DIscussions - Volume 3, Number 3 (12/10/2009)
Table of Contents
Register Your Teams
To make sure you and your team managers get all the information about workshops and tournaments please register your teams as soon as possible. Even if they have not yet chosen a challenge, make sure you reigster them at the Montana DI Website as soon as possible. You can always go in and update their challenge and the names of the team members. You will need to log in first before you can register your teams(s).
To register your teams you will need the following information
- Team Manager's Name
- Team Manager's Mailing Address and Home and Work Phone Number (please do not put the school address and phone unless he/she works at the school, often times to help a team manager it is necessary to call them at home.)
- Team Manager's e-mail address
- The team's challenge (if known)
- Correct spelling for each team member and his/her grade or birth date).
- Any special requests (team manager has more than one team, etc.)
Understanding Your Challenge
Once your team has chosen a challenge it is important for them to understand what the challenge requires them to do.
- Make sure they know the definitions - those in the margins and words unfamiliar to them.
- Consider having them use highlighters when reading the Chllenge. Green = must do, Pink (red) = may not do, Yellow or blue = things to consider.
- Summarize each part of the challenge in their own words:
- What must they do?
- What are the Limitations?
- What elements are most important?
- What skills and information do they have and what do they need to learn?
Research and Team Meetings
- Generate the ideas for these themes and then focus their options down to two or three, during team meetings.
- Delegate two or three team members to do the extended research to be used to create the solution
- Schedule a deadline for the research to be presented.
Finding Resources:
Sometimes the skills a team has will determine what Challenge they choose. Sometimes the Challenge a team chooses will determine what skills they need to learn.
- Have the team decide if they need to learn or improve skills in order to solve their Challenge.
- Ask them what type of resource people or reference materials they need to learn these skills or information
- Remember that the resource people should teach the team general concepts not how to create or build their idea(s) for their solution.
Helpful Books and Materials:
Montana Destination ImagiNation has a limited supply of two great books to help your team learn Creative Problem Solving Tools and practice Instant Challenges.Creative Problem Solvers Practical Toolbox $15 +Shipping
Cream of the Crop (50 Instant Challenges) $15 +Shipping
You can order these by writing to montanacq@mt-di.org
Also check out the following at www.shopdi.org
Real Teams The DI Team Manager's Guide to Team Building
Instant Challenge Flip (4,000,000,000 quick ICs)
No Fuss Backdrops
Creative Problem Solving An Introduction
Quote to Remember
Imagination is the highest kite one can fly. Lauren Bacall
Corporate Volunteerism and Grants
MT DI is seeking grant and volunteerism monies to defray the cost of running our program around the state. We are looking for tournament sponsors, partners for innovative activities, and funds to offer this fantastic program to those who cannot currently afford to purchase a team number. Team Managers, Contacts, Coordinators, and Tournament Officials, if you work at a company that offers volunteerism grants, please consider naming MTDI as a recipient. We would greatly appreciate introductions to foundations or contacts and welcome all ideas.
For example, The Verizon Foundation offers $750 grants to qualifying organizations when Verizon employees or reitrees donate 50 or more volunteer hours and enter those hours in online logs through their Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP).
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