Blacksmithing & Education was Re: [TheForge] test?

[Daniel Crowther]

>At this time I don't have any easy answers or solutions for getting the 
>established education system to re-integrate the hands-on skills back into 
>the curriculum. At least not in the face of dedicated opposition that many 
>have decried on this list. I would however ask people to look outside that 
>system. For instance Home Schooling in your area may provide the chance to 
>try the broad-curriculum study of bridges... to show how well it works, 
>and to be able to provide concrete examples of how this type of integrated 
>learning could be a valuable tool for the established school system.


         Yes, home schooling does offer some advantages.  We've (my wife 
and I) have done blacksmithing and silversmithing projects and demos for 
small home schooler groups and individuals.
         The other thing we're investigating right now is "Arts in the 
Classroom".   It's a grant from NYS for schools to pay for 
Artisans/Craftsmen to either teach a course or demo in their field of 
expertise.  From what we understand "Art" is pretty open.  A Tech teacher 
could hire us for a blacksmithing demo as could a Physics teacher, History 
teacher or an Art teacher with equal ease, because we're an 
"Artist/Craftsman".
         Also in our area, we have the "Heldeberg Workshop" which is a 
summer program that covers all subject areas in school, but tackles them 
from a hands-on orientation.  Science classes spend a week in the swamp 
learning about the ecosystem. SS classes learn about various cultures 
through crafts, food, and some language.  Music students build their own 
musical instruments, write their own plays, and the props class builds all 
the props for them.
         Anyway, IMHO the schools are trying to put too much curriculum 
into too little time and too many important things are getting cut as a 
result.  I would not cry if the schools went to a steady year round setup 
and lengthened the school day to 8 hours.



Daniel Crowther
Oak & Acorn
http://www.oakandacorn.com
Valley Falls, NY