The web is filled with amazing people, doing some amazing things for educators! And while I was clearing my spam bank (arrghh) I noticed a comment from Kris Bordessa  whose  blog and book on Team Challenges  are great resources for both the classroom teacher and school librarian.

A.B. What are some of the challenges you face from your readers? Do they understand what your goal is for them and the outcome they expect?

K.B. "I recently had an email from a woman who planned to do some Team Challenges with a group of adults in the corporate world. She had the book, but wanted to know where the answers were. I had to tell her that there aren't any! I think the fact that there isn't a single "correct" answer to any of the challenges is the hardest thing for most people to understand. Each challenge offers myriad possibilities for a successful solution.

At first, some kids do have trouble learning to solve these problems. They are used to very specific instructions on how to complete their schoolwork properly. When they are told that they can solve the problem however they'd like, it can feel strange to them. But I've seen first hand that after doing just two or three challenges, the hesitation is gone and they are thrilled with the freedom to use their creativity and solve the challenge in the way they think is best."
A.B. Your blog and resources have appealed to homeschoolers. Do you find schools also using your resources?

K.B. "Yes! I actually volunteered at a local school last year to bring these types of activities into the classroom. The kids loved doing the challenges and always asked for more. This year, the same school is using Team Challenges again and the teachers and students are really enjoying it. Recently, they even organized a challenge competition between groups of kids.

At another school, the librarian introduced some classroom teachers to Team Challenges and they are using them to fill holes in their day. What's great about these activities is that they take less than ten minutes to complete. They are easy to squeeze in around other activities to fill a void. With art and other creative expression classes disappearing from school days, it's a nice way to allow a little creative license in a short amount of time."

A.B. What would be the ideal challenge for librarians to use to get students to read more?

K.B. "Not a specific challenge, but one thing I like to do with my teams is to provide them with a copy of the challenge as they are doing it. That way, if there are questions about the challenge, they can look to the paper and read it themselves. This encourages reading and improves reading comprehension as they look for the specifics (and loopholes!) of the challenge.

More indirectly, one section of Team Challenges features "Fairy-tale Fun". These verbal challenges ask kids to think creatively about familiar fairy-tale characters, for instance, "What job would Cinderella hold if she left the castle, prince-less?" These questions would be an ideal jumping off point to introduce kids to some mixed up fairy-tales."

A.B. What are questions you are MOST asked at conferences when you are a presenter?

K.B. "My conference workshops are hands-on, so the people participating spend their time actually trying the challenges. The most asked questions are those of clarification: "You mean we can do it any way we want?" or "Is it okay if we tear the sheet of paper?"  I have to remind them that if the challenge doesn't say you can't, then you can – as long as it's safe.

Another question that often comes up is with regard to the best age to use Team Challenges. It's difficult for people to understand that these challenges work with a wide age range. First graders and college students will both benefit. The difference is in their solutions. While younger students will come up with a very basic solution, older students and adults will solve the challenge much more elaborately. One is not better than another; it's just different."

Thanks to Kris for sharing her story with the SLJ blog!

-Amy Bowllan