Yesterday I began setting up for my class with Fellows from A+ Schools. I'll have a variety of centers set up, so they can build toy cars, whittle sticks, and make Sloyd trivets like those in the book Elementary Sloyd and Whittling by Gustaf Larsson. I 'm also planning to introduce Educational Sloyd and the philosophy and history behind it.
I also plan to show Scott Bultman's History of Kindergarten trailer that includes a part of my interview, and some video showing Clear Spring School students at work. All that will begin on Saturday morning.
An interesting thing about wood shop is that children who may not have concentration in other subjects will be able to apply themselves to great lengths when the process is real and demands concentration to get the results they desire. If the ability to focus is brought into focus, we discover it to be a skill. Once learned, it can be applied beyond the area of initial interest.
Make, fix, create, and assist others in learning likewise.
As a boy I was amazed by da Vinci's self-supporting bridge demonstrated at a Boy Scout Jamboree. It seemed more elegant than lashing poles together with endless lengths of rope.
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