QUESTIONS:

1.  Why should I volunteer?
2.  How much time do I need to spend at the school?
3.  How do I work with the teacher?
4.  Can a volunteer mentor more than one team? Can a team have more than one mentor?
5.  Does the mentor need to be an engineer? Does the engineer need to be licensed?
6.  Is one type of engineer (e.g., civil or electrical engineer) better to mentor the project?
7.  The theme (essay question) is not in my area of expertise … should I still volunteer?
8.  What other resources are available to help me?
9.  How do I be a role model?
10.  How do I teach them engineering (in general)?
11.  How do I bring engineering to the FC project?
12.  What do I NOT do?
13.  What is the most important thing for the new volunteer to know?
14.  Hints to make the process a success for all (successful collaboration)

 

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1.0  Why should I volunteer?

 

Technical professions will be even more important as we move forward into the 21st century.

Future City is a wonderful way to get 6, 7 & 8th graders involved in thinking about engineering and a

career they might not otherwise have considered. Post-program surveys show that a majority of

 students become more interested in math, science and engineering after completing Future

 City. And, mentoring helps the volunteers as well.

 “I enjoy seeing the transformation of these junior high school kids into becoming young

 adults and future project managers. I also enjoy seeing these kids discover some

 strengths from within themselves that they never thought that they had.”

 

“I cannot put into words the thrill and satisfaction I get out of seeing eager minds

enthralled by the concepts of engineering as I work with them on the FC competition.”

 

“It’s not about me. However, it is great to get recharged and lead a richer life from time

well spent.”

 

“I have spent quality time with my two sons who have been in the program. I’ve made

professional friends. I’ve helped the kids excel a bit more than they might have

otherwise.”

 

“It's amazing what 7th and 8th graders can do -- makes you optimistic about the future.”

 

“It's actually a lot of fun. As dorky as it sounds, I like seeing the kids get excited about

engineering, even if they don't fully realize it’s engineering.

 

“I love working with the kids, hearing their ideas, seeing their excitement. Future City has

a great structure for learning. It's not all "geeky" engineering. There's planning,

computers, writing, hands-on building, presentation - all of the skills a modern engineer

needs.”

 

 

2.0  How much time do I need to spend at the school?

 

On the average, volunteers spend about 30-40 hours working with the student teams over a 3-4

 

month period (Sept-Jan). Some schools work on Future City during class, some work on it afterschool.

 

The Mentor’s time at the school tends to be concentrated in the early and late weeks of

 

the project.

 

Mentors should begin by becoming familiar with the rules and the yearly theme. In the early

 

weeks, they meet with the team to get to know the students and focus on the big picture: good

 

urban design, overview of the essay topic, brainstorming. Later, mentors devote time to helping

 

with the model, teaching the students about scale, and working on the presentation. They also

 

make themselves available by email for reviewing things like the essay and ideas of futuristic

 

components.

 

 

3.0  How do I work with the teacher?

 

The teacher is the leader. Start by discussing the teacher’s needs on each phase of the project

 

(city planning, computer model, physical model, essay and presentation) and how you as the

 

mentor can contribute. Establish a schedule.

 

Teachers differ in the way they bring Future City to the students. Some work on the project as

 

part of the class curricula. In this case, they may have a whole class (or classes) that work as a

 

team on one design. Or, they may break the class up into smaller groups and work on multiple

 

designs. Some teachers work with smaller groups – like the science club – in an after-school

 

environment.

 

Just remember: The mentor is a member of the team, but the teacher is the leader.

 

4.0  Can a volunteer mentor more than one team? Can a team have more than one mentor?

 

Per Future City rules, each team has one mentor, but, each team does not necessarily have to

 

have a different mentor. If the mentor and the teacher agree, a volunteer can work with more

 

than one team.

 

Conversely, more than one volunteer can help mentor a team. A volunteer might want to enlist

 

help on the project (for whatever reason: technical expertise, time constraints, etc.) and should

 

do so with the agreement of the teacher. However, one volunteer needs to be listed as the

 

official team member for the competition.

 

 

5.0  Does the mentor need to be an engineer? Does the engineer need to be licensed?

 

The mentor should have a technical background sufficient to understand the project and be able

 

to coach the team. While an engineering background is preferable, it is not mandatory. Nor is it

 

mandatory that the mentor be licensed.

 

 

6.0  Is one type of engineer (e.g., civil or electrical engineer) better to mentor the project?

 

It’s the basics of the engineering process that are important: identifying and analyzing problems,

 

determining requirements, developing and testing solutions. A city is a complex structure and

 

there will always be aspects that will be beyond any one engineer’s realm of expertise.

 

However, all engineers have the background and the skills to go out and find the solutions – and

 

that is what needs to be passed along to the students.

 

 

 

7.0  The theme (essay question) is not in my area of expertise … should I still volunteer?

 

Of course! Engineers are trained to solve problems. And, problem-solving is an essential skill

 

that the mentor needs to help the teacher instill in the students. Teach them how to break a

 

problem down into parts, research alternatives and develop a solution. And, as you would in

 

your job, enlist the help of other engineers who are experts in the field.

 

 

 

8.0  What resources are available to help me?

 

The Teacher Handbook describes the program rules and includes tips on how to incorporate the

 

project into the curriculum. There is also a mentor’s guide with some background information on

 

Future City. All of this, as well as copies of past national winner’s essays and pictures of

 

models, can be found on the national Future City website:

 

 www.futurecity.org

 

9.0  How do I be a role model?

 

Being a good role model means you show up when you promised and you hold the students to

 

their promises too, such as research assignments, or draft essay components, etc. Make it easy

 

for the kids to talk to you and to ask questions. If you are intimidating, they will shy away. Be a

 

team player. Be enthusiastic about your work and tell stories about projects when you can relate

 

it to a subject being discussed. Let’s face it; engineering is fun, a great career choice, and they

 

need to know it.

 

 

 

10.0  How do I teach them about engineering (in general)?

 

One of the major reasons for including an engineer-mentor on the FC team is to relate their realworld

 

engineering experiences to the kids. All that's required is for the mentor to bring his/her

 

enthusiasm for engineering into the classroom and to share that enthusiasm with the kids. Start

 

out by explaining what it is you do and give a brief overview the wide range of things that other

 

types of engineers do. Use real-life examples kids can relate to; I-pods, videogames and cell

 

phones.

 

 

11.0  How do I bring engineering into the FC project?

 

Coach the team in problem-solving and provide insights into what engineering might need to be

 

considered. Guide them to where they can find the answers, bring in examples or subject-area

 

experts, explain information that may be a bit over their head, etc. Show them how what they

 

are doing for Future City is similar to what engineers do in their jobs: take a problem, research

 

ideas, determine possible solutions, test those solutions with simulations and scale models, and

 

communicate the results.

 

Help to ignite the students’ imaginations about what the future will be like. Example: how

 

engineering took us from ENIAC to today’s micro computers. Or, what things were like 200

 

years ago (George Washington) versus what they are like now and extrapolate to what they will

 

be like in another 200 years. Try not to stifle their imagination and ideas of what the future will

 

hold (you will be amazed), but do try to keep them somewhat grounded in reality. The laws of

 

physics and nature and the principles good design still apply: nuclear power plants need to have

 

a large source of water, city residents will need employment (but they don’t want factories next

 

door), cities in extreme locations (underwater or on the poles) need to consider the effects of

 

climate on plants and animals (for instance, it will be hard to power a city in Antarctica solely

 

with solar energy).

 

Teach the students about scale models and why they are important. Example: one veteran FC

 

mentor teaches the students about scale by having them go out and measure his car and then

 

come back inside and draw the car to scale.

 

 

12.0  What do I NOT do?

 

Do not do the work for the students. Plant the seeds and watch them grow. And, remember to

 

be supportive (not sarcastic), no matter how absurd some of their ideas may seem. Don’t

 

lecture – encourage discussion and talk to the students at their level of understanding.

 

 

13.0  What is the most important thing for the new volunteer to know?

 

Experienced mentors tell us:

 

Future City is a multi-faceted program, so don’t get overwhelmed trying to tackle it all at

 

once. Set up a schedule and pace yourself to accomplish all of your goals.

 

Like any team, your Future City group will have ebbs and flows of energy. Keep them

 

motivated and focused.

 

Don’t let your adult world limit the students’ imaginations. It is amazing what ideas these

 

kids will generate. Once they have settled on a concept, make sure that it has a sound

 

scientific basis.

 

Help the students get the most out of the program – e.g., how to: solve problems, work

 

as a team, share ideas, think in 3D, and communicate their results.

 

 

 

14.0  Hints to making the process a success for all (successful collaboration):

 

Team work and capitalizing on everyone’s strengths. It all needs to get done, so pace yourself

 

and don’t leave it all to the end. Shoot for singles and not homeruns. Celebrate results.