Colette VanHattem (Coach)
My name is Colette Van Hattem and I am the “coach” for the Mechanical Maniacs. But I have a confession to make, I am not a technical minded person AT ALL. I have homeschooled my five children and have led dog 4-H ( well, actually my daughter did) and Robotics 4-H. I have received A LOT of help from my very good friend Linda Koontz as well as others who are willing to share their insight. And great news FIRST actually fosters an atmosphere of teams helping other teams WHILE competing with each other!
The bulk of what I do is direct & remind the kids of what they’re supposed to be doing, what the parameters are & encourage them to find answers & solutions on their own. (Thankfully there are many resources available if they are willing to search for them!) Listen to their ideas & plans & jokes & give them a place to get together. Geeking out is a hoot!
That is why I am so thankful for FIRST and ORTOP, which encourages parents and adults to be involved even if they do not know anything about technology. If I would have had to be a technical minded person, I would have missed out on seeing the kids learn with hands on science & getting excited about STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering & Math.
Robotics has stretched me in ways I could never have imagined!
If you want your child to enjoy learning without the need to cajole or bribe him/her join or start a team. You will be glad you did!
The bulk of what I do is direct & remind the kids of what they’re supposed to be doing, what the parameters are & encourage them to find answers & solutions on their own. (Thankfully there are many resources available if they are willing to search for them!) Listen to their ideas & plans & jokes & give them a place to get together. Geeking out is a hoot!
That is why I am so thankful for FIRST and ORTOP, which encourages parents and adults to be involved even if they do not know anything about technology. If I would have had to be a technical minded person, I would have missed out on seeing the kids learn with hands on science & getting excited about STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering & Math.
Robotics has stretched me in ways I could never have imagined!
If you want your child to enjoy learning without the need to cajole or bribe him/her join or start a team. You will be glad you did!