I have been asked by Marc Adams of the Marc Adams School of Woodworking to teach a one day class, mentoring adults in the teaching of woodworking to kids. It will be held this summer, July 12 following my one week class in Making Decorative Wooden Boxes. Enrollment will be limited, and popular classes often fill up within a week or so of their announcement. The unedited course description for their catalog is as follows:

Wisdom of the Hands...
For those of us with a well developed love of working with wood, sharing that love with others is a "no-brainer." It arises from passion. Those who love children, whether their own or in their communities may think that because they are quietly occupied with their hands-on video devices they are in good hands and that adult guidance and attention are not required.

But the evidence linking damage to children's attention to learning and capacity for learning to the amount of time spent watching television or engaged in computer gaming is far stronger and more clearly documented than the evidence linking smoking, lung cancer and heart disease.

In addition, there is a huge and growing amount of statistical data, linking the effectiveness of learning and joy in learning to the engagement of the hands.

So what's a woodworker to do? Isn't it obvious?

But how do you get started? How can you keep your child safe? How can you encourage your child's confidence, creativity and skill? Doug Stowe will help.

He has been director of a woodworking program at Clear Spring School in Northwest Arkansas for 7 years, working with students of all ages. Articles about his program have been published in Woodwork, Woodcraft, CabinetMaker, and in Fine Woodworking On-line. In addition to reaching woodworkers with this vital information (preaching to the choir), his articles have been published in Independent School and Encounter magazines.

This class is hands-on learning for adults with the purpose of providing an understanding of children's needs and the educational opportunities that woodworking can provide. But even more, this is about sharing with our kids, the most important part of our lives as creative and enthusiastic life-long learners.

If you are interested, please contact the Marc Adams School of Woodworking and ask that you be notified as soon as next summer's classes are open for enrollment.