All students need to take Course 1 in order to move on to further courses.
Think Kids (ages 4-5)
Course 1
Students will learn pattern recognition and model building by developing the ability to transfer information from a diagram to a game. Children will bolster their classification, memorization, and counting skills. Students will also develop spatial orientation skills and imaginative and creative abilities. Moreover, students will learn the Stoplight Method to nurture their thinking strategies and decision-making processes.
Course 2
Students will learn to identify and define characteristics by their common attribute while recognizing exceptions. With these abilities, children will then be able classify and sort objects according to a specific characteristic (common denominator). They will also develop their abilities to gather information by asking questions and making connections between diverse pieces of information.
Course 3
Students will work on comparison-related concepts like "greater than"," less than", and "equal to" while practicing counting. They will also understand the importance of working together to improve their productivity while developing creativity and forward-planning skills in their playing and practicing.
Step I (ages 6-8)
Course 1: World of Games
Students will learn basic concepts from the world of games like defining objectives and rules. Students will recognize and create threats, blocks and double threats while learning to appreciate the importance of cooperation between the game pieces. Also, students will develop models for decision making and problem solving by use of the Stoplight Method.
Course 2: United Forces
Students will learn the importance of cooperation and collaboration between group members, the significance of mutual assistance and to appreciate the respective contribution of every group member through the division of responsibilities. They will learn to differentiate between attributes to establish a common denominator through sorting and classifying.
Course 3: Figuring it Out Students will learn through planning and sequencing how to arrange and play out the moves in the best order to achieve the objective. They will also learn how to define the problem at hand, examine the possible solutions, rank the possibilities, and choose the best option. Also, long-term calculations and simple arithmetic exercises will be emphasized.
Course 4: Asking Questions
Students will learn how to gather information by trying to ask the optimal line of "yes - no" questions and recognize the relevance of such clear-cut questions and those demand more open-ended answers in their daily lives. Along with this line of questioning and answers students learn how distinguish between crucial and trivial information while performing research techniques like brainstorming, consultation, and coordination to figure out answers to challenging problems.
Course 5: Deep Waters
Students will learn to distinguish between urgency and importance. They will learn the advantages of cooperation and the effects that the center has: to create threats and doubles on the offensive and to allow for mobility on the defensive. The idea of self-block and the effective allocation of resources are important strategies for game-play and real life. Students also learn pattern recognition through deconstruction and reconstruction.
Step II (ages 9-11)
Course 1: Problems Solving Students will learn how to cope with unclear situations by asking questions and applying problem solving strategies like the Detective Method. They will establish primary and secondary objectives to achieve their goals by the process of elimination, finding the essential condition, creative thinking, and the avoidance of threats and problems.
Course 2: Planning and Sequencing
Students will learn the importance of forward planning and sequencing of their move order for step by step action preparation. Also, students will learn that some planning and considerations must be made with only partial knowledge or conditions of uncertainty. Despite the dynamic uncertainty that game-play offers, students will calculate with precision while trying to honor commitments.
Course 3: Information Analysis Students will learn how to gather and convey information and to draw appropriate conclusions through communication, cooperation, and collaboration.
Course 4: Resource Management Students will learn the importance of resource management and to maximize efficiency by creating threats and double threats for their opponent. This process of allocation of resources allows students to work together and think creatively while trying to optimize the utility of their game pieces by balancing the accumulation of resources with making tactical retreats and the creation of threats.
Course 5: Deep Waters II Students will learn how to determine the essential condition through use of the process of elimination and creative thinking while developing their sense of intuition. They will also recognize the importance of controlling key-points, danger avoidance of irrevocable threats, and flexibility in planning.
Step III (ages 12-14)
Course 1: Forward Planning
Students will learn to distinguish between short and long term planning objectives. They will learn that there is sometimes a conflict: we must sometimes sacrifice in the short-term in order to succeed in the long-term. Also, the Detective (back to front) Method will be emphasized for children to make more educated problem-solving decisions as compared to trial and error.
Course 2: Benefits of Collaboration Students will learn the advantages and disadvantages of working together as a group. They will understand the advantage of a unified group over the individual and apply this strategy to their game-play. Students will have to become accustomed to drastic changes in the games and dependence on their teammates through cooperation and collaboration.
Course 3: Decision Making Students will learn models to help in making decisions in conditions of uncertainty. They will assess the chance of risks occurring by their probability. Students will learn the Stoplight Method as a way of self-monitored decision-making to reach their objectives.
Course 4: Tactics and Strategy Students will learn the importance of holding key-positions, like points of intersection for key-points of mobility, while searching for tactical threats and resolving such conflicts. They will try to balance quality and quantity as to retain the initiative by carefully executed planning.
Course 5: Deep Waters III Students will learn how to record and retrieve information so that they can examine and analyze past performance. Students will recognize what threats cause vulnerabilities, those pieces which are invincible and the probability and chance of occurrences affecting their strategies. The concepts of stability and expansion will also be emphasized to show the changing reality between static and dynamic situations in their game-play and real-life.
Mind Games Olympics
Steps 1, 2 & 3
Students will learn how this prestigious event is staged and be given time to practice the games designated for their age group. They will simulate tournament conditions of timing but also discuss the emotional aspects of pressure and excitement that can be produced. Students will be recognized for their sportsmanship and fair play. Winners of the week's tournament will represent Mind Lab Massachusetts for the exciting next round!
