Odyssey of the Mind

My oldest daughter has been in Odyssey of the Mind at her school since 1st grade. This group is all about Creativity. At competition level each group is given a "problem". This year their problem was Aesop Gone Viral.


Aesop Gone Viral
Teams will create and present an original performance about a fable gone "viral." The problem will include a list of fables attributed to Aesop. Teams will select one and portray it, and its moral, as going viral - that is, being shared throughout the community and beyond. The performance will be set in a past era and include a narrator character, an artistic representation of the fable's moral, and a character that makes a wrong conclusion about the moral and is corrected.

They had so much fun their first year competing and they worked so well together. They won 2nd place at the Regional Competition but did not place in the top 3 at the State competition. None of the kids were upset they were just so happy to have to experience of competing. It was such a great experience!

State Competition

 

Why Odyssey of the Mind is Good for Kids

The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process. For more than twenty five years, this unique program has helped teachers generate excitement in their students. By tapping into creativity, and through encouraging imaginative paths to problem-solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems -- great and small -- for a lifetime. The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students how to think divergently by providing open-ended problems that appeal to a wide range of interests. Students learn how to identify challenges and to think creatively to solve those problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism. The creative problem-solving process rewards thinking "outside of the box." While conventional thinking has an important place in a well-rounded education, students need to learn how to think creatively and productively.

In the Odyssey of the Mind . . .

• Students develop team-building skills by working in groups of as many as seven students per team.
• Students learn to examine problems and to identify the real challenge without limiting the possible solutions and their potential success.
  
• The creative-thinking process is nurtured and developed as a problem-solving tool.
  
• Students of all types will find something that will appeal to them.
  
• The fun of participation leads to an elevated interest in regular classroom curricula.
  
• Teachers have a program to further provide students with a well-rounded education.