Today in the CSS wood shop we began making hand bound journals for the spring travel. This is the first time for these students to make bound books. We did what the kids thought was an unbelievable amount of paper tearing, and are not done yet. Next week we should be able to begin stitching the sections and binding them into a books. One student asked, are we only making one for all to share? But no, each will make his or her own. Making the covers will be the fun part, but you will have to stick around for a few weeks to see the finished work. The photos show the students preparing their sheets, and the simple shop-made device and template for positioning the holes for stitching the books together.
I like it. I think it is good for the kids to do these things over and over again. So much of the educational system seems based on "try this," "dabble at that" for a while, if you get board "we will entertain you," or "you can get a pass to go down the street and buy a hamburger."
ReplyDeleteThey are making real books, for a real use, and everyone gets a book. Tearing sheets until it's "unbelievable", they can't believe it, have never experienced it. Hole punching until you're all punched out then punching some more. Just wait for sewing signatures.
This bookmaking is the real work of the world, not just dibbling and dabbling at this and that.
I love it!
It looks like they're enjoying it...even if there was "unbelievable" tearing involved!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who makes books for a living, I love thinking of the appreciation your kids will have for the process and techniques when they finish! Doing the motions and the work for yourself is a great way to not only learn a process, but to develop respect and appreciation for the work and skill involved. Thanks.
Doing craft work is the only certain way of gaining a respect for it. Otto Salomon and other early advocates of manual training claimed that it created a sense of the dignity of all labor, so it was for all students, including those with academic ambitions.
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