This summer I taught two 4 week classes at Phoenix Center for the Arts. The class was an intro to metals for 8-12 year olds the first session, and 11-14 year olds the second session. It was only 2 hours once a week (8 hours total).
The thing with kids is, I always dread it at first. I hate the discipline part of it. When you teach adults you
don't have to worry about telling them to stop hitting
each other with hammers, stop pinching
each other with pliers, or to stop winding wire around
each others necks. With kids, you almost always have to teach
and discipline. I just like to teach. So, because of this, I always stress out when I teach kids classes. But, the kids classes are always the most rewarding. The second group I had this summer was really awesome. Maybe it was because it was mostly girls, or maybe it was because they were older, but I had SO much fun with them. They even had me laughing so hard one day I was crying. Anyway, the classes are over now but the Phoenix Center put on a little art show at the end to show off their work.
The kids did 2 projects. The first project was etched pendants. I just had them use nail polish and paint pens as a resist. I didn't mess around with asphaltum or anything like that. Too messy. The second project was a wire wrapped beaded mobile.
The girl who made this one was hilarious. She said her dad went through a mid life crisis and bought a hot air balloon, so her family always goes on hot air balloon rides. She made a mobile of all different shaped hot air balloons. I thought it was pretty neat.
I also liked this one a lot. You can't tell, but she made wire letters that spelled her name...
I really liked the superheroes that they did in the drawing class though. The one on the right is "The Flower Spreader" and he "spreads flowers throughout the town and creates flower gardens wherever he goes." We need more superheroes like that!
It was a great experience, and I think I just may do it again!
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