Thursday, March 25, 2010

My First Quilling Students

My First Quilling Students

My dear friend Alli has started her own quilling blog! She has several adorable quilling projects for Easter posted. Be sure you check it out and give her some comment love too!

Anyway, kind heart that she is, she donated a whole box of quilling paper and curling tools to my craft club!!

So last Friday, when no parents showed up for parent conferences (funny how that happened she says with a knowing smile) I was alone in my room. Three girls came wandering in looking for something to do. Lucky timing! I put them to work trying out my quilling lesson.  They were the perfect guinea pigs because they represented grades 3, 4, and 5 and none of the girls had ever even heard of quilling.

In no time at all they were quilling with success. They each made a flower and we glued them to some old business cards. Two business cards glued together makes a pretty nice gift tag.

Now, the true quilling test would be at craft club...with the boys.

No worries. All the boys happily made quilled flowers. The project was to make flowers and leaves for a spring branch. I gave everyone red paper to start and then the girls asked for other colors. Soon the boys wanted other colors too.

A few years ago I took my third graders to the Ghetty Villa in Malibu. As they roamed the halls of antiqueties they called out, "Hey look it's Poseidon!" and "There are the sirens!" We got many stares from the "upper crust" folks. Several people stopped me and asked me how these kids knew so much about Greek Mythology. To which I replied, "They learned it at school." I felt so happy for them making it in another world, really.

That's how I felt when we were all sitting around quilling.

4 comments:

Ann Martin said...

What a great post, Jane. Isn't it funny that adults so often shy away from quilling thinking it's too hard, yet kids jump in with both feet?!

Alli B said...

I know that feeling...their enthusiasm is priceless! They are so lucky to have you there to help them find their creative side!

Rebecca said...

Aww,Jane! You're so cool! How much fun to introduce those kids to quilling (and Greek myths, I loved them as a kid, still do!) And your friend's site is adorable!

I still need to send you my socks. I'll get on it, promise!

The Tablescaper said...

What great students!!! I haven't done quilling in years. I did it on my place cards for my wedding - many long years ago. Everyone thought I was crazy, but they looked great.

- The Tablescaper