{"id":1568,"date":"2020-09-19T06:50:12","date_gmt":"2020-09-19T11:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/?p=1568"},"modified":"2023-04-29T19:31:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T00:31:50","slug":"handwork-fostering-excellence-through-the-habit-of-creating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2020\/09\/19\/handwork-fostering-excellence-through-the-habit-of-creating\/","title":{"rendered":"Handwork: Fostering Excellence Through the Habit of Creating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Guest post by Joleen Steel, Classical Christian Educator and Director of Camping Stick Kids<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are what we repeatedly do; excellence<\/a>, then, is not an act but a habit. <\/em><\/p>Aristotle<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What do you find yourself repeatedly doing? In this digital world<\/a>, it is easy to immerse ourselves in the repetition of scrolling through social media or clicking out words on a device in the hope of inspiring minds and garnering followers. Yet, the digital world falls short of satisfying our deepest longings for meaning and purpose. The best moments in life are not found on a screen, but in deep, meaningful relationships and the creation of beautiful and useful things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, find ways to repeatedly, purposefully foster the habits of relating and creating<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Though there is much to say on the subject of fostering healthy relationships, this article will focus on the habit of handwork<\/strong>. However, handwork need not be solitary. The art of creating<\/a> alongside others brings a sense of community and comfort. Help your children foster sweet memories, giggling beneath blanketed forts or coloring comfortably together at the kitchen table. Develop bonds with your friends and family by asking them to join you in your creative endeavors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you work, ask yourself, \u201cWho should join me?\u201d Then, invite them. Teach them. Be together as you create and work with your hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Handwork as a Habit Leading to Wonder<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aristotle said that, \u201cGood habits formed at youth make all the difference.\u201d Because young children are like \u201ctender reeds, ready to grow and easy to train,\u201d the habit of working diligently<\/strong> with one\u2019s hands ought to be taught to children as young as four years old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young children readily engage in tactile tasks such as building, painting, drawing and cutting paper. Turn their willing hands to tasks that require repetition and precision to create strong habits of attention and perseverance. This habit of attention <\/a>will in turn create a sense of wonder<\/strong> as children discover the world around them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom begins in wonder.<\/em><\/p>Socrates<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Wonder is foundational to capturing a child\u2019s attention. So begin with something that fills them with awe and awakens their desire to \u201cmake it too!\u201d For example, a father using hammer and nail is likely to be interrupted by a child eager to practice what dad is doing. Soon father and child are happily hammering alongside one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The child\u2019s wonder leads to wisdom<\/strong> as the skill of hammering in a nail requires a steady hand and focused attention<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Wonder to Wisdom by Hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are teaching woodworking or finger-knitting, log-splitting or sewing, the same path from wonder to wisdom<\/a> is travelled. All these skills require repetition in order to achieve excellence<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mistakes will happen. Problems will need to be resolved. Children who face these challenges develop grit and become stronger emotionally. Just listen for the happy little voice shouting, \u201cI did it!\u201d and you will be thankful you started the journey of handwork together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A child who is busy with their hands is also busy with higher level thinking such as analysis<\/strong>, synthesis<\/strong> and evaluation<\/strong>. Analysis comes in the form of \u201cwhat if\u201d questions such as, \u201cWhat if I use a different thickness of string in knitting, will my project look different?\u201d Synthesis is when a child can defend their choices and discuss why they used a smaller nail for this project vs the larger one. In evaluation a child can construct and deconstruct their design and even change their opinion regarding the materials used, based on their experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simple tasks, with little challenge may bring a quick smile, but immersing your child in a long-term project that requires deep thought will reap the rewards of confidence and character. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Thessalonians 4:11<\/strong> encourages us <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cto aspire to live quietly, and to mind [our] own affairs, and to work with [our] hands.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, turn off the technology and find some work for your hands to do. Lead yourself and your child into something creative and you may discover your side-by-side work evokes a calm, satisfying, joy-filled atmosphere that leads to habits of excellence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Joleen<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a Classical Christian Educator, Joleen has had the joy of leading her young students to joyfully discover handwork that has a purpose. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the director of Camping Stick Kids, Joleen enjoys writing, developing and marketing materials that will enable CSK to share the Gospel one camper at a time<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download her free eBook Handwork with a Purpose<\/a><\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Habit<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Guest post by Joleen Steel, Classical Christian Educator and Director of Camping Stick Kids We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle What do you find yourself repeatedly doing? 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Barney","author_link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/author\/jasonmbarney\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Guest post by Joleen Steel, Classical Christian Educator and Director of Camping Stick Kids We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle What do you find yourself repeatedly doing? In this digital world, it is easy to immerse ourselves in the repetition of scrolling through social media…","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa7K1D-pi","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":296,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2019\/03\/25\/excellence-comes-by-habit-aristotle-on-moral-virtue\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":0},"title":"Excellence Comes by Habit: Aristotle on Moral Virtue","author":"Jason Barney","date":"March 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"All too often we are inclined to think of excellence as the product of good genes and good fortune rather than our personal habits. The fates bestow their blessings indiscriminately and haphazardly, and the talented and successful are the lucky recipients of excellence, while the rest of us are mired\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Classical Tradition"","block_context":{"text":"Classical Tradition","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/classical-tradition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Aristotle close-up as famously portrayed by Raphael with arm stretched forward indicating his engagement in the human world of moral excellence, virtue and habits","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/raphael_detail-aristotle-from-the-school-of-athens.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/raphael_detail-aristotle-from-the-school-of-athens.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/raphael_detail-aristotle-from-the-school-of-athens.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/raphael_detail-aristotle-from-the-school-of-athens.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/raphael_detail-aristotle-from-the-school-of-athens.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2080,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/05\/29\/moral-virtue-and-the-intellectual-virtue-of-artistry-or-craftsmanship\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":1},"title":"Moral Virtue and the Intellectual Virtue of Artistry or Craftsmanship","author":"Jason Barney","date":"May 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It might seem strange after the paradigm delineated above to focus our attention back on intellectual virtues alone, just after arguing for the holistic Christian purpose of education: the cultivation of moral, intellectual and spiritual virtues. But it is impossible to do everything in a single series or book. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Classical Tradition"","block_context":{"text":"Classical Tradition","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/classical-tradition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design-5-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design-5-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design-5-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design-5-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Untitled-design-5-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":648,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2019\/11\/16\/in-search-of-happiness-part-1-the-road-of-virtue\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":2},"title":"In Search of Happiness, Part 1: The Road of Virtue","author":"Kolby Atchison","date":"November 16, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In 1952, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, an Ohio-born pastor who went on to minister for fifty-two years in New York City, published a book that would go on to change his life and career trajectory. The book\u2019s title? I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard of it, at least, as an idea. It\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Classical Tradition"","block_context":{"text":"Classical Tradition","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/classical-tradition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mountain-climber.jpg?fit=768%2C528&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mountain-climber.jpg?fit=768%2C528&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mountain-climber.jpg?fit=768%2C528&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mountain-climber.jpg?fit=768%2C528&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":66,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2018\/10\/05\/aristotle-and-the-growth-mindset\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":3},"title":"Aristotle and the Growth Mindset","author":"Jason Barney","date":"October 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Whether you\u2019ve been involved in the world of education, sports, self-help or business, it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ve heard of Carol Dweck\u2019s growth mindset. A Stanford University psychologist, Carol Dweck popularized her findings about how much success in any endeavor depends on a person\u2019s mindset. In her book Mindset: The New\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Modern Research"","block_context":{"text":"Modern Research","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/modern-research\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"bronze statue of Aristotle with pen","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Bronze-statue-of-Aristotle-with-pen.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Bronze-statue-of-Aristotle-with-pen.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Bronze-statue-of-Aristotle-with-pen.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Bronze-statue-of-Aristotle-with-pen.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Bronze-statue-of-Aristotle-with-pen.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2125,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/19\/practicing-in-the-dark-or-the-day-well-worn-paths-or-bushwalking-artistry-and-moral-virtue-continued\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":4},"title":"Practicing in the Dark or the Day: Well-worn Paths or Bushwalking, Artistry and Moral Virtue Continued","author":"Jason Barney","date":"June 19, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In my last article we explored the analogy between Aristotle\u2019s intellectual virtue of artistry or craftsmanship (Greek: techne) and moral virtue, taking our cue from the Nicomachean Ethics book II. Along the way we discovered the foundation for these two types of excellence in habit development or the neural networks\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Classical Tradition"","block_context":{"text":"Classical Tradition","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/classical-tradition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Untitled-design-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Untitled-design-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Untitled-design-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Untitled-design-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Untitled-design-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":622,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2019\/11\/02\/christ-our-habitation-a-consideration-of-spiritual-habit-training-in-education\/","url_meta":{"origin":1568,"position":5},"title":"Christ Our Habitation: A Consideration of Spiritual Habit Training in Education","author":"Patrick Egan","date":"November 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I have begun to explore habit training once more. In this post I want to explore what it means to consider students as whole persons and address questions stemming from our being spiritual persons. What does it mean for Christians to apply habit training? The greatest liability of education is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Biblical worldview"","block_context":{"text":"Biblical worldview","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/biblical-worldview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"woman exercising the habit of Bible reading and prayer","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Canva-Woman-Reading-the-Bible.jpg?fit=1200%2C851&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Canva-Woman-Reading-the-Bible.jpg?fit=1200%2C851&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Canva-Woman-Reading-the-Bible.jpg?fit=1200%2C851&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Canva-Woman-Reading-the-Bible.jpg?fit=1200%2C851&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Canva-Woman-Reading-the-Bible.jpg?fit=1200%2C851&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1568"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1568\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1583,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1568\/revisions\/1583"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}