guard and quiet my mind while soaking in the shape and form- if only for a second. As I take that next breathe I realize the noise that fills my head consistently. So many tasks. Maybe it says something about me, I read a review about the movie "How does she do it?" and thought, 'that's not that bad. I have slow weeks too.' I refuse to the see this movie, not just because I dislike the dramatic twangs the main actress, but because it's a whimpering, pathetic cry of the modern life that perpetuates madness and then cries- "why am I so busy." Let the worker bee tell you, 'it's not the work that drives you to question your existence, it's not knowing why you work. ' Being busy is a fine state of affairs, but I need solid, thoughtful proof that what I am working towards is the goal I hope to obtain.
My best reflection came from an email from a fellow FLL coach. Eric apparently works for PBS, and they are doing a special about STEM (science, technology engineering and math) and wanted to include a connection to Lego robotics. He asked for videos and got way more responses then he thought he would! To narrow down the field of applications, he wanted us to email me him a list of answers to his question set. Here's that reflection:
Please submit to me the following:
- Basic team info: size, age range, division, makeup of team (boy girl count, etc)
We are a homeschooled team of 6 kids- 3 boys, 3 girls, 10-12 yrs old, so Division 2.
- Proposal: a few paragraphs Why your team should be featured?
A few paragraphs, huh? I'll do my best.
The line by line objectives we will fulfill by using NXT programming can be produced through other, single subjects. However, none of the other options allow us to reach our goals by demonstrating the integrated, unifying theories that cross all the presented curriculum and allow the children to develop a strong sense of teamwork through problem solving tasks. The children receive math instruction which covers a wide range of applications in their math courses. Unfortunately, those lesson stand alone in a world of numbers, figures and ratios. They do not cross the barrier to practical application, nor due they take root as deeply as when it is presented as a puzzle to be solved through technology. By using math, science, technology, and teamwork in one curriculum, we reached our kids, some of whom have trouble finding meaning in any these subjects by themselves. No curriculum takes the place of FLL robotics. It's singular in it's ability to reach so many ages, so many learning styles, and so many areas of study.
I'm really happy that the creators of FLL saw past just the fun and excitement of the robot game challenge to incude the research aspect. My team has learned a great deal each year in the research section. This year they tackled White Nose syndrome, a fungal infection decimating bat populations throughout the east coast. Turns out, bats are really, really important to farming. (Who knew?) The kids not only learned how to conduct proper research, be critical thinkers in an age where information is put on the internet by all manor of people varying in knowledge and skill, but also to research thoroughly (aka beyond page 2 of the google search) and learned to ask the right questions to the right people. I'm not sure my kids would have thought to learn as much about bats without this research topic, but it's been eye opening to parents as well to the children who now have new respect for nature's delicate balance.
My team of 6 kids represents the gambit of interest and skills. We have our super builders, Ezra and Robert; our programer, Abby; our plotter, Olivia, who just sees how missions can be lead; our artist and creative spirit, Grace; and our team booster and spirit builder, Dylan. Even though each person has a niche they fill that no one else does quite like them, everybody, even our brand new to Lego NXT members, jumped right in on the robot game planning and programming. The support the team gives each other is quite unusual for their age. I coached another team (a private school team), and I had trouble not comparing their teamwork skills. They were different teams, with different strengths, but the Electrical Invaders did something the other team didn't quite do- really support each other. E.I did manage to pull the Champion award, which is part luck as well as hard work, but even without the external recognition, these kids are going to take away some serious math, science, engineering and teamwork skills that just aren't replaced by any other ol' curriculum.
The line by line objectives we will fulfill by using NXT programming can be produced through other, single subjects. However, none of the other options allow us to reach our goals by demonstrating the integrated, unifying theories that cross all the presented curriculum and allow the children to develop a strong sense of teamwork through problem solving tasks. The children receive math instruction which covers a wide range of applications in their math courses. Unfortunately, those lesson stand alone in a world of numbers, figures and ratios. They do not cross the barrier to practical application, nor due they take root as deeply as when it is presented as a puzzle to be solved through technology. By using math, science, technology, and teamwork in one curriculum, we reached our kids, some of whom have trouble finding meaning in any these subjects by themselves. No curriculum takes the place of FLL robotics. It's singular in it's ability to reach so many ages, so many learning styles, and so many areas of study.
I'm really happy that the creators of FLL saw past just the fun and excitement of the robot game challenge to incude the research aspect. My team has learned a great deal each year in the research section. This year they tackled White Nose syndrome, a fungal infection decimating bat populations throughout the east coast. Turns out, bats are really, really important to farming. (Who knew?) The kids not only learned how to conduct proper research, be critical thinkers in an age where information is put on the internet by all manor of people varying in knowledge and skill, but also to research thoroughly (aka beyond page 2 of the google search) and learned to ask the right questions to the right people. I'm not sure my kids would have thought to learn as much about bats without this research topic, but it's been eye opening to parents as well to the children who now have new respect for nature's delicate balance.
My team of 6 kids represents the gambit of interest and skills. We have our super builders, Ezra and Robert; our programer, Abby; our plotter, Olivia, who just sees how missions can be lead; our artist and creative spirit, Grace; and our team booster and spirit builder, Dylan. Even though each person has a niche they fill that no one else does quite like them, everybody, even our brand new to Lego NXT members, jumped right in on the robot game planning and programming. The support the team gives each other is quite unusual for their age. I coached another team (a private school team), and I had trouble not comparing their teamwork skills. They were different teams, with different strengths, but the Electrical Invaders did something the other team didn't quite do- really support each other. E.I did manage to pull the Champion award, which is part luck as well as hard work, but even without the external recognition, these kids are going to take away some serious math, science, engineering and teamwork skills that just aren't replaced by any other ol' curriculum.
So in short sell me on why your team should be picked.
Because we rock the FLL's core value menu :)
So while I run my dizzying pace of life, trying to catch my head and keep my calendar up to date with the obligations from event to event. My little moment of reflection created new found resolve to keep going.
Congratulations Electrical Invaders!! I can not express how proud I am for all that you accomplished.
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| Electrical Invaders getting ready to run their 2nd scored robot game. Ezra in full research costume as the Bat. |
