ODYSSEY OFTHE MIND

1 ODYSSEYOFTHEMINDSPONTANEOUSPROBLEMSOLVIN GSPONTANEOUS PROBLEMSV erbalHands-OnHands-OnVerbalVERBALIna Verbalspontaneous problem, the team is given a brainstorming-typeproblem to solve in a specific amount of time and scored according to he number andcreativity of responses generated. The order in which members respond is usuallyrandom, and a higher point value is awarded for a creative answer than a :-Name uses for a jack-o-lantern after things that are what ways are a cloud and a spoon alike?-If I were about to be operated on, I would not like to hear VERBALIn a problem that isHands-on Verbal,team members are usually presentedwith an object, and asked to suggest or demonstrate its uses. The object is passedfromperson to person as they generate answers. Like Verbal problems, points arescored notonly for the quantity of answers in a given amount of time, but also forthe creativity ofthose :-Here are two paper plates.

2 Tell or show how they could be used, or whattheyremind you this cereal box, and tell us something we didn't already know about a creature out of toothpicks and marshmallows, and say somethingclever about Hands-onspontaneous problem, the team is given a task to perform in ashort period of time. This task is non-linguistic in nature, that is, points are notawarded for what issaid,but rather for what is accomplished. Teamwork figuresheavily in the scoring, as do ingenuity and technical success in completing the : Using only an envelope, a mailing label, and a rubber band, the team mustuse them to stretch the farthest distance possible. The team is given a length of yarn and a basketball. Without cutting theyarn, they must devise a means of carrying the basketball fifteen feetwithouttouching the ball with their hands. The team is given an assortment of everyday items and told to create avehicle that will travel between two BUSY FOR SPONTANEOUS PRACTICE?

3 THINK AGAIN!It is common for new coaches to have their teams concentrate on the solution to theLong Term problem and put the preparation for the Spontaneous competition same coaches are often surprised to find that, while their Long Termscores wereabout the same as otherteams', the scores for the Spontaneous problemwere vastlydifferent. "If it hadn't been for Spontaneous," they lament, "we would have had a shotat going to the State Tournament." In fact, rather than the LongTerm scores,it is mostoften the differencein teams' Spontaneous scores thatdetermines-which teams move onto the next level of abilities to solve problems as they arise, to brainstorm, and to modify the ideasofothers without criticism are useful and important tools in themselves. These skillsshouldnot be taught and practiced strictly for the sake of the competition: However,as newcoaches approaching the date of the Regional Tournament, we often ignorethe fact thatit isan important partof the ODYSSEY of the Mind competition.

4 Assuch,we reallyneed to prepare the kids for the time for the Regional Tournament approaches, the list of things that need tobedone on the Long Term problem may tempt you to forego regular Spontaneouspractice. All coaches run into this dilemma at some time, and some have found waystosolve it. Some co-coaches designate one coach as the Spontaneous coach, and one theLongTerm coach. That way neither one becomes overwhelmed, and the kids work on bothwith good results. Some teams begin the season with two regular weekly meetings:one isalwaysdevoted to Spontaneous, and one isalwayson Long Term. Additional meetings areeventually added to work on the Long Term, but theSpontaneous meeting remains afixture on the weekly schedule. Some teams practice Spontaneous one or more times per week before schoolin themorning. That way afternoon and evening meetings can be exclusivelydevoted tothe Long Term point is, there are ways to continue to work on Spontaneous without sacrificingwork on the Long Term and vice just needs to be seen as a prioritythroughout Without Field?

5 Think of it in this way: Imagine that a track team only practiced its running events, and notthe field events. At the meet, they are expected to compete in both. Howwell preparedwould they be if they didn't practice both types of events? And even ifthey were the fastestgroup of runners the world has ever seen,their team would notdo well in the meetoverall if they had neglected to practice the field events ODYSSEY of the Mind itis wonderful to have a terrific Long Term solution-but ifyour kids would really like toadvance to the next level of competition,they need to do well in the Spontaneous portionof the tournament FOR SPONTANEOUS PROBLEMS1. All team members report to the Spontaneous Holding Room, if one is being When the team is called, all team members may go to the Spontaneous Upon entering the Spontaneous Problem Room, a judge will tell the teammemberswhether the problem is verbal, hands-on, or a The team members will be given one minute to decide which five team memberswillparticipate.

6 (If there are only five, then all must participate.)5. The non-participating team members may stay in special seats set aside for theminthe room. If they choose to stay, they must remain quiet and serve as Any interference from the non-participating team members will be penalized asfollows:Minor Infraction=-5 points (from raw spontaneous score) This will begivenfor inadvertent interference that does little or nothing to actually help theteam.(This penalty may be given more than once.)Intermediate Infraction =-15 points (from raw spontaneous score) Thiswill begiven one or more times for inadvertent interference that helps the teamor onetime for one instance of deliberate interference. If deliberateinterferencesubstantively helps the team or occurs more than once, a major penalty will beassessed in addition to this Infraction=-35 points (from raw spontaneous score) or a spontaneousscore of 0. (Cannot fall below 0.)

7 This will be given for deliberate andrepeatedinterference or for obvious help. (This penalty may be given more than once.)These are all at the discretion of the a coach does not choose to send all team members to spontaneous (either to theholding room or to the problem room), itis perfectly acceptable. There will be NOPENALTY for not sending more than five team members. However, if a team hasonly five or fewer team members, all must To avoid congestion, only one adult may accompany the team members to theholding If the turning cards' procedure is used, the team member respondingMAY NOTturnthe card until he/she finishes responding. The judges will stop any teammemberwho does so and make him/her repeat his/her answer. Repeated offensesmay result inan Unsportsmanlike Conduct Hints Regarding ODYSSEY of the Mind Spontaneous CompetitionThe purpose of the Spontaneous problems is to challenge the students' abilityto"think on their feet.

8 " It is also used as a control against outside arenot allowed to rely on someone else's ideas and creativity to solve theirlong-termproblems. Teams using outside assistance will be penalized. Inspontaneous problems,teams are faced with a situation where they cannot seek assistance from others. Teammembers must solve problems under pressure andfunction effectively as a value of responses changes often. In some problems, they may be scoredone(1) point for a common response and three (3) points for a creative response. Inothercases one point may be awarded for common responses and five points givenfor , in other problems, zero may be scored for commonresponses, and onepoint for a creative spontaneous problems involve hands-on or non-linguistic problems may be designated non-verbal for non-English SpontaneousAs teams continue to work together, they will increase their up a scoresheet prior to the problem.

9 This may be done simplyby taking a pieceof paper and dividing it in half with a "common" section and a "creative" section. Asresponses are given, indicate a mark in the appropriate section. After the time has runout, complete the score by awarding the appropriate points for the common and creativeresponses. Occasionally problems are given for fluencyonly and the total number is thescore recorded. Allow students to evaluate theirteam members to help them recognizemore creative to Help Improve Spontaneous Scores1. Listen carefully so you don't have to ask questions and waste valuable Speak loudly and clearly. If a judge asks for a team member to repeat an answeritmay take away from the score by using too much Don't repeat former answers. This wastes time if the judge stops the with a judge. Time is the team member may win the pointbut lose too much time in the process to make a Don't wait until your turn to begin thinking.

10 Have three or four answers in 't speak out of turn. The judge will stop the team member and it wastes 't be about instructions should be avoided if 't elaborate answers unnecessarily. This can use too much 't panic. Try to keep responses flowing and pass the turn on to the next teammember. Even if you can only think of a common response, give it. Your teammembers may have a creativeresponse to prohibited by the judge's instructions, if an example is given by a judge ateam member may use it. (It won't receive a very high score.)12. Notice how long a minute of thinking time really Enter the competition site with calm and confidence. A well-practiced team is veryobvious to the Try to practice as many ways of answering as possible. Assign numbers, throwdice,turn cards, go in etc. Think of other ways team members might beassignedtheir If a problem is a "hands-on" type, try to budget your time.