NOT OT: Interview, for Moms and Teachers especially!

All,

I was wondering if you'd mind helping me out on a school project. The project is writing instruction (and a teach-the-teacher instruction) for children to make jewelry. I have devised three different projects for different age-groups. The first thing we need to do is a needs analysis of the projects and of the learners (the children who would participate)

If you wouldn't mind posting here or emailing me your responses to the questions, it could help out a lot.

Below are the "interview" (one of the guys in the group wrote the questions which I am not totally sure will provide all of the thoughts we need for the needs analysis. If you have any additional comments or thoughts please add them!).

Thanks!!

Marisa2

===================== My team is doing a project for the class R521 (Instructional Design and Development Processes).

We are thinking of designing a 3hr Jewellery Making workshop for children/teenagers for the below mentioned age groups. As part of the project, we are now performing a Needs Analysis; to ensure that the stakeholders (learners, teachers, parents) are consulted, and establish the need for training, before proceeding with the design of the lessons.

Your expertice as an school teacher before will be very helpful to our analysis.....Once again a big thanks!

Target Age groups:

1) 4-7 year olds. Pony beads (these are large plastic colorful beads) on string. 20-25 minute session includes quickly showing one example at the beginning, teacher ties or helps the student to tie off the string at a length that will fit over their head and everyone sharing their work at the end.

2) 8-12 year olds. Size 8 glass beads and porcelin/pewter/glass charms/focals, on memory wire. Instuctor starts the necklace off by bending back memory wire with pliers, then children add beads as desired. Instructor finishes the necklace off. 35-35 minute session includes showing some examples and talking briefly about the materials at the begining, and everyone showing their work at the end.

3) 13-16 year olds. Three projects include earrings, memory wire necklace (with dangle they make themselves or silver charms), and soft-flex necklace. Total session time around 1 1/2 hours, which includes three projects. Skills learned for earrings apply to memory wire necklace, and so on. Students use the tools themselves and are able to complete all of their own work, allowing them to make fine jewelry themselves in the future if deisred. A more advanced discussion of materials, including prices etc, is included.

These are some questions that i would appreciate your advice:

1) As an elementary school teacher, do you think that promoting the creativity of children is important to their growth?

2) Do you think that a workshop on jewellery making will help promote creativity in children?

3) Through your experience as a teacher, do you think that the children will be keen in such workshop? if so, do you thiink that instructions will be required for such workshop?

4) Do you think that boys will enjoy such workshop?

5) Based on the age (developmental) groups stated above, do you think the kind of activity is appropriate?

6) Finally......Any comments with regards to our training approach?

To assist you in understanding our workshop better, attached is a website that contain some pictures of the type of jewelleries that we will be teaching the children to make (it's a website of one of our team member and you are free to contact her if you are keen to purchase some of the products......free marketing;)

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Pun.

Reply to
Marisa2
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My mother taught for 32 years... and I often went to her classroom to give "supplemental" demonstrations in spinning.... Second graders loved it - and enjoyed the creative experience of a simple drop spindle... We also showed them "antique" household items - and made butter with a hand cranked butter churn.

as for your questions- the answer is yes to all of them... wiht a few exceptions I can give a tip on the youngest two groups.... that I have done with young kids. FIrst - move your age group break point up slightly in the first group - to age 8, second group 9-12.

Next - Find the Laura Ingalls Wilder book "Little house on the Prairie" - in the book there is a chapter where the Indians come and camp near the family- and then leave. The girls go and find beads in the grass... and string them up on a piece of string.

Read this story section to the children in groups 1 and 2 (too corny for group

3) and then let them string their necklaces. When I did this the kids felt a connection to the story - thus combining art and literature (you get bonus points for joining learning...) We actually scattered lots of pony beads in the grass - and let the kids hunt for them (what fun!)

Boys -- yes - they enjoy stringing too!

As for older children - I did visiting projects at my sons's school - We did felting and felted artworks....

anything creative tends to appeal to all ages... however boys (RE QUESTION 4)

will not be as likely, at the older ages, to be interested in making jewelry and earrings....(well - maybe a few... LOL) unless you do it near a holiday -and convince them this is the perfect gift for their mother/grandmother/great aunt.....

Cheryl DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass

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Reply to
Cheryl

I sure wish I could help, Marisa. As it turns out, though, my field is adult learning. And adults do learn differently than children do. Good luck with your project!

Reply to
Peggy

Peggy,

I'll get you on a later project I'm sure :)

Thanks!!

Marisa2

Peggy wrote:

Reply to
Marisa2

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