Success Stories
 Alice
Kimura: Wailuku, Hawaii
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
We found the mat very helpful. For the new kids, they got
to see what an FLL mat will look like and how the robots will use
the mat in the new challenge. What the kids got excited about were
the thick solid lines that allowed them to test their programs.
It boosted their confidence that they actually for the first time
wrote their own line following programs that worked.
They loved the fact that the solid lines run right around the
mat and they enjoyed watching their handiwork do its paces around
the entire mat. They are still a bit stumped by why their line
following does not work on the narrow lines but we think/hope
they'll figure it out with more practice. The younger kids liked the
round shapes on the mats that allowed them to create their own
models using those circles as landmarks.
We liked the suggested activities that came with the mat. They were
a good range from very simple to very difficult. With the
activities, the beginners learned the programming quickly and the
slightly more experienced felt confident in knowing what to do
already. The later suggested activities proved to be very
challenging for kids and coaches alike. We had no clue what to do!
Since Techbrick was very helpful in showing us how to do a more
complicated program, the kids and coaches can work on that harder
skill next and we can then feel happy that we've gained a new skill.
We spent an entire day with the mat and still had not finished all
the activities but we look forward to trying the harder activities
at our next meeting.
The mat is a motivating tool to our kids. The kids had never seen
a mat like this and all the markings got them interested in trying
their programs and robots on them. The mat (and the helpful
staff and kids at Techbrick) brought the joy of learning back for
us. Thank you Techbrick for sharing your expertise and for making
the learning experience a fun one. The "old" and new kids want to
keep doing robotics
Alice Kimura
4H / Wailuku Elementary School
Wailuku, HI
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