- What Are FIRST LEGO League Core Values?
- Will Core Values Really Matter at the Tournament?
- Computer Issues at Events, What to Do?
- Core Values Poster
- Core Values Activity, What's That?
- Ways to Improve Team Core Values
1) What Are FIRST LEGO League Core Values?
- We are a team.
- We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.
- We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together.
- We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
- What we discover is more important than what we win.
- We share our experiences with others.
- We display Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition® in everything we do.
- We have FUN!
Get All the important details in this PDF or in your Challenge Document.
2) Will Core Values Really Matter at the Tournament?
Yes! ABSOLUTELY!!!! Not only is Core Values one of the three major components of FIRST LEGO League, the FIRST Core Values are applicable in EVERY aspect of the event. The how we do everything we do is just as important as the things we accomplish. In FIRST LEGO League, the tournament takes this into account. Teams who demonstrate exemplary Core Values will be recognized for such. At the same time teams or their parents, who violate the FIRST Core Values will have these issues addressed and it may impact their final rankings, even in robot performance! Teams who are masters of the FIRST Core Values will have a better time in all of their judging sessions and a more positive tournament overall. Teams that have used Core Values all along have more productive meetings, complete more tasks , and have a more positive overall experience. They are THAT important!
Core Values don't just apply to the way your team treats one another, but also how they interact with the other teams. Whether they are at the competition table working together on the cooperative model, or sitting in the stands teams are expected to demonstrate FIRST Core Values in everything they do. Parents should also be briefed on the FIRST Core Values before attending our event. While it is rare, parents who behave inappropriately in the, heat of competition, can reflect poorly on a dedicated and hard working team.
Core Values don't just apply to the way your team treats one another, but also how they interact with the other teams. Whether they are at the competition table working together on the cooperative model, or sitting in the stands teams are expected to demonstrate FIRST Core Values in everything they do. Parents should also be briefed on the FIRST Core Values before attending our event. While it is rare, parents who behave inappropriately in the, heat of competition, can reflect poorly on a dedicated and hard working team.
3) Computer Issues at Events, What to Do?
Part of "kids do the work" is that they are the only ones who touch the computer or robot at an event. However, computer failures do happen. Weird technical glitches that defy logic seem to crop up only when the pressure is on. Sometimes our team members just do not have the skills to troubleshoot the non-robot, non-programming issue (or maybe you just forgot to turn your password off or log out properly before giving the team the laptop). The problem is, you can't touch that laptop! or the robot if it's decided to go wild. All is not lost!
TAKE EVERYTHING TO THE PIT ADMIN. Explain your situation and let them watch as you quickly enter your password, or work on the complex troubleshooting that has less technical folks on the phone with tech support. Or maybe you are on the phone with tech support too!
Do not sit at your pit table and work on the laptop. Every year, a coach will be mistaken for working on the programming when they are trying to get the software unfrozen. These reports have to be taken seriously by the tournament directors and while efforts will be made to determine how much computer work, building, and programming is done by the coach instead of the team no system is perfect. Please help us to maintain the integrity and fun of our events with this simple solution!
TAKE EVERYTHING TO THE PIT ADMIN. Explain your situation and let them watch as you quickly enter your password, or work on the complex troubleshooting that has less technical folks on the phone with tech support. Or maybe you are on the phone with tech support too!
Do not sit at your pit table and work on the laptop. Every year, a coach will be mistaken for working on the programming when they are trying to get the software unfrozen. These reports have to be taken seriously by the tournament directors and while efforts will be made to determine how much computer work, building, and programming is done by the coach instead of the team no system is perfect. Please help us to maintain the integrity and fun of our events with this simple solution!
4) Core Values Poster
On page 4 of the Challenge Document, all teams were informed that the Core Values Poster is not required in all regions. If you've had an Oregon FIRST LEGO League team before you know that they were not permitted at the Qualifying Tournament in the judging room. This year that's changed. This year, if your team brings a Core Values Poster to the Qualifying Tournament they may share it with the judges.
Core Values Posters are NOT required. They are optional for your team.
Benefits of creating a Core Value poster:
Core Values Posters are NOT required. They are optional for your team.
Benefits of creating a Core Value poster:
- They help your team understand how the Core Values have affected their season
- Teams have a visual reminders of things they'd like the judges to know about their Core Values
- Teams can show pictures of how their team experience
- If your team advances to state the Core Values poster is REQUIRED at the State Championship.
- It is less than 2 weeks to tournament day, it's not a high priority if your team has lots to do.
- It's one more thing that can be forgotten on tournament day.
- If too hastily assembled it may reflect poorly on your team.
Do not feel like your team needs a Core Values poster. Even if your team makes a poster they are under no obligation to bring it to the tournament or use it in the judging room. If your team does decide to bring a Core Values Poster into the judging room they should prepare to only talk about it for a minute. This will take time from the questions session with the judges.
5) Core Values Activity, What's That?
In the Core Values Judging Session your team will be given a Core Values Activity to do. This activity is scheduled to last 4 minutes, your team may or may not finish the activity in that time. Completion of the activity does not affect their judging results. Core Values activities are a fun way for the judges to witness the way your team works together. Is there a leader? What kind of leader are they? How does the team solve a challenge together? Does the team recognize each members strengths? Does everyone try to do everything? Does the team use FIRST Core Values? These are all questions the judges hope to answer through their observations of the team.
The team will not have any pre-knowledge of the activity before they walk into the room. Coaches should just stand back like they do in any other judging session and let the team's core values skills come through. Since the same core values activity is used for all teams we ask that no teams share the activity outside of the judging room.
The team will not have any pre-knowledge of the activity before they walk into the room. Coaches should just stand back like they do in any other judging session and let the team's core values skills come through. Since the same core values activity is used for all teams we ask that no teams share the activity outside of the judging room.
6) Ways to Improve Team Core Values
It can take 3 years working with a team before the FIRST Core Values become a natural part of every team meeting and every interaction. This can be frustrating for coaches who would like to focus on the more technical aspects of the competition. It is very important to take time at each meeting to identify the FIRST Core Values and how the team can improve their implementation of them. Especially for new team members who may have never encountered and environment like a FIRST LEGO League team using the FIRST Core Values before.
The Core Values are so much more than just good sportsmanship. Many team members have never used anything like them. After all, how often do you help, mentor, or advise a team you are competing against in any other sport? Despite this there are many great team building activities your team can try. I highly recommend at a minimum that teams start by identifying Core Values when they see them and discussing the Core Values throughout all team meetings.
The Core Values are so much more than just good sportsmanship. Many team members have never used anything like them. After all, how often do you help, mentor, or advise a team you are competing against in any other sport? Despite this there are many great team building activities your team can try. I highly recommend at a minimum that teams start by identifying Core Values when they see them and discussing the Core Values throughout all team meetings.
If your team is looking for activity ideas, this thread in the FIRST LEGO League forums has several links with suggestions.
As much fun as designing, building, programming, and innovating are - how we do things really is just as important as what we accomplish.
Best Wishes,
Loridee
As much fun as designing, building, programming, and innovating are - how we do things really is just as important as what we accomplish.
Best Wishes,
Loridee
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