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Something
for Mum and Dad - who really made it?
I've taught in many places, many people, many ages. What hasn't
changed is the overwhelming desire of activity leaders and helpers to
go beyond the helping, to doing.
So be honest! Who really did make last year's present for Mum and Dad?
And why should it matter.
Well, for a number of important reasons.
Giving others a chance to try things out develops confidence. It
helps us all to find out what we can do. It gives us a chance to
get it wrong as well, in the company of those who care about us.
Not having the chance to do this means that creative ability, and the
confidence that goes with it can easily be destroyed. We can
become used to being less demonstrative in the craft process. If
projects are continually ‘railroaded’ by others then our desire to
claim our place in the activity is can fall off, perhaps for a
seriously long time.
So if you’re a teacher, or a facilitator, consider what that really
means?
Facilitating was the buzz word on many Social Science Departments in
the 1990’s. It was often used and often misunderstood. In
the creative classroom being a Facilitator really means that your role
is to assist others. Now trust me on this one. You need to decide
yourself how much your own level of assistance is ‘Doing’ and how much
it allows others to participate at their level.
What will you really gain in the long term by taking over and doing
more than perhaps you should? It might save a bit of time, and
anguish – but whose?
Is your level of support really supportive or does it make the activity
yours, rather than theirs?
Of course we all need to know how much our learners can do for
themselves, and only you will know that from experience. Yes, you
may need to prepare more materials than others, and that can be time
consuming. But in doing so you really are making it easier for
your group to be let loose on the project. Because you’ve
prepared so much, they can ‘jump’ a number of activities that might be
physically beyond them (such as cutting).
Does your level of support come with verbal encouragement? Do
your words encourage bravery and interest? Are your actions
justifying an existing level of self belief in your learners or are
they helping them to be more adventurous and more confident – with the
materials and with themselves?
Class crafts should be a place of exploration.
With shorter time scales and more pressure its easy to understand how
the
‘let’s get it done – here, let me…’
approach is almost forced upon us. But perhaps allowing the
children and learners to be messy and to take their time really does
matter.
Is it more important that the class creates clones of the project, or
individual examples of activity. Will Mum and Dad be more pleased
with a wonky , proudly clutched gift, or a pleasantly presented perfect
one?
I’ve seen it in all kinds of places. Well meaning people taking
over when perhaps a word of encouragement, or enquiry would serve best.
I’ve seen it with the tiniest children and the eldest mothers in care
homes.
And as a teacher of all those in between I’ve come across
hundreds who somewhere along the line picked up the self belief that
they were no good at the creative process.
So next time you run an activity, question your motive and ask yourself
who your intervention is helping the most.
It shouldn’t be you!
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Geraldine Jozefiak is passionate about
crafts and their place in
education.
Be part of raising standards in teaching and learning
by using the best possible craft instruction.
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Looking for
craft
projects, books, teaching manuals or courses? Need ideas on what
to teach and how to teach it?
"The Craft Teacher" can save you time and stress in teaching and
learning crafts.
Click Here => http://www.the-craft-teacher.com
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