Learning Power

These students discovered that winding sticks are a powerful tool for flattening boards.

What make us feel powerful when we are young?  Is it a mindset? Is it that vague?  Or is it something more tangible?  Do the the things that we hold and feel, or the activities that we do, give us power?  It seems like power and control can go hand-in-hand.  People who have control have lots of power, and vice versa.  Lots of people feel as though things like money or fame can give them power.  Others might say that it's not that simple.  I've got several students in my wood shop on a daily basis that feel power when they build things.  Right now we are really in a groove.  They have been building items for the workshop like tables, racks and shelves.  Learning how to do something and then seeing an end result for your work will make anyone feel pretty powerful.  Things that we do and we can see give us powerful feedback.  Are we all this way?  Doesn't everybody want to see the results for something that they've worked at?  It's nice to know that when working with wood the end result is something useful and visible.  Children need a variety of ways to experience learning and to grow their character.  Whether it be in English, Science or History class- learning can be powerful!  When someone is put in a class that allows them to learn according to their own style, then learning becomes very powerful.

Howard Gardner hit the head on the nail with his Theory on Multiple Intelligences.  A summary of this theory is shown below.