We're Making Progress!

Sorry for the delay everyone! As my college semester winds down, I have been swamped with projects.  HOWEVER, here is an update on the great work that the OMers have been doing.

SPONTANEOUS

To start every meeting, we practice at least one spontaneous problem.  I find it really gets the kids focused and their creative minds going as we transition into working on our solution.  The past few weeks we have been working with the SCAMPER model to help us think more creatively.  Many OMers have really latched on to this idea and are coming up with some really great spontaneous answers.  The past two weeks, I have been challenging them to not only think creatively as an individual, but also as a team.  For instance, in the verbal spontaneous problems, if someone says a really creative answer, how can you use that answer to inspire you to say an equally or more creative response.  I've also been introducing more hands-on problems for the team to tackle.  While the hands-on problems are new for them, it does force them to start thinking about each others ideas and building off each other.

THE NOT-SO-HAUNTED-HOUSE

Brainstorming the Set

I am very proud to say that over the course of the past 2-3 weeks, the team has made MAJOR strides in completing a solution.  Just last week, the team decided on a movable set piece, several illusions to be included in the set, finished writing the script, and assigned roles to the script!  They have been working so hard! To continue this pace, I have been encouraging the team to gather as much cardboard as we can through cheap, dumpster diving methods.  I hope we will have enough by next week to put the set together and start discussing painting options.  Additionally, since they have finished the skit, I want to start running through their lines as often as possible.  For future weeks, I am going to replace spontaneous practice with rehearsal of lines.

How do we make a whale?

I am reaching out to Mr. Douglas in hopes of letting the team perform their solution to at least the fourth grade, if not the entire school.  He seems very eager to make this happen, however, nothing definitive has been made.  However, I feel confident that if the team is willing to stay focused these next few weeks, they will be able to put together a really great performance.