TRIPGEAR creates and employs original art, stories and curriculum to enhance interpersonal skills and provide traditional and at-risk youth with the tools to combat the influence of anti-social behavior, bullying, violence, and drugs in their lives. Learners are emboldened to be positive impacters of society. We ship nationwide from our location in Indianapolis, Indiana. We come out to institutions and administer our programs there for learners. Optionally, instead of having our staff personally administer the programs, we also sell our learning tools separately and can provide mentoring and training seminars to help you get the most out of our materials.
I-MICE imagery
& R3+R:
Tools for extracting valuable meaning.
Our Curriculums are
Composed of These Tools:
Pre and Post-Assessments
TripGear purposes to know the needs of the learner. We make a pre-assessment asking both learners and staff what their needs and interests are. Based on the assessments our team builds curriculum tailored to the needs of the learner. Post assessments are taken near the program’s end as a measure of what learners received and thought of the program.
I-
M.I.C.E.
I-M.I.C.E. refers to the variety of metaphoric illustrations we employ. These symbolic illustrations (I-M.I.C.E.) are geared to evoke a visceral response from the viewer. This ALL-ORIGINAL art contains subject matter that is both familiar and thought provoking, pushing viewers to contemplate just how they relate to the scene while exercising their mind to find the deeper meaning in the art.
It provides learners an opportunity to reassess their own character flaws and build the character traits to resist negative influences.
Though much of IMICE was created as illustrations for TripGear’s original books, IMICE is also commonly used as conversation starters apart from the books. IMICE illustrations are available for purchase.
R3+R (Respect, Relate, Reason + Reality)
In day-to-day life, there is much going on and much to learn. Sometimes it is difficult to gleam a valuable lesson from the many complications we face daily. R3+R is a process which makes the task of deciphering easier.
When using R3+R to decipher I-MICE images, for example, students will ask questions such as: What does this piece say on the issue of respect? Can I relate to this scene? What are the underlying reasons behind what is happening in this scene? What comment is being made about reality?
O
rigi
nal Stories
There are many old truths speaking to good character that are as relevant today as they were yesteryear, but if the learner can’t see how it relates to his or her own situation today, the message falls on deaf ears. TripGear’s bold, all-original stories speak those truths in a relevant language and integrates original art (called IMICE) to introduce a unique sense of culture into the learning environment. Literature comes in various formats: standalone stories, graphics novels, poems, instructional, and scripts for skits and plays.
Physical books are not sold online at this time. Ebooks coming soon
Teacher’s Guides
Some of our full-length stories have a Teacher’s Guide version. The guides easy to follow and come complete with a breakdown of some important plot points (annotations) as well as questions and lesson objectives at the beginning of each chapter. Blank space is left at the bottom of each page for note taking.
Our teacher’s guides provide a quick, guided and easy way to tap into the learner’s comprehension of the material.
Attachment Models
TripGear curriculums employ the use of model attachments. These are generally 1-2 pages in length and thematically complement the subjects of I-M.I.C.E. art, or literature. Depending on the particular attachment model, learners will be asked thought-provoking questions or placed in scenarios requiring them to use critical thought to arrive at solutions.
While some attachments are designated to I-M.I.C.E. art or a story, they are flexible enough to be mixed and matched or expanded almost upon to the instructor’s liking. Some attachment models can even be used independently for short-term use or form the basis of a custom curriculum in the long-term. Such flexiblity allows for nearly unlimited customization of lessons.
Awards
TripGear is proud to award its participants. Awards prove an effective incentive, even for learners that usually have trouble focusing on academic tasks. This is not an instance where every learner is awarded a consolation prize. Awards are earned and given for short term and long term completion of materials as well as participation. Awards include snacks, gift cards, certificates, tags, collectable items, and more.
Skits & Role Playing
Learners participate in skits performed before a group of other learners. Skits take the elements of what has been learned and communicates them to fellow students. Role playing drops learner into roles taking place inside surprising scenarios, such as a police commissioner delegating officers across a city. For anti-social learners, role playing is strategically used to place them in the shoes of those with whom they may have conflict with.
Games & Activities
Games and activities such as team juggling serve as icebreakers, build teamwork and teache life lessons. Games and activities also help prevent any monotony that may set in across the extended duration of a curriculm. TripGear continually looks for new games and activities to add to its roster.
30.0 (Thirty Point ‘O’)
For those institutions really lacking in time, TripGear employs a potent concentration of its curriculum within the span of 30 minutes. Time restraints limit the amount of time caring teachers and staff have to focus in on the character and citizenship building learners increasingly need. Thirty-Point-O (30.0) steps in between tight schedules to help alleviate this burden.