Week 5 - on a quest

Searching for the unknown is innate in human nature. We are curious to learn for not only the sake of learning, but because we need various bits of information in our daily round - e.g. how to cook lazagna, how to find a budget hostel in Paris, or  a convenient  train to Budapest, or a cheap airplane ticket to Brazil :)))

It is no wonder computer games are so popular with teenagers (and not only!) - mastering level after level, they head for the ultimate objective, whatever it is. And we do it on our own, with a clear purpose in mind, trying to be fast and efficient (Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose - the three words wrapping up our daily quests:).

Going on a quest is going on the way to discovery. Given a meaningful purpose, we can go beyond our capabilities. Now that we have the net at the tips of our fingers, we can set out on a journey to whatever realm of knowledge and pleasure we can think of.  Setting on such a journey with our students will probably be much more rewarding and meaningful that filling in blanks. But I wonder if I could make them design a journey for us to go on - to find what they like, what they value, what they dream of !?Will the fair assessment with the rubrics be able to motivate them? - I'll have to wait and see.

I was on an unforgettable trip this memorable week 5 - traditional as I am, I still value face-to-face contact, the six-sense perceptions but now I am only left with the Internet to keep contact with these nice people I see twice a year, to roam the streets of these picturesque towns. I have a number of things I need to explore about Spain, so I will have to set on a web quest before I could afford to go on a real one.

Spain is a must-visit; its people are the kindest, warmest, most straightforward people I have met. 

La Sagrada Famila from the inside (you feel shielded under the enormous tree) -  the genuis of  Gaudi