FOCUS ON TEAM DATA FORMS
For all challenges requiring an explanation of the story, it’s imperative that your team takes the time to give detail and specify the beginning, middle and end of the their challenge. These short details provided by the team, will allow the appraisers to clearly follow and appraise the performance, focusing on what the team wants them to watch.
Please use the interactive forms so that it is easier for the appraisers to quickly read and follow.
Remind your team not put too much information on the forms, making it long and difficult to read.
For younger teams the Team Manager may act as scribe, but the content of the forms must be from the team members. Older teams (ML and SL) are expected to manage the forms themselves.
While part three of the tournament form is optional, it is a very integral part of the challenge that helps the teams ability to answer questions they may be asked at the end of their performance. This step also helps them to “wrap” up the season and all be on the same page about their process and solution.
A WORD FROM THE BOARD
The plans for the tournament are moving forward on schedule. Thank you to all of the team managers for sending us all the information we need to create the schedule, train the appraisers, and make plans for some fun activities at the tournament. Here are a few deadlines and reminders for you to put on our tournament preparation schedule.
- Shirt and Pin orders are due by February 6th, so then can be ready by the tournament.
- Tournament Fees are Due now. If you did not receive an invoice, please contact us at montanacq@mt-di.org
- Clarifications close on February 15. Remember to check the published clarifications for your challenge. If your team plansto ask for a clarification they must do so before February 15.Remember you may only ask one question per clarification and also you are limited to 10 questions.
- Don’t forget to keep practicing Instant Challenges. It is easy to let the Central Challenge take over in your schedule. Many teams have learned the importance of their Instant Challenge score the hard way.
Season planning tips from https://gadi.org/
FINISH STAGES 4 AND 5…
Stage 1: Building Your Team & Understandinig the Challenge
Stage 2: Generating: Ideas, Research & Inquiry
Stage 3: Focusing: Putting your Solution Together
Stage 4: Ready, Set, GO! Preparing for your Tournament
Length of this Stage: Approximately 2-4 weeks
Team Time: As many hours as it takes to complete the solution and prepare for the Tournament!
What Happens in this Stage of the Process
The Team (with Team Manager facilitating) should:
- Pay special attention to Site Procedures and What Ifs sections.
- Create a Tournment Tool Kit and emergency kit for Presentation Items
- Rehearse: Practice timing of set up and solution
- Identify Paperwork Specialist: Fill out paperwork
- Check Clarification site and discuss new Clarifications
- Instant Challenge: Continue practicing Instant Challenges under Tournament conditions
- Showtime! Compete at your Tournament
The Team Manager should:
- Register for Tournament
- Receive Tournament information and presentation schedule: Contact Regional/Tournament Director if you have questions
- Provide copy of Travel Guide for Teams to each team member
- Arrange for a Dress Rehearsal for parents/schoolother audience
- At the end of each meeting, debrief. Ask Team: where are we? Are we on track? Do we want to keep moving in this direction? Do we want to change our goal? Are we having fun?
Have pre-Tournament meeting with parents. Review tournament schedule, meeting place, interference, and presentation time
Stage 5: Celebrate! Look How Far We Have Come on this Journey!
Length of this Stage: Approximately 2-4 weeks
Team Time: A couple of hours during the week following the Tournament
What Happens in this Stage of the Process
The Team AND Team Manager should:
- Have a party after the Tournament to celebrate bringing this process to a conclusion.
- Share favorite memories of the funniest moments from the past weeks.
- Make a list of all the things you have learned that you did not know when you first met as a team.
- Write thank you notes to resource people who taught the team, Appraisers who represented the team at the Tournament, other supportive people
- Provide parents with team-generated list of the team’s accomplishments. This will help keep parents’ focus on the benefits of the PROCESS. Remind them that it’s the process, not the product that is important.
