How do you prepare students for so many different events??
There are a lot of events in the Science Olympiad, and you can't expect to be an expert in all of them. Here are some ideas to help you keep from feeling overwhelmed.
- Try to get other teachers at your school involved. If they cannot help you with coaching, ask them to be available as mentors to students. If nothing else perhaps they would be willing to help chaperone the students at the state tournament; that experience may help win them over for next year.
- Try to get business people in your area involved; students or other faculty may know parents, engineers, technologists who may be interested in helping the students preparing for an event or two.
- Sometimes you will have students who are willing to accept the challenge of a particular event on their own.
- Ask for help. The Arizona Science Olympiad board has contacts with societies of scientists and engineers, and we may be able to find an individual in your area who may be willing to help mentor students in a particular event.
- Limit your participation to those events with which you are most comfortable and then have students get ideas by observing other events at the State tournament and talking to other students. Like any athletic team, there will be "building years."
- Approach coaches from other schools in your area. Many are willing to help you get started. The AZ Science Olympiad blog (http://azscienceolympiad.blogspot.com) also provides a venue to get information and answers from other teachers.
- Attend a national coaches training. The AZ Science Olympiad has grant money to help pay for your registration fees and travel expenses.
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