connectedness

As a part of making boxes to fill orders and supply the small galleries that sell my work, I make inlay just as I've taught so many to do through books and classes. I've refined my technique recently by being less diligent in my application of glue. I've stopped spreading it and simply apply it with a squeeze bottle and push the parts together in a line. It has cut my assembly time in half. And so, by doing things again and again, and looking at what we do with fresh eyes, the wheels of progress turn. The two photos here show steps in the process, starting with rough wood, and blending species into patterns.

These days, connectedness might be mistakenly thought to describe the young woman or man with eyes glued to the small screen of a cellular device while the natural world around them swirls unseen. Please believe me when I tell you that's not at all what Froebel had in mind. To have all the information in the world at your fingertips and to do nothing meaningful with it, is a waste.

I know that I write too much for most readers but things come up that may bear repetition. The OECD tested students in various nations to determine the value of digital technology on their students' learning. So far, the rush to digital learning has not born fruit. Their conclusion? Computers "do not improve' pupil results.

Make, fix, create, and assist others in learning likewise.