The Golden Circle

The other day I was thinking about how to make learning more purposeful.
My students were engaged in creating word problems. There was a lot of interaction going on and I was generally pleased with the way the lesson was progressing.
At one point, I brought the class together and asked them why they were doing what they were doing.
Most kids gave me a blank stare, but I do have those kids who save the day, especially when the inspectors come knocking :)
One student responded, " So that we learn how to solve real life problems...?"
Another, " We need to understand there is a story behind an equation!"
I realize as an educator that there needs to be more emphasis on "why" we do things rather than "how" we do them (or "how well" ) in order to make learning more purposeful.
I have posted a video which I think drives home this point.

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