Brainstorming Sessions

Welcome to our Discover group!
My name is Tanja- I like to make weird faces in pictures so if I look dumb I did it on purpose. Does anyone else do this? I am a member of this awesome group and apparently get to make the first post.

I have long been inspired by people who learn for knowledge sake. Who see a need in the world and think "how could I change this?". I love to listen to TED talks and podcasts and read books and I find myself getting on Kahn Academy just to improve my own math skills as a mom of four kids. I want to continue to learn! I wanted to get involved with Kahn Academy and when I looked on their site it stated that if we really wanted to get involved to start an education group. To create a group where we could talk and discover and learn. So, that is how our little group came to be. Now, the first thing we had to do is figure out what we all wanted to learn. Our first meeting was to discover what we wanted to discover. We started out with a brainstorming session. We all stared at the blank white board and were a little hesitant to give our ideas. They started out with grand ideas things that would make us look smarter or more introspective. But soon, due to high amounts of chips and salsa, we were able to relax and say the things that we really wanted to discover together.

What made our brainstorming session work:
         1. everyone knew what problem we were going to address. Prior to the meeting, each person was sent a link for a video to watch on why we should continue to learn. https://www.khanacademy.org/youcanlearnanything
         2. No idea was a bad idea. There were many ideas thrown out that morphed into something bigger than what it started out to be. As we added to one another's ideas we were able to flesh out what we really wanted to discover.
        3. We weren't afraid of pauses. It's OK to stop and have to think. We don't have to have the answers immediately. Silence is good. It means people are thinking or eating. Both are good for the process.
        4. Trust! We started off the group by establishing rules. We have to assume that everyone cares about each other. We also have to agree to not be offended and not to try to offend. With those goals in mind it was easier to give ideas and know that you weren't going to be ridiculed.

See our beautiful board... Ok so there are couple things left off this list and it is hard to read so here they are our discoveries we hope to make:

• Angels
• Savior
• Bible-chronology of it
• Service/charity work
• Painting
• Yoga/Meditation
• french bakeries in the area- which is the best?
• Cartwheel and other things we should know how to do but don't
• Self Defense
• Sundance Film Festival
• snow Shoeing, skiing, or other snow related things. Maybe hot chocolate drinking? 
• Rock Climbing
• Tavel tips
• Retirement planning
• how to do hair and make up 
• hiking-nature
• Astronomy
• History-american history
• Family history-genetics
• How to say 5 basic phrases in 5 different languages for travel
• podcast-what are you listening to?
• Change the world
• Technology ideas for kids
• Cultural awareness-what is going on in the world
• government- why do you do what you do?
• teaching kids? how? with what? 

It should be a fun year. 

 As a group we decided to hold our meetings every other week. It will rotate who is in charge of the discussion each meeting. This means they have to be the moderator, but everyone is expected to come prepared for that discovery. For instance, our next discovery is what charity our group would like to be apart of. Everyone was told to go find local needs and how we might be helpful. Are you passionate about a charity? We would love to hear about it.

Now, go discover something new.