This team building activity will require you to think quickly - and to think outside the box - in order to win an innovation competition.
Step 1 (3 Minutes... Max!) - Take turns introducing yourselves to your team.
Step 1 (3 Minutes... Max!) - Take turns introducing yourselves to your team.
- Who are you?
- Where do you work?
- What do you teach? (Or what program do you coordinate or administer?)
- Include something surprising about you that you'd like others on your team to remember as a conversation starter later.
Step 2 (3 Minutes... Or Less!) - You will be racing the clock to write down as many innovations as you can think of on 3 x 5 cards. No duplicates are allowed. Don't talk. Don't think. Write.
Step 3 (3 Minutes... Tops!) - This is a surprise, but this is where the thinking outside of the box may come in handy.
Step 4 - One team will win a prize... and the respect (or jealousy) of their fellows!
Step 3 (3 Minutes... Tops!) - This is a surprise, but this is where the thinking outside of the box may come in handy.
Step 4 - One team will win a prize... and the respect (or jealousy) of their fellows!
This welcome activity will give you an opportunity to meet and connect with the people in your team. Think of it as "speed dating" for geeky educators! It is also meant to help you kick start your innovative thinking for the day - with a clear focus on learning. So stretch your mind and exercise your creativity. :)
Follow the instructions below to complete the activity... and make an innovation connection!
Follow the instructions below to complete the activity... and make an innovation connection!
- Listen carefully to the instructions. This should take two minutes or less.
- Think of the best example of innovation in education that you can. For this exercise, the innovation should not involve computers, gadgets, or anything "techie." The example doesn't need to be something you've done yourself. Perhaps it's something one of your teachers did when you were a student or something you've seen one of your colleagues (or heroes) do. Think fast, and prepare to share. You have about two minutes.
- Pair up with one of your teammates and share your example. You will have one minute each to share your example and any story behind it (for a total of two minutes together). When one partner is sharing, the other can ask a question, but shouldn't "take over" the conversation.
- Rotate until you have shared with every other person on your team. With teams of eight, this should require seven rotations... the first four are easy, the next three will take some quick creative thinking! (You will have 15 seconds for each transition.)
- Come together as a team to decide who shared the best example of innovation in education. You have 2 minutes.
- A representative from your team will share the best example with the large group. Each group representative will have 1 minute to share.
