gathering stuff.

I am gathering items to send to my publisher to plan their cover shot for the Wisdom of the Hands Guide to Woodworking with Kids. I have a large number of things for the photographer to choose from. The image shows the process of cutting small wheels using the bandsaw. Normally, cutting something round  can be a risk due to round things twisting while being cut. Taping two or more dowels together to cut at the same time eliminates this risk.

A friend had asked for a list of authors to help in her investigation of progressive education. Here is my brief response. It may help you as well.

Much of the progressive education movement started with Pestalozzi who wrote a best seller in the late 1700’s called "How Gertrude Teaches Her Children." Next in my thinking would be Froebel about whom I wrote in my book "Making Classic Toys that Teach." Next in line are a number of educators, including Diesterweg, Cygnaeus, and Salomon, then John Dewey and William Heard Kilpatrick.

The thing to remember is that "progressive" does not refer to the introduction of something new related to "progress" but to the natural development of the child. Children and flowers, given proper nutrients grow in similar "progressive" fashion. A favorite essay of mine, is "the child as craftsman" by David Henry Feldman. I referred to him last week in my blog. https://wisdomofhands.blogspot.com/search?q=feldman as I have time and again.

Make, fix and create...