Magnolia

=Magnolia Lane=


 * || [[image:MagnoliaTrees.jpg width="480" height="360" align="center"]] ||
 * || As you wonder down this beautiful avenue with Magnolia branches forming arches over your head here and there it is odd that your mind should turn to story problems in math. Maybe it is the arches that bring it to mind. Mostly you recall that it was much quicker and easier to just have the problem laid out than to figure out from the story how to lay it all out. "Problem Solving" they called it - but weren't the problems that were already set up also problem solving. They certainly were problems to solve. That's where your thoughts were going when Maggie walked up. (You know she is Maggie from her name tag. You have come to understand this whole experience is a little like a theme park with street performers, except these street performers actually are game based learning gurus who offer options for Pilgrimages or Quests.)

"Maggie. In the Magnolias." You can't help chuckling. "That's cute."

"Yes," my host agreed amicably. "My parents did not know when they named me that I would develop such a fondness for Magnolias - but then may that is why I like Magnolias so much. I always wondered if I was named June if I would like Junipers, or if Cherie if it would be Cherries." Her giggle turned into a full laugh as she swept up the pitch of the end of "cherries" to match the upsweep of "Cherie." We were instant old friends. :-)

"You seemed to be in deep thought," Maggie continued. "I don't know what you were thinking about, but I can tell you are an Adventurer. The Adventurer's topic for Magnolia Lane is 'Problem Solving.'" Your jaw drops as you look at her more intently. "Yes," Maggie wend on, "Gamification really can help students develop better problem solving skills, helping you to teach Higher Order Thinking Skills, including thinking new 'unthinkable' ways and thinking like an opponent. Working with problem solving devices in a live classroom can bring your students outside the institutional mindsets they have known school to be in some invigorating ways."

Confident she has your full attention, now, Maggie hands you a business card that says, Kapp, Pages 108-116, Kindle locations 2953-3122, Title: "Problem Solving" Up to 10 XP

By the time you looked up again from reading the card, Maggie was gone. That's OK. You know what to do. ||
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