On-line learning?

According to an article on the Columbia University website, How is digital technology changing the way kids' brains learn?

"The average American kid between 8 and 18-years-old spends eight-and-a-half hours a day on a computer, listening to an iPod, watching TV, or paying attention to some form of digital technology. To put that another way, over half of an American child's waking hours are spent plugged-in. To YouTube. To Facebook. To their cell phones, you name it. As they get older, they begin to spend even more time online."

To reverse things with our kids, we must, as early as possible teach them If they are online, they are not learning the things that children have always learned in the past, how to observe directly their environment, and to make from it beautiful and useful things. And so our uncontrolled experiment in the relentless distribution of digital technologies involves the pruning of dendrites, the steady decline of human faculties, and offers profound implications for the future of human culture. 

If you want to know more about fixed and stubborn, pick up a chisel, and if you are unused to the muscularity of its use, give it try and see what you can do with it. Most adults in the US have become trained in the disuse of their muscular faculties. Is that what we want to give to our kids? Or shall we offer them the full range of human expression?

to:

Make, fix and create...

Making finger-jointed boxes

I am in the process of making finger-jointed boxes for use with art supplies or sewing. Lids and hinging will come next.

Make, fix and create...

Inlaid cherry box

Here is a recently finished project. 

Make fix and create...

 

New Winter woods boxes

 I am finishing a group of new Winter Woods boxes and working on a new book proposal to replace my now 28 year old book Creating Beautiful Boxes With Inlay Techniques.

Make, fix and create...

Like an old man I repeat myself.

 OUR HANDS ARE ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING-WE ENGAGE THE WORLD AND ITS WONDERS, SENSING AND CREATING PRIMARILY THROUGH THE AGENCY OF OUR HANDS. WE ABANDON OUR CHILDREN TO EDUCATION IN BOREDOM AND INTELLECTUAL ESCAPISM BY FAILING TO ENGAGE THEIR HANDS IN LEARNING AND MAKING.

Make, fix and create...

Understanding progressive education

 There is an excellent review of progressive education and its history on Wikipedia:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_education

It is what is practiced at the Clear Spring School. There is one tremendous oversight in the article in that educational sloyd is not mentioned and should be better understood. It was a way to extend the progressivism into the upper grades.

For a view of how sloyd fits in use this link, from which article published by Woodwork Magazine and other sloyd related materials can be found.

 https://wisdomofhands.blogspot.com/2010/05/links-to-published-works.html

Make, fix and create...

Oh, what to do?

When artificial intelligence takes your job away, remember that there's a real life that surrounds you... not a fake or artificial one, and that by watching closely to the world at hand, there are things to do that involve growth. Plant a garden, cook a meal, tend a sick child, be here now.

If the economy crumbles, remember that the statistical world in which we live and measure our worth is not the real world of immediacy... things need to be attended to in the here and now, that give joy. Caring for each other does not crash. Before there was an economy there were people getting along with each other.

Develop a craft. It need not be woodworking. Any craft will offer the chance of excellence and responsiveness to local concerns of great interest.

Make, fix and create...

Box Sale to celebrate 50 years

https://dougstowe.etsy.com?coupon=SAVE25FOR50TH

In celebration of my 50 years pf woodworking, I've put my work for sale in Etsy available with a 25% discount. Check it out. You may find things that interest you. You will need to use the code at checkout for the discount to apply. SAVE25FOR50TH

Craftspersons have been able to be creative because you make it so.