Peer Mentoring and Origami

I can’t do origami, I do not have it as a center, and I don’t show it as a demo. BUT a lot of kids ask me to show them. I have a couple of books that show step by step and so I hand the kids the books. I ALWAYS encourage them to start at the front, because they do get harder and use previous folding techniques… but they tend to look for a fun ‘thing’ and try that. As soon as I identify an origami person in my classes (which is found by recieving a gift of an origami bird in the first week when the kids are trying to win you over) I will then use that kid as a peer mentor.

OH, you want to do origami, so-and-so made me a cool bird, I bet they would help you learn.”

Last year one of the teacher’s mom died and another teacher had surgery, the kids all wanted to make hope cranes for them. I provided the supplies and the permission, but the kids were on their own. Hundreds of cranes in G.O.O.S. (Good on one side) paper, painted splatter papers, collage papers and newspapers were created. Remember although easier, origami does not require fancy origami papers!

I think sometimes the kids find it odd that I am not an EXPERT in EVERYTHING. But I am just honest about my strengths. And Luckily there are lots of resources out there! Like this super awesome easy origami website!

This puppy instruction sheet came from a website  all about eye safety, eye science, and the prevention of blindness!

I have discovered that there are TONS Of amazing videos of people showing you how to fold origami everything! I am going to put together a CD of videos for the kids this year to add to my instruction book collection. Maybe when the G.O.O.S. Paper box gets full I will even show a few as a demo and get kids rolling.

~~

What weaknesses do you admit to your students? Do you like origami?