Growing Your Program
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STARTING AN ODYSSEY PROGRAM IN YOUR SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY GROUP?
We have many people in our organization who are ready to help you with your needs. Odyssey of the Mind can bring your child lifelong memories, experiences, and learning that will challenge them, allow them to have fun, and will teach them self-reliance.
You will find information under the General Information tab at the top of this page or please contact our Program Expansion Director, Marti Atwater, at [email protected] or Pamela Gombert at [email protected] for more information and help with the process.
DO YOU HAVE A MEMBERSHIP BUT WANT MORE IDEAS ABOUT GROWING YOUR PROGRAM?
Michigan Odyssey of the Mind has a state Program Expansion Director ([email protected]) to help get you started.
e have videos, brochures, try-out forms and other downloadable information on our website: www.miodyssey.com under the Getting Started tab along the top of the home page.
There is also a team of regional Program Expansion Directors and mentors that are willing to be with you every step of the way. The Program Expansion Directors have developed programs that are geared to excite students through school assemblies or classroom presentations. They are also available to talk to teachers, school staff, and parents.
Since the Odyssey of the Mind program is filled with creative people who have developed a variety of ways to create awareness and gain interest and support for the program, so there is no one right way. As time goes on, you will more fully understand what works best in your community. Just remember to reach out to the help that is very available to you.
Recruiting and Building Teams
Forming Teams
As a coach/coordinator you are responsible for your membership's team building process. Once team members get involved in the program you will find that they often will not want to stop being a member of a team. The information below comes from a successful Michigan program, but please know that every membership is unique and often uses team building processes that are different than those listed below. This is just an example.
The Recruitment Meeting
You are ready to start Odyssey of the Mind teams but you need team members. The first step in recruiting team members is to have an organizational meeting. This meeting can be run in a variety of styles. You might want to just have a meeting where potential team members come and learn about the program and practice spontaneous. Or you could have a parent meeting where parents come and learn about the program. Either way you will want to plan your meeting and then try to find potential team members.
There are many ways to find team members who are interested in problem solving. Send home a flier with students at your school telling about the program and the meeting. Write an article for your school newsletter telling about the program and the meeting. Hang fliers in the hallways telling about the program and the meeting. Announce a meeting at the PTA/O meeting.
Odyssey of the Mind Recruitment Meeting Grades K-12
-Example-
An organizational meeting is planned for Day, Month, Year from Time ¡V Time in the Place. You must attend if your child is interested in this program. If you have any additional questions, call Your Name before Date at Phone Number.
This worldwide program combines the excitement of an athletic competition with fun-filled mental gymnastics. It provides students with an opportunity to combine their imaginations with skills of creative problem solving. The program is designed to encourage diligence and teamwork in an environment of cooperation and positive reinforcement.
Students will be on teams of 5 to 7 members with one or more coaches. They will work on one long-term problem and practice for spontaneous in preparation for a regional competition.
Sample Agenda for Recruitment Meeting Introduce Coaches Explain about the Components Odyssey of the Mind Program
· Long Term Problem (5 Problems plus Primary grouped in Divisions by Grade)
· Spontaneous
· Style Practice Schedule (Dates and Times) Tournament Dates, Times, and Locations
· Student Expectations (Attend practices, inform coaches of missed practices, be at Competition)
· Parent Expectations (Aid with Fund Raisers, Costs, Help at Practice)
· Outside Assistance (What it is and what it is not)
· Registration Form - You will want everyone that is interested to fill out a registration form. It should include the team member’s contact information, hobbies, available practice times and personal information such as date of birth, school and grade.
Team Selection
Once you have found some interested problem solvers your next step is to select a team. If you have between five and seven interested problem solvers then you have a team. If you have more than seven you might need to form two teams or have try outs. Tryouts are a good way to help decide what each team member has to offer to the team. Use the tryout to allow team members to see what they and their future team members are capable of doing, not to eliminate potential team members. If you have tryouts, you will want to decide what you are looking for in a team member.
The availability of the team members might also be a beneficial method for selecting teams. Most kids have other commitments, which should be considered. You do not want to form the team and then find out after the first meeting that no one can meet on the same night.
If you are forming two or more teams you may want to divide them on their talents. Different people all have different talents, try to find out the talents of the team members you are selecting. Having a team with seven artists may not be as helpful as having a well-rounded team.
Let the team and the parents know exactly what you are going to expect out of the team concerning practice time and commitment. It is important to establish this right away or you will never gain control of your team.
Another important consideration in team member selection is the division of the team. Odyssey of the Mind has five divisions. As the coach you should learn which division each team member would be assigned. This will help you determine the division of your team.
Competition Divisions
Each Odyssey of the Mind team is grouped into a division for competition. The team must participate in the highest division for which all team members qualify.
Primary – Grades K-2
Division I – Grades K-5
Division II – Grades 6-8
Division III – Grades 9-12
Division IV – Collegiate
There is a division finder at www.odysseyofthemind.com/division_calculator.php to use to determine the division of your team. It is recommended that you use it before your team begins solving the Long Term
e have videos, brochures, try-out forms and other downloadable information on our website: www.miodyssey.com under the Getting Started tab along the top of the home page.
There is also a team of regional Program Expansion Directors and mentors that are willing to be with you every step of the way. The Program Expansion Directors have developed programs that are geared to excite students through school assemblies or classroom presentations. They are also available to talk to teachers, school staff, and parents.
Since the Odyssey of the Mind program is filled with creative people who have developed a variety of ways to create awareness and gain interest and support for the program, so there is no one right way. As time goes on, you will more fully understand what works best in your community. Just remember to reach out to the help that is very available to you.
Recruiting and Building Teams
Forming Teams
As a coach/coordinator you are responsible for your membership's team building process. Once team members get involved in the program you will find that they often will not want to stop being a member of a team. The information below comes from a successful Michigan program, but please know that every membership is unique and often uses team building processes that are different than those listed below. This is just an example.
The Recruitment Meeting
You are ready to start Odyssey of the Mind teams but you need team members. The first step in recruiting team members is to have an organizational meeting. This meeting can be run in a variety of styles. You might want to just have a meeting where potential team members come and learn about the program and practice spontaneous. Or you could have a parent meeting where parents come and learn about the program. Either way you will want to plan your meeting and then try to find potential team members.
There are many ways to find team members who are interested in problem solving. Send home a flier with students at your school telling about the program and the meeting. Write an article for your school newsletter telling about the program and the meeting. Hang fliers in the hallways telling about the program and the meeting. Announce a meeting at the PTA/O meeting.
Odyssey of the Mind Recruitment Meeting Grades K-12
-Example-
An organizational meeting is planned for Day, Month, Year from Time ¡V Time in the Place. You must attend if your child is interested in this program. If you have any additional questions, call Your Name before Date at Phone Number.
This worldwide program combines the excitement of an athletic competition with fun-filled mental gymnastics. It provides students with an opportunity to combine their imaginations with skills of creative problem solving. The program is designed to encourage diligence and teamwork in an environment of cooperation and positive reinforcement.
Students will be on teams of 5 to 7 members with one or more coaches. They will work on one long-term problem and practice for spontaneous in preparation for a regional competition.
Sample Agenda for Recruitment Meeting Introduce Coaches Explain about the Components Odyssey of the Mind Program
· Long Term Problem (5 Problems plus Primary grouped in Divisions by Grade)
· Spontaneous
· Style Practice Schedule (Dates and Times) Tournament Dates, Times, and Locations
· Student Expectations (Attend practices, inform coaches of missed practices, be at Competition)
· Parent Expectations (Aid with Fund Raisers, Costs, Help at Practice)
· Outside Assistance (What it is and what it is not)
· Registration Form - You will want everyone that is interested to fill out a registration form. It should include the team member’s contact information, hobbies, available practice times and personal information such as date of birth, school and grade.
Team Selection
Once you have found some interested problem solvers your next step is to select a team. If you have between five and seven interested problem solvers then you have a team. If you have more than seven you might need to form two teams or have try outs. Tryouts are a good way to help decide what each team member has to offer to the team. Use the tryout to allow team members to see what they and their future team members are capable of doing, not to eliminate potential team members. If you have tryouts, you will want to decide what you are looking for in a team member.
The availability of the team members might also be a beneficial method for selecting teams. Most kids have other commitments, which should be considered. You do not want to form the team and then find out after the first meeting that no one can meet on the same night.
If you are forming two or more teams you may want to divide them on their talents. Different people all have different talents, try to find out the talents of the team members you are selecting. Having a team with seven artists may not be as helpful as having a well-rounded team.
Let the team and the parents know exactly what you are going to expect out of the team concerning practice time and commitment. It is important to establish this right away or you will never gain control of your team.
Another important consideration in team member selection is the division of the team. Odyssey of the Mind has five divisions. As the coach you should learn which division each team member would be assigned. This will help you determine the division of your team.
Competition Divisions
Each Odyssey of the Mind team is grouped into a division for competition. The team must participate in the highest division for which all team members qualify.
Primary – Grades K-2
Division I – Grades K-5
Division II – Grades 6-8
Division III – Grades 9-12
Division IV – Collegiate
There is a division finder at www.odysseyofthemind.com/division_calculator.php to use to determine the division of your team. It is recommended that you use it before your team begins solving the Long Term