Origami Con 2015

Thanks to all the family members who were able to attend our Origami Conference last Friday.  It was so fascinating to watch the students take the reins.  I learned so much about them as learners.  This process was intended to ease them into a process of self-directed inquiry and practice.  Origami is a fascinating art and is meaningful on its own but my larger goal was for students to build the skills that will let them chase down their own questions.  I want my students to keep their curiosity shining brightly.

Last year I was lucky enough to present at a conference with Dr. Susan Engel who studies curiosity and learning.  One key facet of her work is on how many questions kids ask during the day.  Notably that number shrinks as kids get older.  One of the obvious conclusions from the data she presents is that school is the chief reason the number of questions drops off.  Now, I am absolutely part of this problem/process. I can't count the number of times a day I say "Great question, but we're not talking about that right now."  But, I live with the goal of making my class where there is time to "talk about that."