Tournament of Minds
TOURNAMENT OF MINDS
Next Sunday, 1st September 14 students from St Joseph's will compete in this year's Tournament of Minds competition at the University of Wollongong. Tournament of Minds is a problem-solving program for teams of students from both primary and secondary years. Tournament's aim is to enhance the potential of our youth by developing diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment.
Our students will be required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines:
THE ARTS
- The long term challenges will involve research before developing a creative interpretation in response to the Challenge. Plenty of opportunities for artistic expression in the form of dance, song, musical instruments, theatre and all forms of the Visual Arts.
- This year's challenge is titled The Wizard of Aus. It deals with a journey and the challenges faced along the way set to song.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- The combination of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics principles provides an integrated approach for students to deepen their conceptual understanding and use their creative and critical thinking skills to solve the challenges within an authentic context.
- This year's challenge is titled Calliopes Carousel Conundrum. It deals with DNA sampling from a constructed machine to secure the future of 5 endangered species.
All students also solve a 4 minute Spontaneous Challenge on the competition day.
Tournament of Minds is an opportunity for students with a passion for learning and problem solving to demonstrate their skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way. Tournament of Minds offers real-world benefits as it looks beyond academic achievement and understands that the pursuit of excellence knows no boundaries. The Tournament process provides a platform for excellence and equips participants with twenty-first century skills and strategies.
Objectives
- Provide the stimulation of real, open-ended challenges
- Develop creative problem solving approaches and techniques
- Foster cooperative learning and team work
- Promote knowledge and appreciation of self and others
- Encourage experimentation and risk taking
- Expand and reward creative and divergent thinking
- Stimulate a spirit of inquiry and a love of learning
- Develop enterprise
- Celebrate excellence
Students involved this year are:
ARTS TEAM
Lauren Clancy
Harvey Andrews
Lucas Thompson
Emma Schulz
Ruby Oliver
River Jardim
Lara Wishart
STEM TEAM
Isabelle Plattner
Cooper Reay
Kailtyn Michlmayr
Neave Keenan
Alex Bierczynski
James Windle
Harry Barnett
Thanks to Miss Swift, Mr le and Mr Lemmon for your support with out terms this year.