Activity Ideas
Activity Packs
Craft Demonstrating
Craft Manuals
Glass Painting Manual
Memories
Teachers Sets
|
9 essential 'things you need'
when choosing craft instructions
Knowing what to look for as you buy into craft
instructions, will help you to save time and money. These 9
suggestions will help you to analyse any project to see if it really
does tick all the boxes you need.
Apply this list to all your existing purchases, and to any new books
that you are thinking of adding to your resource library..
1. Is there an
introduction that tells you what's coming?
As in all good teaching, it's important that you have some idea of
what's coming at you. Does it tell you what level the project,
how you might introduce it, or how to alter any of the ideas?
Introductions give you a chance to make snap intuitive judgements on
whether the project is right for your group. You'll make this decision
with reference to the accompanying photo - if there is one.
2. Is there a
picture to show the finished article
It's vital to have some idea of the finished product, so that you can
refer to it as you first read the instructions. Does the photo
tie in with the steps?
Does it look like something you'd want to make, and if it doesn't,
could you adapt anything about the project to suit your group - i.e.
the colour, size, or other aspects?
3. Is the list of
the things you need clearly laid out?
If you're having a busy teaching day with little time to plan you'll
want to know exactly what you need, in a hurry. You don’t want to
be scrabbling around the page looking at tiny print to find the section
on what you need.
You're looking for a clear, horizontal list of what you need to go
find, fetch and carry.
4. Are the things
you need easily assembled, or do you need time to order/buy/find them?
The last thing you'll appreciate is having to order specialist
materials. If you need to buy specialist materials, look for a series
of step-by-step projects that will allow you to make the most of your
resources.
Make sure you have 'corralled' your materials in one place before you
start, to check what you need, and what you need to get.
5. Are the project
instructions clearly laid out so that you can follow them?
Instructions that are easy on the eye will win every time. If
projects are new to you it's even more important that you can find
information easily.
If you are using instructions from a new source, it may well be worth
taking the time to become familiar with their house style and layout,
as you'll know that future instructions will be in the same format.
6. Do the
step-by-step instructions take you by the hand, and presume you 'know
nothing?
Many instructions are not full enough and they leave things out, or add
in extra information that can be confusing. You want lean and
mean instructions that are clear without being fussy.
Do they give you enough instruction to give you confidence? Full
instructions are essential and if you do know the basics that they are
covering, you can move more quickly through the project
Ultimately you want to be confident and competent in leading the
project and the instructions. If they are well constructed will do that
for you.
7. Is the page
layout visually clear so that you could find the parts you need in a
hurry?
It's not just the layout that needs to be clear. It's important
that the instructions are well laid out with enough white space for you
to locate what you need easily.
Font should be at least 12 point - anything smaller may well give you
problems when you're in a rush, and you don’t want to have to tear
something out of book, photocopy it, or enlarge it. Look for
instructions that are A4, clear, logical, and do the job.
8. Are there
recommendations on how to extend the project (if it worked well) or how
to sort out any problems (if it doesn't go so well)?
If the project can be extended it's always good to have some idea
how. The writer should be able to give you some pointers in how
to blend it with other activities and ideas.
9. Do you feel as
the person writing the instructions has made the project?
It's often easy to tell if a crafter hasn't written the project.
But many times the project is, and whilst they may be good at making
it, they aren't so good at explaining how!
Choose instructions that are written by a teacher if possible or
certainly someone with a flair for explaining simple and complex steps
in a take you by the hand style.
=====================================================
Geraldine Jozefiak is passionate about
crafts and their place in
education. Be part of raising standards in teaching and learning
by offering the best possible creative opportunities.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
** Attention
Ezine
editors and Site owners**
Please feel
free to
reprint this article as long as you leave the article complete, with
all the links in place. Do not change the content and include the
resource box above.
We would appreciate a note of your use so that we can have a
look. Thank you.
|
|
