This is great…thanks for sending this out Brandy!  We’ve been doing this the whole time we’ve been meeting and see such a difference in how they’re relating to each other…well most of them! J  These are some great ideas and I’m going to use them!  Thanks!

 

 

From: First Lego League in Virginia and DC [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of B Bergenstock
Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 1:58 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VADCFLL-L] instant challenges/ core values training

 

As a  former FLL coach, I found one of the most important things we did as a team was our weekly instant challenges.   These mirror the challenges they will encounter in the "core values" judging of the competition and can be part of the life-skills that students carry with them after the FLL.  

    Once your team learns to cheer each on and rely on each other in short bursts, it goes a long way to soothing problems that can arise in the rest of the season- robotic design disputes, skit role issues, and other personality conflicts.  It won't cure all ails, but it certainly improves a team cohesion:) 
   Make sure you stress good communication models in the instant challenges. A way to introduce more ideas is to say that, "That's one idea. I have another."  "We could also...."  "Kinda of like that idea, .... " The goal is non-judgement of stated ideas, while still forwarding the new idea.  If kids judge ideas or put ideas down, stop them and remind them that the brainstorming part of open to all ideas. They should even try to refrain from making positive remarks, because that can seem like an endorsement for one concept and stops other people from forwarding different ideas if they don't think the new idea has any chance.  I found my teams were enriched by the exercises, and it made the meetings so much fun to have them each time we met.

Good luck this season!

Brandy


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