Hands-On Learning

My kids are always bored, saying there is nothing to do. I look back on my childhood, and while I may have been bored from time to time, I usually found something to do.

In school, we did creative work. Even in second grade, we were using box saws to make cuts in wood and not our hands. In third grade, we made comics for our class newspaper. In fourth grade, we constructed a mission out of wood and paper. In fifth grade, we boys made wooden rifles when we studied the frontier days. The girls made something, too. In the seventh grade, I failed miserably in metal shop, but it gave me the skills and insight I needed later in life. I can make a dustpan out of anything now.

I don’t know if they have time or inclination to do this stuff in schools anymore. All I know is, the more physical, “real-life” stuff you do, the more you are connected to life. When you use your hands along with your mind, you have fun. You are then able to tolerate the dreaded math, reading and writing lessons. When I say use your hands, I don’t mean a mouse and computer games!

BERKELEY COOK

Crestline