Handicrafts: Good & Beautiful Work
A few weeks ago I talked about the way picture study develops one’s habit of attention and linked many articles that told about the way observing artwork has been used to develop observational skills of nursing students, medical students, and police officers. Over the years, I have also come across many articles that talk about the importance of handicrafts and the benefits of developing finger dexterity.
Charlotte Mason wanted children to make handicrafts a part of their education so they could build life skills and learn many important qualities such as precision, perseverance, and appreciation for form, function, and quality craftmanship. She stated,
Again we know that the human hand is a wonderful and exquisite instrument to be used in a hundred movements exacting delicacy, direction and force; every such movement is a cause of joy as it leads to the pleasure of execution and the triumph of success. We begin to understand this and make some efforts to train the young in the deft handling of tools and the practice of handicrafts. Some day perhaps, we shall see apprenticeship to trades revived and good and beautiful work enforced. In so far, we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall "live his life"; and that, not at his neighbor's expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as well as himself; we all thrive in the well being of each. Philosophy of Education p. 328
It is easy to overlook the importance of handicrafts and it might sometimes get pushed aside for the sake of other subjects that may seem more important. I am not naturally someone who is skilled with handicrafts, and in fact, my kids learned to crochet before I did. However, there are so many handicrafts that we have done over the years that have resonated with my children and they still engage in those activities today in their free time. There is something restorative about using your hands and engaging in some quiet time and contemplation.
Most kids today have not learned many of these skills that are part of handicrafts. We might think we are in a technological age and we don’t need to spend time on sewing, knitting, or wood carving. However, the lack of these skills is negatively affecting students in college and careers. According to Roger Kneebone, a professor of surgical education at Imperial College, London, the manual dexterity of students has declined over the past decade, and students have become “less competent and less confident” in using their hands. In this article, he talks about his concern that children are spending so much time in front of screens that they don't’ have the dexterity to stitch or sew up patients. There are many other fields such as dentistry, orthodontics, mechanics, and auto or appliance repair that require a high level of finger dexterity.
Mason wanted students to have a full education that helped them flourish as whole persons—body, soul, and mind. She did not want to limit them either in the relationships they could form or with their future endeavors. I would love to hear which handicrafts your students have most enjoyed over the years and how they have benefitted from them. Head over to the Hive and let us know.
Notes
1. History: Grades 9-10: TV Shapes Presidential Politics is back in stock on Amazon.
2. CMI Team: Join us in welcoming Alveary member Kimberly Somarriba to the CMI team as our new Events Coordinator. She will be planning the 2024 CMI conference and other events.
3. Alveary Overview: This new document is a compilation of Alveary course- and content- progression, as well as the “how-to-teach” information for each subject, all in one place.
4. Training Event: Join our first publicly-available observation and training event at Blue Willow Tutorial (an Alveary school) from October 26-28th near Knoxville, Tennesee.
5. Blue Orchard Bee. The BOB exists to provide support and training for those in neurodiverse homes and classrooms. To make resources more accessible, we’re republishing listeners' favorite episodes with new, fully-edited transcripts. You can read the first two from the fall on the blog.
6. Science Office Hours: Here is the link from last week’s office hours with Danielle Merritt-Sunseri. You can also find the link in a separate tab on the office hours spreadsheet (posted at the bottom of every office hours event in the Hive).
7. Office Hours: Here is the link for Erin Day’s discussion about art theory in the curriculum and a demonstration lesson.
8. Office Hours: September 27th at 3:30 EST. Submit your questions here by noon on Tuesday.
9. Seasonal Books: Need ideas for fall reading? Take a look at this reel of fall picture books.
10. Exams: You can now access exams via Step 5 of your Dashboard.
Query
1. Dictation and Written Narration: I have a very reluctant writer (4th grade) and dictation has been a struggle. We haven't even started on written narration. What tips would you have for easing into dictation and written narration for a new-to-Charlotte-Mason 4th-grader?
Watch this video to get some helpful tips.
