Small Cabinets day 4...

Cutting bridle joints

Today, students were assembling doors and cabinets and beginning to install hinges, so we have made great progress. I had been concerned about how much we would be able to get done but it looks as though the students will have enough done by the end of class tomorrow that they  will be pleased and  I relieved.

Part of the challenge is that even adults learn best at their own pace, with one-on-one instruction, and if schools would begin to understand that,  and teachers were allowed to offer that kind of attention, American education would advance hand over fist. But please don't hold your breath.

Today I went to a TV filming studio green room where  a small film crew is making a  promotional video for Clear Spring School. As always for television it is a challenge to get things reduced to an essence that leaves a lasting impact. I can hardly talk about the hands without going on for many sentences, as the hands literally touch every facet of human physical and cultural realities.  But the question came up, how can I explain the relationship between the Clear Spring School and the effective promotion of life-long learning? Well, it works like this. We start with the interests of the child. As the child's interests are honored and nourished within the school, the child's interests and attention grow far beyond the school walls. As the child takes greater responsibility for his or her own learning needs, confidence grows and learning becomes a life long endeavor.

In educational Sloyd, it was believed that classroom teaching should only be used at the  introduction of  a new project and that the variations in learning style and rate required individualized instruction for deepest effect. When instructions are personalized to ascertain the interests of the child, and individualized to each child, the students find school to be worthy of their undivided attention.

Whether you are an adult or child,

Make, fix and create...