Many young women who are artistically inclined find giving
afternoon crafts chugim for children, or even evening
groups for women, an excellent outlet for their talents, a
source of income and/or occupation for their own children.
Or -- how about a young grandmother using these ideas when
she visits the grandchildren during the week to let Ima have
an hour of real rest?
Proper time management and use of resource files can help
make your class a success. Let's see how.
First, before we go on, let's divide classes into two
groups: in-school and after-school. It is generally more
difficult to maintain interest in extra curriculum after-
school classes than with in-school classes simply because
one is mandatory, carries a grade and report card and the
other is not. After- school students are more likely to stay
in the course if they enjoy it and it fits their
motivational level and talents. Elective students therefore
are harder to please.
The excitement of planning arts or crafts projects for after-
school groups and activities for school classes is something
both Shoshana and Miri enjoy. They love choosing the
projects, working with kids and using their hands.
Shoshana took up arts and crafts as a teenager. She excelled
in her classes and learned everything from beaded flowers to
silk painting. It was quite natural for her to offer after
school classes in her living room once she had married.
Working at home saves her travel time and she makes her own
hours. This also means that she must come up with her own
curriculum and keep the interest of the children high.
Miri found a challenging job as an assistant in a pre-
school. She helps children with arts and crafts related
skill learning projects. Miri is allotted between fifteen
and twenty minutes with each child. Often, the time moves
along smoothly but there are moments when a child is not
interested in the project, finishes too fast or cannot do
the job. Miri's biggest challenge then is to keep the
interest of the child when s/he says, "I'm done." The
options are both custom -made and standardized.
Zevi glued eleven colored tongue depressor sticks on a piece
of black construction paper to make a menora for Chanuka in
five minutes. What can he do now? How does Miri get him more
involved in the menora without actually doing the work for
him? Does she show him how to wrinkle up yellow cellophane
paper for the lights or make a border design around the
menora?
In either case, both teachers, Shoshana and Miri, know the
key to success. Be prepared and have options. The
following can help you take an ordinary project and build an
hour of true educational time around it. Proper time
management and use of resource files can make your class a
success.
TEACHER'S TRIAL RUN
* Read up on the subject, collect the necessary materials,
make the project in two or three versions or at least be
aware of different ways the project could develop as you go
along putting it together.
* Break the project into steps, noting that each one may
contain a learning concept in itself. Identify the purpose
and goal of each step. Example: the steps for making a
Chanuka card will be:
1) Show and discuss the menora. 2) Demonstrate how to draw
it [the difference between a kosher one and a non-kosher
one, that is, with branches aligned and the shammosh
separated]. 3) Students draw object. 4) Color object. 5) Cut
out object. 6) Fold object in half. 7) Glue onto second
sheet of paper. 8) Write message. 9) Decorate with glitter
glue.
* Begin planning in what order to hand out materials. Plan
the best way to clean up.
Estimate how long the project will take.
INTRODUCTION
1) Present concepts and new ideas to children by telling a
story about the subject or object. For instance, if the
drawing or hand built clay object is about Moshe in the
basket on the Nile, begin by teaching Parshas Shmos.
If the project is basket weaving for the fruits of Tu
Bishvat, discuss the significance of the first fruits and
the seven special species of Eretz Yisroel. A weaving
project can tie into the thirty-nine avos melocha of
Shabbos.
Filling glass bottles with colored layers of sand or chalk
or salt can be related to the promise of Hashem to Avrohom
Ovinu to make his ancestors as numerous as the grains of
sand the stars in heaven.
Simple concepts like shapes or colors or texture can be
demonstrated by looking around the room and recalling round
objects, colorful articles of clothing etc. Read a story
about a butterfly to the children before beginning a drawing
of one. [Or give a small science lecture about the stages of
development from cocoon to larva to butterfly. Accompany
with scientific pictures. Symmetry in nature can also be
discussed from the butterfly. Perhaps a small mussar
message of the potential beauty inherent even in seemingly
ugly things like caterpillars.]
2) Discuss the properties of the materials you will be using
to give the children an appreciation for what they will be
using to mold their self-expression. Clay, for instance,
comes from the earth. It is made from decomposed rocks and
water. After it is worked and heated at high temperatures,
we have a variety of products such as porcelain, enamel,
glass, brick and tiling and coffee mugs. Information such as
this adds to the child's satisfaction of working with the
clay. [You might mention how our forefathers made bricks in
Egypt, or the words in the Rosh Hashona prayer -- like clay
in the hands of the potter...]
Calculate the introduction time into the overall
estimate.
DEMONSTRATION
Do the project step-by-step in front of the children.
Regardless of whether you are after precision or creativity,
point out that mistakes are valid learning tools and that
you also make mistakes.
Add in demonstration time.
OPTIONS
Show three versions of the same project. For example, do a
drawing of the Old City Wall. Version One shows the gate and
the wall. Version Two shows the wall and a tower. Version
Three shows the stones and the green leaves in the crevices
in detail. This gives openings to different personality
types and tastes.
Add in options time.
MATERIALS
Hand out materials in order of use and only as needed. Do
not put out everything at once or you may end up with a big
mess or children that use the materials out of order, waste,
or finish too quickly.
Add in time for handing out materials.
PRACTICE
Let children do a practice run. This abbreviated version
helps them to plan and deal with obstacles.
Add in practice time.
FINAL PROJECT
Equipped with background information and a trial-and-error
period, the students are ready to begin the project. Younger
children till ages six or seven are usually happiest if they
can complete and take home their project in one sitting.
Older children who do more complex and detailed projects
often need more than one session.
Add in project time. This is 1/2 to 3/4 of the class
time.
CLEAN UP TIME
Calculate clean-up into the allotted class time. Have
disposable tablecloths, newspapers, old shirts, aprons,
sponges, rags, broom and dust pan, soap and water
available.
Add in clean up time.
EXHIBITION TIME
Display or hold up finished pieces, explaining the
outstanding or special quality of each student's work. Look
for something pleasant or creative to say about each child's
piece. Use specific statements rather than general niceties.
"Tzippy has a delicate touch." "Shevi knows how to draw
large clear shapes." "Avi knows how to draw happy faces."
"Zevi has a strong grip. Look at how he makes bold
colors."
Statements such as these push us to probe a bit into the
children for the special quality s/he possesses. If a child
made a major step forward in a difficult area such as
graduating from scribbling to making geometric shapes, point
it out as long as it doesn't embarrass him.
Add in exhibition and discussion time.
Calculate total time and make adjustments in the class
plan.
You may never have imagined that so much could be done with
one arts and craft project.
NEXT WEEK: PART TWO
