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News & Events
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Program helps students nail down carpentry skills Posted in The Montclarion on Friday, July 23, 2004 Written by Lisa Coffey Mahoney There are some budding carpenters in Piedmont -- thanks to the popular Kids' Carpentry class. During a four-day class held at Beach Schoolmates last week, youngsters worked on a variety of projects including a catapult, rubber band powered race car, birdhouse, and sword. "I just like working with wood," said Dillon Lew, 10, who planned to build a birdhouse this week. A veteran of prior Kids' Carpentry classes -- which are offered through the Piedmont Recreation Department -- Lew has previously built a catapult, an aircraft carrier, and several other items. "I've taken the class quite a few times," he said. Kids' Carpentry is designed for boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade, said instructor John Baker. Typically there are nine students per class. In addition to having fun, class participants gain quality experiences in measuring, applied mathematics such as using fractions, and hands on experience with a variety of carpentry tools, Baker said. By visualizing, planning and building projects, children develop valuable abstract reasoning capabilities and fine motor skills, he said. It's a "hands-on" class from day one, Baker said. "I start them off making a tool, which is a sanding block," he said. "To make a sanding block we have to measure, learn how to use a Tri Square to make a straight line on a piece of wood, and then we're on to using the saw." Youngsters can copy items created by Baker and set out on display or use their imagination to come up with something more unique. "Nothing is pre-built for them. They have to absolutely build it all themselves," he said. "Something that is just a few pieces took them an enormous amount of work, because you've got the measuring, the cutting and the sanding." The youngest carpenters are often surprised when told on the first day of class to pick up a crosscut saw and get to work, Baker said. "At home they can't even touch a sharp butter knife," he said. "Some of them come in here and look at that saw that's over half their body height and they're like, 'You're going to let me use that?' The safe use of hand tools is emphasized throughout the class, Baker said. "I'm happy to say I've been doing it for six years and probably taught thousands of kids. I've never had anybody hurt," he said. "You just get really good at monitoring and teaching the safety factor." On July 13, Baker's students filed into the Beach Schoolmates building and took a seat on workbenches. The group reviewed lessons learned the previous day, and came up with a game plan for that day. It wasn't long before the youngsters got busy clamping pieces of wood to their workbenches, and began sawing away. "When I'm blowing the sawdust what do I do with my eyes? Close 'em," Baker gently reminded. A Danville native, Baker got exposed to carpentry as a youngster. "My dad's a carpenter, my grandfather's a carpenter. My whole family is into building," he said. In addition to teaching carpentry, Baker is a guitarist for the band Mary Carves the Chicken. He also does construction work from time to time. "I love teaching. This is just another stage, really," he said. "The goal is to expose them to carpentry and all the other skills that go along with it, including team work." The students frequently helped each other measure or saw wood. Piedmont's classes are part of the Berkeley-based Kids' Carpentry program, which has been in existence for over 20 years and is directed by Michael Glass. Classes are also offered at schools and recreation departments in other Bay Area cities, including Alameda, Berkeley and Walnut Creek. Kids' Carpentry is also offered during the school year. Youngsters meeting once a week during six-week sessions held at Veterans' Hall.Contra Costa Times
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Related links: - Contra Costa Times - Montclarian |
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