Skip to content

📇 Mentor CRM Workshop Cue Card: Everyday Session Facilitation — Lego Legends

Everyday Hands-On Coaching Guide for FLL Team Sessions & Robotics Workshops Dividing, Conquering, and Ensuring Every Kid is Heard When Multiple Hands Go Up!

🖨️ Printable Pocket Cue Cards (4\" x 6\" / Lanyard Badge Size)

Print this double-sided cardstock template to keep in your pocket or lanyard during sessions: mentor_crm_cue_card.html

🙋 Side A: Workshop Triage & Queuing (When 5 Kids Ask for Help at Once)

flowchart TD
    Hands["🙋 Multiple Kids Call: 'Coach! Coach! I need help!'"] --> Ack["1. 📢 Acknowledge Out Loud<br/>'Maya I see you! Joey I hear you!'"]
    Ack --> Seq["2. 🔢 Assign Queue Numbers<br/>'Maya is #1, Joey is #2, Sam is #3'"]
    Seq --> Task["3. 🛠️ Give Active Waiting Tasks<br/>'Joey, do a 2-finger tug test on the gears while I check Maya!'"]
    Task --> Div["4. 🤝 Coach Divide & Conquer<br/>'Coach Mike, Table 2 has two in queue!'"]

    style Hands fill:#fee2e2,stroke:#ef4444,stroke-width:2px;
    style Ack fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#f59e0b,stroke-width:2px;
    style Seq fill:#e0f2fe,stroke:#0284c7,stroke-width:2px;
    style Task fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#10b981,stroke-width:2px;
    style Div fill:#f3e8ff,stroke:#9333ea,stroke-width:2px;

[!IMPORTANT]

🎯 Mentor Golden Rule #1: Never Leave a Hand Hanging in Silence

Kids don't yell because they're impatient; they yell because they fear being forgotten. The moment you give them a queue number, anxiety drops from 100% to 0%.

📢 The "Acknowledge & Queue" Formula:

  1. Acknowledge Immediately: "Maya, I see you! Joey, I hear you!"
  2. Sequence Publicly: "Maya is #1, Joey is #2, Sam is #3."
  3. Assign an Active Waiting Task: "Joey, while I spend 90 seconds with Maya, do a 2-finger tug test on that arm and check your pin colors!" (Now Joey is actively experimenting instead of getting frustrated).

🤝 Coach-to-Coach "Divide & Conquer" (CRM Comms)

  • Zone Coverage: Mentor A anchors Station A (Chassis), Mentor B anchors Station B (Motors/Code). Don't drift into the same corner.
  • Closed-Loop Callouts: Call out loudly to your co-mentor:
  • "Coach Mike, Table 2 has two in queue!" → "Roger, heading to Table 2 now!"
  • The "No Dual-Coaching" Rule: Never let two mentors hover over the same child while other tables wait. One mentor steps back immediately.
  • The Peer Ambassador Redirect:
  • "Have you asked Alex, our Station Ambassador? Check with Alex first, and if you're both stumped, call me over!"

[!TIP] Scan for the "Silent Struggler": Loud kids get attention naturally. Keep your room radar scanning for the quiet student sitting back with crossed arms who hasn't raised a hand. Check in on them first!

💡 Side B: Socratic Facilitation (Guiding Without Taking Over)

[!IMPORTANT]

👐 Mentor Golden Rule #2: Hands in Pockets!

If a mentor's hands are on the LEGO bricks or the tablet, the student has stopped learning. Point with questions, not with your fingers or mouse.

⏱️ The 2-Minute Intervention Protocol (Don't Get Sucked In!)

If a mentor stays at one table for more than 3 minutes, you've stopped being a coach and become a teammate. Use this rapid 3-step loop:

Step Action Coach Script Example
1. Diagnose Ask what they expected to happen "What did you want the robot or mechanism to do just now?"
2. Locate Point to their checklist or guide "What does Step 2 on your Run Card say about the axle pin?"
3. Launch & Exit Set 1 micro-goal and walk away! "Test these two gear sizes for 2 minutes. I'll be back to see what you discovered!"

🗣️ Powerful Socratic Prompts (Ask, Don't Tell)

  • When a child is stuck:
  • "What have you already tried that didn't work?"
  • "Where in the build instructions or checklist is that piece shown?"
  • When partners are arguing:
  • "You both have great ideas. How can we test Partner A's idea for 60 seconds, then Partner B's idea for 60 seconds?"
  • When kids are rushing silently:
  • "Pause for one deep breath. Who is pointing, and who is calling out the step?"
  • When a child succeeds:
  • "That was awesome! Now teach your partner how you figured that out."

☕ The 30-Second Mid-Session Coach Huddle (At the Bio-Break)

Mentors tap base for 30 seconds while kids grab water: 1. "Who was quiet or felt unheard in Block 1?" 2. "Which station is bottlenecked?" 3. "Can we send a Peer Ambassador over to Table B to help balance the load?"