One of the most interesting things about teaching at Clear Spring School is the opportunity to engage our own creativity in the classroom. While most schools require teachers to follow a closely scripted curriculum, teachers at Clear Spring are given greater latitude and offered the opportunity to become very excited about teaching. That excitement is infectious. We all get it, from the youngest student to the head of school.

At each grade level and in every class, the Wisdom of the Hands program is an exciting and useful resource. Here are some of the things that will be happening next week.

First and second grades--- making pencil sharpeners from the book Elementary Sloyd and Whittling by Gustav Larsson.

Third and fourth grades--- making wooden pointers from the Nääs Fundamental series. This will be their introduction to the use of the sloyd knife.

Fifth and sixth--- they are studying natural disasters including earthquakes and volcanoes, so they will be cutting puzzles of the various continents as they fit together to form the super-continent Pangea.

Seventh and eighth--- Making geometric solid sets in the study of geometry.

High School--- We have moved the high school into new space on the lower campus, so they will combine outdoor studies with making personal tree branch coat hooks for use in the hallway outside their classroom.

As you can see, this is a lot to plan for,and illustrates a number of ways that the woodshop can be used to bring greater life and interest to what could be boring instead. Each project calls for cooperative planning and creative enthusiasm from each member of the Clear Spring School staff.

Next week I will have photos.