models and exercises

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The chart shown above is Salomon's list of 88 exercises used in creating a model series and a simple model might involve as many as a dozen exercises or more. As the models increased in difficulty and complexity new exercises requiring greater skill were introduced for the children to master.

 For instance, making model number 11, a Paper Knife, required exercises in this order: 5, 7, 12, 8, 9, 10, 20, 16, 6, 21, 13, 22, with the addition of new exercises 20, 21, and 22. I think this may illustrate the difficulty that Sloyd instructors faced in introducing new models to engage the learning interests of their own students.

On Monday, my 4th, 5th and 6th grade students made key holders in my experiment to find out what's required to create a new Sloyd model. The key holder involved a whole series of exercises, and to determine where that model would fit into the model series requires comparing those exercises with Salomon's list. For instance, to make the key holder required sawing off, squaring, gauging, sawing with tenon-saw, perpendicular chiselling,  and more. The Teacher's Guide to Educational Slöjd goes into greater depth in each exercise.

Each of these exercises can be more difficult or complex in some circumstances and applications than in others, and can be performed with greater skill and dexterity by some students than by others and even an experienced woodworker, misunderstand the actual operations that the words describe.

You can click on the image shown above to enlarge it for reading.

Today in the school wood shop, first, second and third grade students practiced their workmanship, and then made objects from their own imaginations. The 7th, 8th and 9th grade students finished their bench for the office and cut parts for two cedar 5 board benches for their back porch.

Make, fix and create...