Learning through Inquiry and Discovery

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Skimming through todays NYT email edition, I came across a rather refreshing article on Engineering education at Olin College of Engineering. This gave the Tag Line for one of my long set desires.

I want to change the direction of my blog. I want to focus on learning. I want the e.m.f (education motivating force* ;) to be inquiry and discovery.

To be perefectly honest, my blog has been sorts of l. through i. and d. so far.
But it has been my learning to the frequent detriment and occasional nirvana of my husband's and mother's palette!

I have learnt what works for my son's lunch box, what combinations work together, how to make authentic Kollu rasam etc... I have made some super disgusting Pumpkin curry, Sprouted Horsegram adai etc... Now I am hoping to write about basic science and math education. Exploring the world anew along with a super-smart 5 year old.

Coming down the stairs of my 5th floor office in IITM, we encountered something that looked like a sleeping insect to me and a dead leaf to my son. I prodded it with my foot and a beautiful, black-yellow and orange moth, flew right at him, then over him and coming to rest on the floor, promptly went back to sleep!
I will remember my son's squeal of shock and delight for quite some time.

A few minutes of online research indicated such Moths are found in Montezumo, Costa Rica. But I am just going to let him hold on to the image of what he saw.

* e.m.f is electro-motive force, a.k.a Voltage .

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