today in the wood shop...

I have wood working classes all day at the Clear Spring School, and no time to write. But yesterday my fellow teacher Tony had the letters ZPD on his white board. I asked what the letters meant. "Zone of Proximal Development" Tony replied.

Tools provide a means through which we create and connect. Carlyle had noted that without tools man was nothing. Much of this is discussed by Lev Vygotsky who also came up with the term "Zone of Proximal Development" or ZPD. But the question arises, how much do we work to develop man and how much do we work to develop the tools of man. Which tools develop integration between intellect and physicality, and which tools diminish individual human capacity? ZPD is an intellectual concept/tool that Tony hopes will help his students to reflect on why they are in school and what they are to do while in school.

Make, fix, create, and enable others to do likewise.