| One of the most rewarding activities I've | | | | demonstrations, gadgets, and experiments that |
| done with young children is taking things | | | | made electricity real to young children. If |
| apart. Together we have disassemble | | | | something broke, I showed the kids how to fix |
| flashlights, record players, vacuum cleaners, | | | | it. They began to think, "Hmmm that's not so |
| faucets, blenders, drills, VCRS, drills and | | | | fancy, maybe I could do that, too..." And |
| lawn mower engines--almost everything except | | | | they discovered they could. |
| television sets, which are quite dangerous. | | | | |
| Little did I realize that what began as an | | | | There "take apart" began to branch out. When |
| attempt to entertain my son would evolve into | | | | you dismantle things you begin to accumulate |
| teaching a "shop class" at Montessori school | | | | boxes of small parts, flywheels, small |
| and woodworking for the local parks | | | | circuit boards, little pulley, gears and |
| department. | | | | other interesting things. Naturally you begin |
| | | | to think about making something out of all |
| It was my son who first started me on this | | | | theses oddments. We created sculptures. I hot |
| path. My wife had the "real" job; I was | | | | glued objects onto a cardboard cone, and soon |
| taking care of our four-year-old Ben at home | | | | a robot took shape. A small speaker became |
| and doing house repairs. One day when Ben was | | | | the ace, radio knobs were his eyes, a re |
| pestering me or something to do, I suggested | | | | button mounted on a spring became his mouth, |
| he try to take apart a broken radio. He | | | | and colored wires were his arms and hair. The |
| needed help to choose the right screwdriver, | | | | children caught on right away. They went from |
| to show him which way to turn it, and help | | | | making robots to making mini space stations, |
| finding all the screws. I didn't get a lot of | | | | cameras, and walkie-talkies. |
| construction done that day, but it was worth | | | | |
| it. My son had found something he really | | | | After my first summer teaching for the parks |
| liked to do. He was always saying "Hey Dad, | | | | I was approached by a Montessori school to |
| look at this!" or "Hey Dad, this won't come | | | | offer a one day a week preschool "shop" class |
| apart." I soon realized that if I dug up | | | | taking the ideas and equipment developed for |
| another child the two of them could happily | | | | older kids and making them age-appropriate |
| take things apart for hours with very little | | | | for three-and four-year-olds. I was |
| help. Together, the solved most of the | | | | challenged to break down the principles of |
| problems they couldn't, figure out by | | | | building, mechanics, and crafts into concepts |
| themselves. And their combined excitement | | | | and activities young children could master. I |
| kept them at it longer, too. | | | | included a playhouse children could take |
| | | | apart and put together themselves and |
| I also learned some things about myself. My | | | | magnetic marble roll made from sheet metal |
| attitude was important. While I was helping | | | | and movable pieces of PVC pipe (cut in half), |
| Ben I had to be genuinely interested, and I | | | | and electricity board with a toy train |
| couldn't be in a hurry. If I was grumpy, he | | | | transformer as the power source to power |
| would pick up on it and find something else | | | | lights, bells and motors. My young students |
| to do. If I was interested, he would be too. | | | | were amazed by their ability to build a |
| | | | playhouse, dissemble a VCR and recycle metal |
| Taking things apart was so successful that I | | | | parts into presents for family and friends. |
| soon tried it with a group of Ben's | | | | |
| kindergarten classmates. We set up radios, | | | | I've learned from being a parent that |
| record players, simple circuits, batteries | | | | children can do more than we give them credit |
| and lights in the cafeteria. I provided tools | | | | for. I now see children in my summer class |
| so the kids could disassemble things and | | | | who took preschool shop class three or more |
| experiment with the pieces. At first, the | | | | years ago. They're brimming with |
| kids didn't know the difference between a | | | | self-confidence and a fearless in attacking |
| Philips and a slotted screwdriver, but they | | | | new problems, totally unintimidated by andy |
| learned quickly. They learned to find the | | | | new weird contraption I might have. |
| right kind and size of screwdriver for each | | | | |
| screw, and to turn the crew one way to put it | | | | A note of caution: children must be closely |
| in and the other way to take it out. They | | | | supervised when taking machines apart. Cut |
| developed problem-solving skills and learned | | | | off the electric cord and explain about |
| the importance of patience. And they had fun. | | | | shocks. Remove any glass, tubes, or bulbs. |
| | | | Consult a technician if there is any question |
| I had so much fun that the next summer I | | | | about safety. If the kids get frustrated they |
| taught a class for kids for the local parks | | | | tend to beat or pry, which can be dangerous. |
| and taking things apart became one of my | | | | Don't let them. Uses this opportunity to show |
| mainstays. I created a program of | | | | them ingenuity can work where force does not. |