Origami

Hi Everybody,

Now that we can relax for a while, I must say that I was more nervous than I thought I was on Wednesday. I tried hard not to think about it because I needed to pay attention to what I was trying to learn from Maggie, so when my time came I never even looked at the notes I wrote to myself!! I was overcome by the memories of my family in Indonesia and sharing about my Dad was not part of my presentation!! But I was glad that I did. So, when Maggie was singing her song I was also thinking of my family in Indonesia, including my daughter who has been there since January, teaching English at a university in my hometown. She will be back at the end of July.

Anyway, what I was trying to do now is ask you all to think back before the presentation and what you wrote on that bright yellow paper!! Please think about what you wrote (without divulging anything), unless you so incline, and find out how you think you can connect Origami to Math! What are the things that you saw or did during the time you "manipulated" the paper into a boat/crane, that you think can be useful to teach Math? Do you think that students can "get it" by using this kind of manipulative?

In the past I have used Origami workshops at ESL conferences to help LA teachers understand what their students have to do in order to understand English. As I said, they told each that after about 10 minutes of listening and trying to follow directions in a different language, they had a headache. I used these workshops to get "free" admission to the conferences:):):) Now I intend to expand Origami into Math because in the past it never occured to me that what I consider mental therapy could be a great tool to help students learn Math concepts, at the same time taking the product home, which I think is instant gratification.

So, when you have a minute, please tell me what you got out of that, a short post reflection to help me find more "angles" and "hooks" to connect Math to Origami!! Believe me, I was plenty nervous, and I had to sit down to calm my nerves but you all were such great and supportive audience, and I really appreciate it. It was hard to stand in front of you and try to remember what I was supposed to say:):):) I am glad that it was not too hot that day, or I would have been "sweating."

There is also another recent connection to Math that I found. I taught five elderly ladies, to (each) make a pinwheel bag at Whole Foods (WF) when we finished the coaches meeting on Thursday, and they paid handsomely so I can get more paper!! Actually, that was my true "connection" to Math, the dollar value:):):) They want me to continue working with them!! AND, when the marketing director at WF saw me do that she asked me to teach Origami at WF because they have sushi classes there!! Sound delicious huh....eating sushi and doing origami.....hmmm........!!

Maggie, I don't know how you can so calmly teach so many adults. You always looked so relaxed and composed.........My hat off to you Maggie!!

I look forward to hearing from you all.........:)