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A Creative Experience The-Ordinary Projects “The lesson Odyssey of the Mind ! teaches is that original thinking OW is not just a function of N XPERIENCE E intelligence. It can be dyssey of the Mind is the OIN BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP learned with training J Oinnovator of creative prob- and practice.” Energize your student body! With each member- lem solving in education. It is the ship you'll receive: ® ~ Bill Moyers, ® brainchild of Dr. Sam Micklus, Journalist • Five long-term problems that are challenging, user- who, as a professor at Rowan friendly, and appeal to every interest. ODYSSEY of the MIND University, challenged his stu- • One primary problem for students in grades K-2. dents with open-ended, out-of- “Odyssey of the Mind has been • An Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide, with A Creative Experience the-ordinary projects. In 1978, one of the most extraordinary instructions on how to get started and basic pro- Odyssey held the first creative experiences of my life, and gram rules. problem-solving competition. Dr. Sam Micklus founded the program in my life has been devoted to • Curriculum activities for use in the classroom. Teams from 28 New Jersey 1978 because he wanted all students to working with children from schools participated. Now, at have the experience of solving problems any age from 0 to 100.” • The opportunity to enter teams into competitions. our annual World Finals using creativity. He says, “In Odyssey of ~ Chuck Jones, • A subscription to the Odyssey of the Mind competition alone, nearly 800 the Mind, every team is a winner.” Animator Newsletter. Odyssey of the Mind is for kids of all ages with teams come from across the • Eligibility for educational scholarships. all interests and from every academic U.S. and from more than 20 background. It’s a place where they’re • Support services from your local association and other countries, making Odyssey appreciated for who they are, how they international headquarters. of the Mind the largest interna- think, and what they do. “The Odyssey of the Mind is one All mailings and program updates. tional creative problem-solving • IT’S FOR example of what young minds can program in the world! do when they are challenged.” EVERYONE ~ Walter Cronkite, “Imagination is more rom at-risk to gifted, Journalist Ffrom kindergarten HOW TO JOIN important than to college, every type ny school, established community of student benefits Agroup, or college or university may join knowledge. from Odyssey of the the Odyssey of the Mind. The cost for one Knowledge is limited. Mind. Odyssey allows membership is $135, with discounts on “Odyssey of the Mind gives an students to use their multiple memberships for the same school Imagination encircles opportunity for a variety of or school district. Everyone in the school may minds in a different kinds of giftedness other than participate in the program. For each mem- the world.” way than they are academic giftedness.” bership purchased, a school may enter up accustomed. At every ~ Dr. E. Paul Torrance, ~ Albert Einstein academic level, it’s a Researcher of Creativity to 14 teams in competition, depending on chance for students to the grades covered. learn in a non-tra- Coaching a team is a great way for parents and teachers to For information on how to join and to find OMER is the fun-loving Odyssey of the Mind ditional way. get more involved in a child’s education. Coaches don’t your local contacts, go to raccoon mascot. He cheers teams on and makes “Behind each one of our help solve the problems, but they take pride in the team’s www.odysseyofthemind.com sure everyone has a good time. Here, he shares in finalists is a volunteer accomplishments! An added benefit is that by watching the excitement of a first-place team from China. or call 856.456.7776 support network that can kids be creative, they become more creative. proudly claim to be one of those thousand points of light I like to talk about.” ~ George Bush, ODYSSEY MAKES LEARNING FUN! SUPPORTERS President of the United States here’s no denying kids want to have fun. Odyssey of the Mind uses a illions of educators and parents around the Thands-on approach to learning and allows kids to incorporate their Mworld can testify to the value of the Odyssey of own interests into their solutions. Kids can apply practically any class- the Mind. Each year, thousands of volunteers give their Odyssey of the Mind ◆ ◆ room lesson to an Odyssey of the Mind problem. It's where math, sci- “Odyssey of the Mind never time so kids can participate. They coach teams, is proud to be learning self-confidence problem-solving ence, art, history, literature and technology come together. The result? ends. The friends and skills you judge tournaments, and serve in many other sponsored by NASA. Problem solutions that incorporate a vast array of ideas that reflect the develop during competitions capacities. They do it because they understand how thinking ◆ innovation ◆ imagination talents of every member of the team. When kids are involved in what will be remembered for creative problem solving helps children thrive. they like, they’re more engaged, more creative, and they learn more. the rest of your life.” teamwork ◆ ideas ◆ excitement ◆ originality ~ Brandon McNerlin, Odyssey of the Mind Participant exploration ◆ decision-making ◆ creativity ® Odyssey of the Mind, the Odyssey of the Mind logo, and OMER are federally registered trademarks of Creative Competitions, Inc. SELF-CONFIDENCE n Odyssey of the Mind, students achieve things beyond LONG-TERM PROBLEMS Itheir own expectations. They solve the problems them- WHY ODYSSEY OF THE MIND? he Odyssey of the Mind long-term prob- selves, so they become more confident in their abilities. Tlems are open-ended so students can Through brainstorming sessions, they learn to generate incorporate their own interests into their ideas and express themselves without fear of criticism. solutions. While every problem has a central dyssey of the Mind provides creative problem-solving opportunities for Seeing their ideas come to fruition is a satisfying experi- requirement – such as creating a structure students. Creative problem solving is a results-oriented method of ence. This builds strong self-esteem, which carries over or vehicle, performing a scene based on Olearning. It encourages students to analyze a situation, imagine all the into other areas of their lives. Students learn to classical literature, or creating a humorous possibilities, then synthesize the best qualities of their ideas into a workable go beyond the expected, and they become confident performance – each allows for a solution solution. In Odyssey of the Mind, students learn creative problem-solving skills in public situations and more active in the classroom. that reflects a team's individual style. This is by – what else – solving problems. They generate ideas, then apply their skills where creativity comes in: the possibilities and talents to bring those ideas to fruition. This team took a different approach to make are endless! its vehicle travel for “The Chameleon.” Instead CREATIVITY CAN BE TAUGHT of wheels, the vehicle“walked” on four legs. At Odyssey of the Mind, we want to develop and nurture the creativity that lies in every individual. We strive to inspire kids to find new ways to solve all Kids do amazing things! For types of problems through critical and creative thinking. The more students “Achilles’ Heel,” this team built a balsa structure that weighed less apply their creativity, the more creative they become. than a large envelope but held six thousand times its weight. PREPARATION FOR LIFE What better way to prepare our children for the future than by teaching SPONTANEOUS them to examine, to explore, and to create? In this world of ever-present chal- n competition day, teams enter a room lenges, creative problem solving prepares students to face the unpredictable. and are presented with a short-term O LEARNING In the creative problem-solving process, students conceptualize ideas, make challenge that they solve there and then. critical decisions, then apply the skills necessary to implement their ideas into They don’t know what to expect, but they’re dyssey of the Mind is a force in education. Our productive solutions. Students work under the guidance of a coach but are prepared to face just about anything. Oproblems and curriculum activities are integral expected to do all the work themselves. This instills in them a sense of pride, Problems could range from telling an original learning tools that teach critical-thinking skills, which This college team created its own version of “The achievement, and responsibility. They work within a cost limit so they gain story to building a bridge of toothpicks and leads to improved performance in other learning situa- Sword in the Stone” for the “classics” problem, tions. By enhancing the educational experience with experience in managing resources. Working in teams, they learn to respect the marshmallows. Spontaneous is a lot of fun, “King Arthur.” Odyssey of the Mind problems allow ideas of others while forming life-long friendships. When students rise to a chal- and it teaches kids to “think on their feet.” students to apply history, technology, the arts, and Odyssey of the Mind activities, your school will produce lenge, they learn that they are capable of achieving things beyond their own any other subject or interest into their solution. better students. expectations. This will carry over into other aspects of their lives. Odyssey of the Mind team members work together toward COMPETITION STIMULATES CREATIVITY one common goal: making their solution the best that it can be! Along the way, they form life-long friendships. In essence, the Odyssey of the Mind is a competitive program.
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