Workshop Spotlight
The MƒA mini-course “Modular Origami: Beauty, Precision and Inspiration” is focused on using modular origami as an inspiration for mathematical investigations. Throughout the course, MƒA teachers create aesthetically pleasing origami constructions. From their creations, MƒA teachers discuss ways to guide their own students through the constructions and to encourage further analysis of these constructions in the classroom.
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The mini-course, facilitated by MƒA Master Teacher Brian Hsu (pictured right), also shows how origami can lead to various avenues of academic investigation, including geometric concepts, permutations and combinations, and the use of equations to model or describe a context. “My personal pedagogical philosophy is to begin with really concrete and intrinsically interesting starting points and then deeply explore the mathematics of that starting point,” says Hsu. “Modular origami is a great way to get started with many mathematical explorations.”
The course includes a mix of MƒA Early Career Teachers, MƒA School Leaders, and MƒA Master Teachers. Participants also vary in teaching focus, with teachers’ subjects encompassing mathematics, science, and computer science. MƒA workshops are open to all members of the MƒA community, creating a unique environment in which teachers of different backgrounds, experiences, and roles can come together for exploration and collaboration.