Welcome to BSILI 2012!

Leadership for Curricular and Institutional Transformation

The Marshmallow Challenge

• Build the tallest freestanding structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table top surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling or chandelier.

• The entire marshmallow must be on top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.

• Use as much or as little of the kit: The team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks, as much or as little of the string or tape. The team cannot use the paper bag as part of their structure

• Break up the spaghetti, string, or tape: Teams are free to break the spaghetti, cut up the tape and string to create new structures.

• The challenge lasts 18 minutes: teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.

Marshmallow Challenge: Rules

THINK

• Think about a powerful, productive change that you have experienced in school (as a student, teacher, or administrator). What people or things supported this change? What obstacles did you have to overcome?

Pair Share

• Share highlights of your reflection with a partner. Make sure that each of you has had an opportunity to read or tell your story uninterrupted before you respond to what you’ve heard. (4 minutes each)

• Once both people have had a chance to share, discuss what you’ve learned about each other: what were some commonalities? What were some surprises?

• Open talk: Did you discover “marshmallows” in your experiences trying to build initiatives or facilitate change at the classroom, program, or institutional level?

3CSN’s Theory of Change

• If we provide training on networking and use action research methodologies, teachers will transform their environments and identity to create communities of practice that will lead to powerful classrooms and working across campuses. This in turn will produce greater student success.

Whole group discussion

• What are the marshmallows?

 • How does the theory of change mitigate

marshmallows?

 • Why is it important to have a theory of change?

• When we come back from dinner, you’re going to get a gift!!

Learning Networks

California Community Colleges’ Success Network