I've been enjoying the discussion about best ways to learn/teach origami. Here's another idea, which comes from 3 elementary school kids in a New Jersey robotics class.
I've copied their letter below. I've promised to pass along the list's responses to them. They all know at least some origami, I gather. I won't be able to skype with them for several days, so I can't report on the experience yet. If list-member would like to skype with them, please get in touch with me off-list, and I'll put you in touch with their teacher. Thanks, Karen karenmre...@gmail.com ========== To; Dr. Reeds Hi, we are kids that would like your help. We are a robotics team and our parent helper is your friend Mrs F. One of our activities is we need to find a way to improve the way people learn something. We chose origami and Mrs. F told us about you. We want to improve the way people learn origami, our idea is to use online skyping. We think it’s hard to learn from a book because sometimes the instructions aren’t that clear and books can’t answer your questions. Also we think that looking at online videos is an improvement but they still can’t answer your questions. We all agree that a class is a great way to learn origami because it’s easier to watch people do it than follow instructions from a book and people can answer questions that you have and give tips. Even so classes might not be right around the corner, so we thought about skype. It could be a place where people around the world could do origami and actually finish it. It has the same qualities as a class but you don’t have to be around the corner. That’s where you come in. Is it ok if you do a mini skype chat thing with us that we can record and you tell us the easy and hard parts about teaching on skype, or if you have done this before tell us the experience of teaching online so we know how much other people will like it. Sincerely Max, CALDER , AND SAM ======== Karen Reeds, co-ringleader, Princeton Public Library Origami Group. Affiliate of Origami USA, http://origamiusa.org/ We usually meet 2nd Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8pm, 3rd floor. Free! We provide paper! All welcome! (Kids under 8, please bring a grown-up.) Princeton Public Library info: 609.924.9529 http://princetonlibrary.org/
