any rainy day...

You can duck in here any rainy day and find the subject will be much the same. The last time you were here at the blog, we were talking about the hands and how the use of them shapes the development of character and intellect. We're talking about the same today.

Yesterday the first and second grade students at CSS carried home their newly completed tool boxes. They were excited. Their parents and grandparents were excited enough to call out to me across the parking lot at the end of the school day.

I am reminded of an artist I met at a conference who told me that she had bought some small woodworking tools for her grandson, but was disappointed that her daughter-in-law would not let them in the house. Her son, the daughter-in-law said, would make a mess with them, sawdust and all.  I am reminded further of Bob Dylan, who when asked about his long hair, said that everyone's hair is the same length, but some have it growing on the inside where it fuzzy's their thinking. The daughter-in-law would rather make a mess of her son than have one in the house. So it goes.

I sent home the following note along with the tool boxes to help parents understand the importance of tools:

Tools alter our relationships with the world, changing us from being idle consumers and powerless observers to active participants. With tools your son or daughter will better able to fulfill responsibilities to family and community.

Tools enable learners to investigate things that have broken, and learn directly from the objects that fill our lives. The idea of this tools box is to help your scholar do “homework.” Having a place to keep tools will help your scholar to keep them available when needed, use them responsibly and to put them away safely when a project is complete.

You may have excess tools to share with your child that can be added to the small collection of tools he or she has made in wood shop. Small screwdrivers and pliers would be useful additions. Also, look for small hammers, hand operated drills and small hand saws that can be purchased and added.

Yesterday we took a photo intended to express some tender ideas about Clear Spring School.

Make, fix and create...