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Is anyone around here familiar with this program?
http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/learn_more.php

It's very popular among GT families here, but I don't have any personal experience with it. I've just heard great things.

If this is the former Olympics of the Mind (forced to change its name for legal reasons), then yes, but as a participant some 20 years ago. Loved it. Basically you would form a team of something like 6 or 8 kids and you'd have a typical "problem" to solve. For example, on one team we had to use balsa wood to construct a bridge. The bridge that could hold the most weight would win. They would pair this with creative problem solving quizzes, and skits. You'd get points for each activity and the top team got to go onto the next level. At our school our team (one of the years that I did not participate) went on to the national level. Very fun, educational activity.

Again, though, IF that is the same organization.

JB

Yeah, everyone on my team was in the GT program at my school. That's how I knew those kids.

I can't wait until 2xDS get older. I see visions of myself being a coach...

JB

I hope you do, JB! Sounds like they are in need of adults willing to step in.

I would love to see DD8 participate in something like that.
Unfortunately she didn't seem to enjoy the last two group problem solving activities she participated in.

She said she would do the assignments by herself, but not in a group.

Any thoughts?

Hmmm...

Did you ask why doing them with others was a problem?

It sounds like she needs to be prepped for group work, making doggone sure she knows there are others pitching in. Did she just assume it was a solo project, or was there some misunderstanding?

No, In both situations she knew there would be group collaboration and was open to it going in.

She never said anything one way or the other except that she didnt' want to do it again.

Then when the opportunity for Great Books at school came up, she seemed interested until she understood they would be discussing the book as a group.

She just says: "Because I don't want to."

There is no problem at school working with others, she just won't do extra-curricular in this environment.

When I dug a little more about great books she said she would have a book discussion club with me only and she would choose the books.

I haven't really pushed it, but I would love to see her intereacting with others in this type of creative environment.

I never liked group work myself. It was always me doing all the work or the others driving me crazy by being going off on tangents that didn't apply to the assignment. I'm not saying this is a good thing, just how it was for me. Maybe it was something similar with your DD. Have you checked her personality type??? Some personalities seem to do better in group work situations than others.

We cross posted neato!

Good point! She is ITP, what do you think?

Just looked it up and here is one thing it said:

"ITP children work best alone. They may have problems with groups assignments, and may reject these kinds of projects by not participating much."

There you go!!! LOL!!!

We I's don't much like group work! It's a fact! I think the T is rather problematic for that, too, isn't it?

I guess I'd say respect it. If she's tried it and she's not into it, that's pretty fair.

Maybe you could find a group that divides work up, assigning each team member an individual job? Then it's more independent, but still involves working for a common goal?

Just thinking out loud here...

Oh yeah, found this:

"They have no interest in controlling or leading others, or telling them what to do
Quiet and serious"


and then:

"They're highly independent, and don't like being told what to do "

and don't forget:

"Often prefer to work alone rather than in groups"

I think I'll nominate myself for the big duh award this evening!

LOL!!!!! Doesn't it feel good to figure something out though??

I'm with Kriston, I think I'd just respect it too, especially for after school activities. She probably gets more than enough group work activities at school.

Thanks ladies! Sometimes you need your friend to tell you about something that is right in front of your face!

Just because I would enjoy it doesn't mean she will.
Although I probably would only enjoy it if Kriston and EandCmom were my groupmates!

Nah. I'm bossy! No one likes working in a group with me.

Aw Kriston, I bet it would be fun!!!!

Kriston, Don't say bossy, say convicted.

People who have to work in group with me would like to see me convicted of *something*, that's for sure!

I knew as soon as I typed that word you would run with that one!

Yes, thanks. The straight-man job is the hard one, you know! So I appreciate the job you did there!

Thanks 'Neato and Kriston. I really needed a good laugh tonight.

Rough night, bianca? I hope not!

Would a good virtual tickling help?

Sure thing! You'll just owe me a giggle.

I'll be looking to collect in a few weeks when school starts back up!

I am too ticklish to enjoy tickles. You can tickle me from across the room without even touching me. Not a good thing.

It was rough day, but it is getting better already.

'Neato, just let me know when and I will be glad to pay back the giggle.

I'm glad your day is getting better. Hope tomorrow is much better.

How about if we tickle you from across the country without even touching you! Then you can pay back that giggle now.

:p

Sounds great!! I can take that kind of tickle and actually enjoy it. Sending one back.

Thanks Neato. Tomorrow will be fine.

Love it! And here's hoping more giggles, smiles, snickers and chuckles come your way!

Thanks

You know, this might explain a few things about my DS. I vaguely remember personality types from my Psych 101 class in college nearly 20 years ago. But the ITP web site I just hit fits him to a tee.

Destination Imagination, which sounds similar to OM, was really painful last year. Dottie's remark about choosing the group is critical though. DS was on a team with kids from a completely different school and he had a very hard time breaking into their group. (i.e. they were in classes together, studied homework together, played basketball together...) He was the odd man out, so to speak. I kept thinking, "If DS could just do the project by himself, he would be having a lot more fun." But he did learn many things about how a group functions and how people need to compromise to work together as a team.

Maybe the trick with these kids is to find a project that they are very excited about and requires a tolerable amount of team work. And having your friends on the team can either make it seem less like work... or is a quick way to destroy friendships!

Any other suggestions or ideas for group projects for reluctant ITP kids? All I can think up is Lego League.

Well, as a non-group person, I certainly found that the required group work is school was quite enough. I have always been fine at it, but it wears me out. I need lots of down-time to recover. It just would never occur to me to put a non-group person into an extra-curricular group activity. Let them have and individual activity that gives them some space where they can stretch their wings or just settle into themselves and relax a bit before heading back to another inevitable group.

Yup. What she said!

I always liked sports like softball because they required teamwork, but they were really individually-based, if that makes any sense. I didn't have to rely on someone else. I had my job to do, and I didn't have to carry anyone else. When it was my turn to bat, I batted. Divide and conquer, I guess.

I'd look for the same sort of thing for a non-group person in any group activity, I think, or I would skip the group activity altogether. Division of labor is the only way for an introvert to survive a group.

Yes, I will respect the child!

E-beth, we got all excited about Lego League around here and after much family discussion, realized we were just going to have to buy the darn thing ourselves and let the two girls have at it. Although, it would probably be wise to let them work on it independently rather than a team.