Sugata Mitra is the 2013 TED Prize winner; that’s what led me to wonder what the heck he did to merit the TED prize. That led me to this video: the child-driven education.

Now I am wondering whether I could have a mathematical modeling class structured around these ideas. Where I had a few very general assignments, and the students were encouraged to go out and learn whatever they wanted so long as it is related to mathematical modeling. Break them into groups of 4, find out what they are interested in learning. Let them surf from group to group.

Where I promised them nothing more than to help them learn whatever they wanted to learn, and I provided a few checks to try to make sure they learned something. And I will be the Grandma, always standing behind them, always encouraging, always saying, show me more.

Would that be amazing? Would it be a total failure? If I teach this class again, I want to try it.