mixing up classes

This morning I meet with the electrician at ESSA to arrange placement of electrical circuits in the floor of the machine room of the new woodworking studio. Yesterday I made a map to show which circuits and how many go where. The metal roof is on, the windows are in place, and doors are hung, making the studios available for us to consider actually moving some tools in place. Today, also, the order will be placed for lathes that will be delivered in May.

Yesterday in the Clear Spring school we mixed up classes so that they could work in teams on projects in their home rooms and have a tool practice day in wood shop. I allowed an older student to instruct a younger one in using the lathe for the first time, and the interesting side effect was that by giving the older student the responsibility to instruct the younger both learned. I expect the confidence level of the older student to grow as a result.

I would have to go deep into discussion of personality types to give a more clear picture than that and so will refrain from doing so. The point, of course, and as always, is that we learn best by doing real things, that engage the interest and attention, and that are in service to self and humanity.

Make, fix, and create.