crafts room

Welcome to crafts class, my new obsession.

Ok, I am a little obsessed with the crafts classes here. As something completely different (as far as I’ve found no other country has a class similar for all students), it seems that Finland has their very own version of a “makerspace”: crafts class. Crafts class is one of enjoyment for every kid, and I have never seen a look of disappointment when it’s time for the students to head to crafts. From building chairs to sewing their own hats, crafts classes allow for student creativity while learning a craft!

What is a “makerspace”? This is a term that has popped up over the past few years in the US, with no clear-cut image of what a makerspace looks like. That is because the term “makerspace” does not refer to a physical space, but rather a mindset, an idea separate from the materials that can make up this space. It can be defined as a place for people to explore, create, and tinker around. Materials in a maker space can be as simple as cardboard and Legos, or as complex as including robots and 3D printers. While the crafts class is more structured than a makerspace may be, there is a lot of room for student creativity and creation, with the potential for even more.

What do these crafts classes, or Finnish “makerspaces” as I like to call them, actually look like? I’ve now been in at least 10 different classes, and they are all similarly equipped. In secondary (junior high) schools, there is additional machinery, and an area where students can weld.

The pictures you see below are standard images of what the crafts classes look like for students grades 3-6. Students actually start in first grade with crafts classes, where they are allowed to be creative, work on their fine motor skills, and collaborate with their peers. The first and second grade crafts classes are equipped a little differently than the older grades; however, the concepts and goals are the same. All boys and girls take crafts class, which consist of the “hard” crafts, such as wood/metal work, and “soft” crafts, such as sewing and knitting.

The first time I walked into a crafts class for 5th grade, I was a little worried. These students were working with saws, sanders, and carving tools. Independently. With one teacher in a room with about 20 students. This is not something you would see in the US.

Now, as I have traveled to schools around Finland, I always make sure I stop by for a crafts lesson. It continues to fascinate me, and I love seeing the students empowered by their creations. I have seen 7 year olds sewing their own winter hats. I have seen 8 year olds operating a sewing machine independently. I have seen 9 year olds using a hand saw to cut pieces out for their marionette puppets. I have seen 10 and 11 year olds soldering their own circuit boards (and found out they first learned how to solder in 3rd grade). At the secondary or junior high level, students are introduced to a few other materials and tools, such as metal. I have seen 13 year olds welding metal to create a shoe rack. Students have made their own speaker systems, knitted their own socks, built chairs and large scoops for use in the sauna. The possibilities in crafts classes are endless. The potential for integration with other subject areas is high.

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One 3rd grade teacher I have recently been observing has been integrating crafts with other areas of instruction. Students are creating marionettes, and I went into his crafts class to see the students designing, drawing, and cutting the pieces of wood for their marionettes. Next door, students who had finished this step were sewing clothing for their marionettes. In a couple of weeks, students will then use a green screen to create a story of how their marionettes come to life. Students are writing their stories during their Finnish language classes. What a great way for teachers to integrate multiple subject areas and crafts classes into one project.

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The benefits for the students, however, are what I am most interested in. What happens to students when we allow them to create? What happens to students when we allow them the opportunity to develop their fine motor skills through craft exploration, from woodwork, to sewing, to knitting, to metalwork? What happens to students when we provide a wide variety of experiences for them?

In the US it might seem a bit “old school” to have a class such as this, as most woodshop classes have been removed from schools for various reasons: budget cuts, lack of interest, safety concerns. But these crafts classes have my gears turning (no pun intended).

I am fortunate to be at a school that has access to many great tools, some very similar to what I see here in Finland. We have the potential for creating a makerspace where students have access not only to advanced technological tools such as 3D printing, but also tools such as wood and saws. We have the opportunity to really teach our students how to use these tools, and integrate that into our problem-based learning units of study (which we refer to simply as “PBLs”). We have the opportunity to empower our students to feel successful in a non-academic light, and for them to develop their fine motor and problem solving skills.

So, teachers, how can we create varied experiences for our students that integrate a variety of crafts, from wood/metal work to knitting and sewing to 3D printing and coding?

 

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