Jean Sausele Knodt

Jean Sausele Knodt is an artist, educator, and open-inquiry learning specialist. Jean designed and directed an open-inquiry learning lab in a Fairfax County, Northern Virginia public school for nine years which served over 700 regularly attending K-6th grade students. As well as working in her studio and teaching Fine Arts at the college level, she now gives open-inquiry presentations at various conferences, to school faculty and parents, and to college and university students. Along with Nine Thousand Straws: Teaching thinking through open-inquiry learning, published by Libraries Unlimited/Teacher Ideas Press, Jean has written various articles, including "Cultivating Curiosity: Teaching for Innovation through Open-Inquiry Learning" published by Teacher Librarian, October 2009, "A Think Tank Cultivates Kids" published by Educational Leadership, September 1997, and "A Discovery Room for Our School" published by the Graduate School of Education of Harvard University's Website Alps (http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/pop2.cfm).

Additional reviews for Nine Thousand Straws:

"What a wonderful groundwork these children will take into middle school, high school, and beyond. It is of such methods taught in elementary schools that true scholars are made. Every principal will find here actual hands-on material that can be translated to his/her school. This study shows us, step-by-step, ways to employ the boundless energy that children bring to our classrooms as well as known strategies to make them successful."

--Catholic Library World 4/1/2009

"Bottom line: Amazing ideas, creative strategies, and practical tips make this book a candidate for the best professional book list of the year. Get it; read it; try its ideas."

--Teacher Librarian 6/1/2009