Welcome to the Journey

1
Welcome to the Journey

• 2009 Information session ToMs NT
• Presenters Yvonne Darcey Kate Fegan

2
What we hope to achieve?

• Introduce you, new facilitators to the Tournament
  of Minds program
• Provide guidance for team selection and ways to
  approach ToM
• Explain the structure of ToM and necessary
  procedures
• Offer resources that are available

3
The two components of ToM

• The teams are given 6 weeks to work through a
  Long Term Challenge to be presented before a
  panel of judges and a live audience on Finals
  Day. Teams receive the challenges early in Term
  3. The teams receive NO assistance from teachers,
  parents or peers.
• On Finals Day, they then participate in an unseen
  Spontaneous Challenge before only a panel of
  judges. This challenge requires rapid
  interchange of ideas, the ability to think
  creatively and well developed group cooperation
  skills. The team receives only 3-4 minutes to
  develop a creative response to the challenge.

4
Which kids gain from the ToM experience?

• Look for the Gifted
• Look for the Able Bright Learner
• Look for the student with a Specific Talent
• Look for the student who is motivated and
  enthusiastic
• Look for the Collaborator

5
Selection Procedures

• There are three main issues
• Which students to select?
• How to select?
• How to put teams together?

6
Which students to select?The following criteria
can be useful

• Gifted, general high academic achievement or a
  specific talent (music, art, technology,
  mathematics, drama)
• Enjoys creative thinking
• Able to work independently
• Good public speaking ability or dramatic talent
• A good leader or good cooperative skills
• Motivated, willing to give up their own time and
  shows a sense of commitment
• Energy and enthusiasm

7
How to select?

• Teacher nomination
• Student nomination
• Open invitation
• Auditions/applications
• Mock ToM finals (spontaneous challenge)
• Combination of above

8
Team Composition

• Teams are made up of 7 students, with a
  maximum of 4 from any year level.
• Secondary (Middle in Darwin) teams must have
  two team members from their year of entry.  

From 2009, all Year 7 students in the NT are
considered to be Middle/Secondary as far as
team selection for ToMs goes. All
Middle/Secondary teams MUST therefore have at
least 2 Year 7 students. Primary teams STOP at
year 6.
9
How to put teams together?

• Teacher selection based on prior knowledge of
  students and performance
• Student choice
• A combination of the above

10
Facilitators responsibilities

• Become familiar with the Important Dates Calendar
  
• Return the School Registration Form by Friday
  15th May (to Yvonne Darcey)
• Read the 2009 ToM Instructional Manual
• Return Team Nomination Forms by
• Friday 14th August (to Yvonne Darcey)

11
All following information is available on our web
page

• http//www.tom.edu.au/
• Click link to Northern Territory
• Announcements
• Important Dates Calendar
• 2009 Information Letter
• 2009 Resource Merchandise Order Form
• School Registration Form
• Ongoing Forms/information

12
How to prepare students for ToM

• Some possible ways to allocate time for ToM
• A ToM Club meets at lunch time
• A whole class activity
• Within school activity lesson time is provided
  across classes
• Mini Tournament students work in own time

13
Facilitators should assist teams with the
following but teams must complete their own admin
requirements

• ToM rules and school expectations
• ToM administration requirements of the team
  (allowable materials, cost form, performance
  skills form, copies of script, outside assistance
  form etc.)
• Practice Spontaneous Challenges (includes role
  definition and time management)
• Provide a plan of attack for the Long Term
  Challenge

14

A typical ToM Session may include

• Warm up games 5 minutes
•  
• Skills and strategies 30 minutes
• Drama skills
• Public speaking practice
• Cooperative games
• Brainstorming techniques
• Creative thinking strategies
• Role definition
• A plan of attack for the Long Term Challenge
•  
• The Long Term Challenge 30 minutes
• Time to work through some Challenges as a group
  with an aim to presenting one for practice
  judging at the end of Term 2
• Reflection and Evaluation 10 minutes
• Self and team evaluation

15
Resources

• ToM Instruction Manual
• Spontaneous Challenge CD
• Long Term Challenge CD
• 3 Hour Challenge CD
• ToM Promotional DVD

16
Potential Disciplines for 2009

• Will be chosen from
• Language/Literature
• Maths/Engineering
• Social Science
• Applied Technology

17
Addition Support / Opportunities for teams and
facilitators

• Drama workshops in collaboration with local
  drama groups
• Tony Ryan the mind behind Thinkers Keys
• Possible Facilitator workshops (Darwin) to
  enhance the teaching and learning of thinking
  skills.

18
A final note

• It is a good idea to send notes home to parents
  or hold a parent meeting, to ensure everybody is
  aware of their obligations
• All facilitators and students participating in
  ToM should be aware that the NT finalist teams
  and 2 facilitators per team will travel to
  Brisbane for the Australasian Pacific Finals to
  be held on Saturday 24 October 2009. There will
  be a financial commitment involved at this point.

19
Enjoy the Challenge!
Contact details Darwin yvonne.darcey_at_ntschools.n
et Alice Springs ann.fleming_at_ntschools.net Pleas
e dont hesitate to email with any queries about
ToM.