Tuesday, December 02, 2008

even a bad day...

Even a bad day in wood shop is a good day for learning. The 1st and second grade students were to make star ornaments, but they were having trouble focusing on the saw and maintaining proper cutting technique. This led to breaking points from the wood, leading to frustration. Two children claimed to have given up. But when asked, if projects should be made easier for them, I found that was not what they wanted at all. They know that hard work offers rewards that aren't available when things are made easy. My assistant Bob and I spent a few minutes helping to fix things. Spirits were restored and the energy for making things returned.

We learn the most when we become challenged and frustrated. It is frustrating for a teacher when things don't go quite as expected, but things going wrong are what can be most right about education. It is called problem solving. And of course not all problems are physical. There is the problem of becoming frustrated, disappointed, and learning to recover. That is one of the best things you can learn in wood shop and it can take a pretty lousy day to make it happen. When you see the results, you begin looking forward to those times when things go wrong.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:16 PM

    Doug, it sounds as if your students have already learned a very valuable lesson, i.e., NOT take the easy way out. I suspect there are very few opportunities for young people to learn that difficulty and complexity can make the end product even more rewarding than something easier and faster. This is particularly critical in this society where everyone wants everything NOW....

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  2. Anonymous1:15 PM

    Doug, Have you ever checked out Robin Wood's website and blogspot.
    It's right up your alley. Ironically it relates to what your posts have stated offering more reinforcement to the involvement of the hands. It's amazing how it makes the brain work so much better.

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  3. I'll look for the Robin Wood site. Thanks. As to Joe's earlier post, I haven't visited Wharton Esherick's museum but have written about him in the blog. I plan to go next time I find myself in that part of Pennsylvania.

    JD, Now is a very powerful force that leads us to make all kinds of compromises. I am worried that too few know the relationship between sacrifice and earned joy. But we can only change the world one shaving at a time.

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