Montana Destination Imagination

In this issue:

•  Everyday Creative Problem Solving
•  New Course at DI University
• Alumni Spotlight
•  College Scholarships
• Rule of the Week
• Team Building Activity
• Instant Challenge

Everyday Creative Problem Solving

Do you ever want a new way to do the same chore?   When you ever hit a roadblock in your project and do you know how to overcome it?  Have you ever had a number of choices and were not sure which one to choose?  These are all situations where knowing Creative Problem Solving Tools will help you come up with new ways to do something or narrow down your choices to one that is within budget or more manageable.

Destination ImagiNation provides teams with a number of tools to generate ideas and then focus them down to a few to try.  These are skills everyone should have.  Even young students can learn and use these tools. There are generating  tools to help them come up with some creative ideas for  a story.  There are  focusing tools to help decide what props and costumes to use for a reader’s theater or the what supplies will be needed to create a musical instrument. 

Some tools can also help groups reach agreement when there is conflict.  These tools are not just for students.  They are also used in the corporate and personal world.  Check out the free resources at the Center for Creative Learning, a Destination ImagiNation partner, to discover more about Creative Problem Solving Tools.

New Course at DI University

There is a new course on the Rules of the Road at the Destination ImagiNation online trainings at DI University. These trainings are for Team Members, Coordinators, Team Managers, Appraisers and DI volunteers.  If you are not sure about how to be a Team Manager or what you will find in The Rules of the Road make sure you register and take these trainings so you can increase your knowledge about these parts of the Destination ImagiNation program. By taking any of the courses offered at DI University, you will help to maintain program standards throughout our constituency.

Team Managing Do's and Don'ts

Do try to answer a question with a question.

Do relax and enjoy seeing these young creative minds at work!

Don't limit creativity by setting restrictions which are too tight or which reflect your own, perhaps limited, vision ..

Alumni Spotlight

Tim Oakberg is currently in graduate school at Washington University in St Louis pursuing a doctorate in Philosophy, Psychology and Neuroscience (PNP program). He and his wife have a new baby.
Tim loved to participate in the Creative Problem Solving programs when he was in school in Bozeman.  He also enjoyed being a team manager. It gave him the opportunity to meet others with similar interests, and to engage his mind in a stimulating and positive activity. He learned so many important life skills-creative thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, responsibility, persistence, dependability etc. These skills and others have and will continue to help Tim in all aspects of his life.

We’re always interested in hearing about any alumni stories, successes, and achievements! We like to spotlight Montana Alum to help tell the DI story! Tell us what your alumni are doing now. Send your stories to montanacq@mt-di.org

College Scholarships

Montana DI Alumni who participated in Destination ImagiNation for two years or more qualify for three college Scholarships.  Check out the Montana DI Website to learn more about these scholarships and how to apply for them.  Montana Destination ImagiNation is expanding its scholarship to include students pursuing a post High School degree. MTDI will award one scholarship to a high school senior and one to a Montana High School graduate who is currently pursuing a post High School degree. Make sure your alumni know about these scholarships.  Deadlines: February 1 and February 15.  Please let qualified students and your local high school guidance counselors know about these scholarships.

RULE OF THE WEEK :

Interference

Only team members may contribute ideas and create the Team Challenge and Team Choice Element solutions. Help from non-team members, including your Team Managers, is called Interference.

It is not Interference for the team to be taught skills. In fact, it is the job of the Team Manager to facilitate the team members’ acquisition of skills. It is the job of the team to apply learned skills to a particular purpose or use in creating a Challenge solution.

The Challenge requirements and limitations, and the rules in Rules of the Road are the facts by which all must abide. Understanding them and internalizing them is the job of the team, the Team Manager and the Officials. What does the Challenge say? What does it say in Rules of the Road? What are the Published Clarifications? Let’s write for a Team Clarification! This is all learning that can be shared, should be shared, and is shared among teams, Team Managers and Officials.

Team Building Activity: 

MACHINE

Challenge: To create a living machine.

The team stands in a line with each person representing a part of a machine.  The first person begins a machine like motion.  The next person integrates his own mechanical motion with the movement of the first.  The rest add their motions in turn until the entire group is moving  as a machine.  The speed of the machine may be increased or decreased by any member of the group. 

Make speed changes gradually.  The activity ends with the machine slowly grinding to a halt.  Sound effects are permitted.  This may also be done in a circle so that there is no distinguishable beginning and end.

Instant Challenge:

Popppppcorn

Challenge:  Sink as much ammunition into the targets as possible without stepping into the No Trespassing Zone.

Time:  You will have 1 minute to think and strategize and 2 minutes to complete the task.

Materials:  Three targets, a pile of ammunition (popcorn), and tools of the trade (a wooden spoon, pair of tweezers, a screwdriver, a coffee filter, a rubber band, and a mailing label)

The targets are three flat bottom ice cream cones placed in an 18" radius circle sectioned off with string. 

Scoring:10 points for each piece of ammunition in the target.

Variation: Deductions for ammunition remaining in pile. 

Tip:  Have a broom and dustpan available for clean-up.  Have a controlled amount of popcorn to "shoot" and extra for snacks.