Cubing at School: Introductory program for SpeedCubing

[TiLiMayor]

I recently changed from school, and when I brought a cube a lot of people knew how to solve it, an even more had some basics and solved the F2L. There are also several elective(Idk the correct term for this) hours per week, with an hour and a half block for ludic and entertainment activities, 8th to 11th grade, with a few of them managed by students.

Because I entered school late, I didn't have the chance to propose speedcubing as a project for this block, Ive been told it could be introduced and taken along the second semester this year (July through November, 20 weeks aprox.) as there is a chance to change from project at mid year.
They had proposed two conditions: first, there should be more theory and puzzles other than 3x3 and two, it should involve some seriousness not to be taken as free class.

As I should build some sort of work plan for the semester, and it should be an introductory course for speedcubing, I was thinking in these puzzles (with the introduction to intermediate methods):
-3x3 (LBL w/4LLL, 2LOLL, F2L, PLL, Half OLL; Basics to Roux/Petrus; BLD w/Old Poch)
-2x2 (LBL, Ortega, Guimond)
-4x4 (Reduction w/Yau and Freeslice)
-Pyraminx (LBL, Keyhole)
-Magic
-Master Magic(Not sure about including this puzzle)

There is just one thing I can't provide, the cubes, I have reached for a provider with some cheap 3x3s for early use, but after that I should find some decent cubes as in my country the few sellers try to make almost 100% of profit.

Speedcubing in my country is rising fast with implantation in some schools' math area, so my objective is to make sub-30 solvers by the end of the year and make some speedcubing growth as I currently see it could be done. All sort of help and suggestions for the guidelines would be kindly received.

 

[freshcuber]

Try contacting an American store and make a contract. They front you some cubes to start it up and then all cubes that the new cubers want you order from that store. So you might get sent ten cheap 3x3s and a few 4x4s to get it started. Then as people get faster and want new and better puzzles you just have them give you the money and then you order for them through that store.

You win cause you have your club. The store wins cause they have gained new business. And the students win because they can just show up and learn and don't have to deal the hassle of placing orders for new cubes.

Win-Win-Win

 

[Anonymous]

I guess an intro to ZZ along with Roux and Petrus would be a little difficult for beginners...

Good luck though! This seems like an awesome program.

 

[TiLiMayor]

I guess an intro to ZZ along with Roux and Petrus would be a little difficult for beginners...

I never talked about ZZ (corrected 1/2OLL to Half OLL), I will give some basics to roux and petrus to explain EO preservation along with 3-gen vs 2-gen and that sort of theory stuff.

Try contacting an American store and make a contract.

The few references I have from American cube stores are Puzzle Addictions and Cube Depot, any other store I should try contact?

 

[TheJCube]

The few references I have from American cube stores are Puzzle Addictions and Cube Depot, any other store I should try contact?

SpeedCubeShop?

 

[Vinny]

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but lightake has free shipping and it's cheap. Plus they slightly lower the price of a cube if you buy it in bulk.

 

[TiLiMayor]

The issue with lightake is it takes a month to arrive, and Im considering shipping length very seriously, but yuu right about bulk prices.

 

[Coke]

The list looks good, but how many people know these methods to start with? Because it looks like a pretty big undertaking for just you.

And the puzzle list also looks good, but I think that for master magic and other puzzles you should get working on the main puzzles (3x3's and 2x2's and such) and then once everyone has those working put up a vote for new puzzles that people at your school want to see.

 

[Coke]

The issue with lightake is it takes a month to arrive, and Im considering shipping length very seriously, but yuu right about bulk prices.

I actually just bought a pretty large package from cube depot, about 10 or 11 items, and it with special priority shipping, it came in ONE day! I know thats amazingly fast. The other times I bought it however it took a few days, maybe 5 days or so. But I think that is with normal shipping.

Edit: I FORGOT TO MENTION THE PACKAGE WAS FROM CUBE DEPOT, NOT LIGHTAKE JAJAJA, hopefully I edited this in time...

 

[sa11297]

I actually just bought a pretty large package, about 10 or 11 items, and it with special priority shipping, it came in ONE day! I know thats amazingly fast. The other times I bought it however it took a few days, maybe 5 days or so. But I think that is with normal shipping.

that seems impossible^

i have kind of done this at my school. I brought a 3x3 and everyone was amazed at my speed and tps (even though i am not that fast at all) so I brought other puzzles like a square 1, silver block cube, etc. Soon people wanted to buy cubes so I sold the ones that I did not want (eastsheens and that sort). Then it turned into a regular thing and about twenty people at my school have bought from me and I have made over a $100. I could have made a lot more but I dont want to rip people off.

I send them tutorials and try to teach them but I dont have a class. I have sold cubes for 2 or 3 months.

 

[Coke]

that seems impossible^

i have kind of done this at my school. I brought a 3x3 and everyone was amazed at my speed and tps (even though i am not that fast at all) so I brought other puzzles like a square 1, silver block cube, etc. Soon people wanted to buy cubes so I sold the ones that I did not want (eastsheens and that sort). Then it turned into a regular thing and about twenty people at my school have bought from me and I have made over a $100. I could have made a lot more but I dont want to rip people off.

I send them tutorials and try to teach them but I dont have a class. I have sold cubes for 2 or 3 months.

Yeah, it's crazy. Cube Depot is in New York, and I'm in Florida...lololol

but I had the super duper fast shipping. Priority Mail from USPS!

 

[Erzz]

You should teach commutators too.

 

[TiLiMayor]

Many people have reached me to see if I can provide them some sort of tutorial, there has be built a small network in which the few people Ive taught now are teaching one or two others. And yes, commutators is one of the first things I plan to teach.

Since this is going to start the second semester of this year, there is plenty of time to involve more people with cubing, and better, potential speedcubers.

 

[Systemdertoten]

Hurr I'm so jealous.

This is a great idea, and I wish I could implement it at my school, if it weren't for the fact
that nobody gives a **** except a handful of people who use LBL. :fp

 

[TheMachanga]

You said something about it requiring theory, so maybe you can talk about the math behind it.

 

[TiLiMayor]

Math around the cube is actually the part where I need to look for since I don't really know much about it, I mean besides permutation and combination basics (which I got from a probability class once) I don't know much about group theory and its application to the cube. Any useful info or links for this?

 

[Coke]

Go to the puzzle theory section of the forums, I suppose.

 

[collinbxyz]

In December, I just taught my best friend how to solve the cube, but after the holiday break (Christmas) I got homeschooled. (Don't ask why, just hated Public School) My friend soon says that he's teaching a few people, and he wants me to sell my cubes to them. I would do it, but I would get in big trouble, and I am pretty much done with most of the kids from school. Not the same, just wanted to share that...

ON TOPIC: Start off with 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4. (Ghost Hand 2x2 is cheap and good, Do a couple 3x3s; guhongs, and something more beginners and cheap like ghost hand, for 4x4, shengshou/ghost hand vII is cheap and small. Unless you want mini QJ.