A Journey to the Center of the Earth / Day 1

Some of the best and most memorable Tinkering School experiences have a pretty specific recipe.

The recipe has little to do with the Tinkerers that are attending the workshop or camp, and it also has little to do with the specific Collaborators leading the projects or the learning experiences. The recipe doesn't have much to do with the specific materials we have access to, or the place we are building with those materials. The duration -- how long or short the experience -- also isn't much of a factor. What we can do over the course of a week, we also can do in just one day. Some of our best moments, in my opinion anyway, have to do with the ratio of knowns to unknowns, and also the ratio of real problems to imaginary ones. The best of the best projects leave lots of room for these ratios to ebb and flow as the week goes on and as we get comfortable and also uncomfortable with the tools, materials, the community. All that said -- boy, do I have a good feeling about all those ratios this week!

This week, Tinkering School is taking a Journey to the Center of the Earth!

And, I dunno about you, but I certainly haven't seen the center of the earth. I have no idea what the journey itself would look like. I also have no idea what the vehicle that takes us there carries, looks like, or does. Let me tell you, though -- these Tinkerers, they certainly have a lot of ideas on the matter. 

And that's why I've got this good feeling.

The Tinkering School Collaborators know a lot about tools, working as a team, and how to build awesome stuff. We know how to collaborate (!) with young minds to teach and learn together, and we also know a little bit about having the bravery to try out new things, and imagine new worlds.

And the rest of those minor details? (Y'know, what does the center of the earth look like? How loonng is the journey to get there? What sort of vehicle might be able to traverse the distance?) I know we have some pretty creative young people here this week to help guide us through those unknowns. 

Our ratio of known/unknown, real/imaginary seems really good already, and I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.