Help! Teach 13 Year olds? - What?

I have been saying on this list lately how I teach tourists and
people off the street http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ to make a
silver ring in an hour for $40 (maximum 4 people), and they do walk
away afterwards proud of their very first silver ring on their
finger. Some do silver and titanium earrings in a hour. Fine. I
help them quite a lot, and supply the odd pre-made things like
earwires, but they each do something themselves at every stage of
the process. They are, in the main, adults and though bankers and
such they do bring to the class some prior learning.

Now I’ve been asked by a Queenstown school whether I will take
classes of 20 students - 13 year olds! - for an hour workshop at
$40/hr. I think I’m in trouble if I do what I do with adults paying
$40/hour EACH. So I need some help.

I think it’s important that the students take away ‘a piece of
jewellery’, and a ring is more universal than anything else, don’t
you think?

My question is: What simple product/exercise could I get them to
do?

Thought and ideas so far are:
Offer them no choice.
Sil ring 6mm wide strip with an overlapped cold join.
Sil ring with an overlap join, making sizing and soldering easier.
Copper wire ring wrapped round a couple times, with sil solder.
Buy in some thin silver bands, get them to file a flatspot, solder
on a cast thick-walled 8mm bezel, get them to glue things in the
bezel like shell, copper, wood, resin, whatever.

Who of you has taught 12 - 15 yearolds jewellery?
Is it impossible?
Help!
Brian
B r i a n � A d a m J e w e l l e r y E y e w e a r �
@Brian_Adam1 ph/fx +64 9 817 6816 NEW ZEALAND

http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ NEXT ONE - Queenstown Mar11 to Mar18 '98
http://www.adam.co.nz/ruthbaird/ across the bench from me

Brian- I have never taught this age jewellry, but I HAVE taught
them in school. Maybe the kids in New Zealand are better behaved
than the ones in the US ( I certainly HOPE so!) but I doubt it.
The first thing I would do is secure an adult assistant to help
direct them. I think I’d try something not using torches to start
out with- maybe make one group make wire earrings on home-made
jigs,let the other adult supervise that, while YOU supervise some
kids making simple solder joints on plain rings- no more than 4 or
5 in a group. Anne

Brian- I’ve been mentoring for several years and my students both
started at age 13-14. They are both very creative and learn
quickly.

The ring sounds like a good starting project- I had each of them
start with sawing out a strip of sterling for the band, and solder
it together. Working with that many kids at once will be difficult.

Email me with further questions, or we can continue the thread on
Orchid.

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton
Martha’s Vineyard
USA
Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com

Brian

I recently finished a class with 12 year olds. One of our
projects was making what we call skinny rings. Twisted 18-20g
sterling round wire, some made love knot rings, plain 16g sterling
wire that they could texture with hammer + stamps or chasing tools.
I would do most of the soldering and then throw them all in the
tumbler with SS shot for 20-30 min. The students left with several
rings each, some as many as 5 or 6 ring but we were having 3 hr
long classes. You could adapt this in some way, maybe letting
them make the pieces and delivering them later in the day or the
next day so there would be time for tumbling.

Fred

Fred Krauter
Gristmill Craft School Specializing in Jewelry techniques
64 Beulah Rd. http://www.Handworks.com
New Britain, PA 18901 @Fred_Krauter1

Dear Brian, The biggest problem with teaching kids is that they
are so much more willing to take creative risks than adults! I
found (teaching arts and crafts to 6-15 yr old boys altho not
jewelry) that too many choices in the beginning confuses them. If
they decide this is cool stuff you will have no attitude problem.
Lay down the law about safety stuff in the beginning. It might
help to have another experienced person (former studentfor
instance) to help you with that many kids. How about stamping on
a silver strip, then lap and solder. The stamping would make each
one unique which kids value. Try borrowing a few kids and try out
your program with them. This could work very well for you-Scout
troops, schools etc. I must admit that I was nervous the first
time I turned kids from the worst neighborhood in town loose with
sharp lino block tools. I was surprised at their serious attitude
toward safety and delighted with the prints they created. Sorry to
ramble on. Good luck

How about getting your hand on some copper wire, old electricial
type, cut in 14 inch section fold in half, put bent end in a vise,
put two loose wires in a hand drill or electric drill. Tighten,
then twist. When you have your twist as tight as needed, release
the twisted copper wire, cut and file ends, bend and polish for a
great bracelet. As add ons, you can twist 24 gauge silver or brass
in the ridges of the twist but you will have to use super EZ
solder on each end to hold the silver wire in place. I have my
students do this project to show them how simple jewelry CAN be!
Hope this helps. Joy

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Hello Brian:

I agree that it is important that they carry away something with
them. If it is money constraints I would go with the “Buy in some
thin silver bands, get them to file a flatspot, solder on a cast
thick-walled 8mm bezel, get them to glue things in the bezel like
shell, copper, wood, resin, whatever.”

     Who of you has taught 12 - 15 yearolds jewellery? Is it
impossible?

I taught my sons sixth grade class, but I had an hour every monday
for 6 weeks. I also made a 45 minute video tape of the project we
would do and let them watch it in class before I showed up the
first time. I cut them each a 1" diameter size piece of wax. I
showed them how to draw a design, Cartoon it onto the wax, Carve
away either the design or the background, and texture if desired.

After a few weeks I collected them and cast in SS and tumbled. Each
child walked away with either a pocket coin or pendant. I
encouraged them each to scrape their name and the year on the back.

I could not beleive some of the fabulous textures and designs these
kids came up with.

I acctually carry the one I made for the demo in my pocket.

Michael Mathews Victoria,Texas USA

I teach Art as my primary occupation (at present) . I was
fortunate enough to have a trunk full of tools loaned to me by our
provincial crafts council. I borrowed it once for a 2 month period
for an adult class and another time for my Grade 10 high school art
class. There may be situations where regions have these kits
available yet jewellers are not aware they are out there. It was
just by accident that I found out. Both classes , I thought, were
very successful and we did a wide range of projects from copper~
silver wire earrings , piercing & sawing sheet, casting , stone
setting… I was reluctant to start …but it was a very positive
experience. It’s amazing what students can do with a pair of round
nose pliers and cutters.

                                         Darryl (Nova Scotia)

Who of you has taught 12 - 15 yearolds jewellery?
Is it impossible?
Help!

Brian…I had exactly this experience with my son and a
bunch of his Boy Scout friends. Had no idea what to do until
getting ready for bed one night I looked at my belt. There it
was!!! I made a stiff paper pattern that took the shape of a
straightened out belt with buckle attached. Each boy cut one out of
copper using shears for the straight belt. and a saw (with me
standing by) for the buckle. So far one size and one pattern fits
all ! Roll the band around, pass it thru the buckle till the loop
fits like a ring. Solder at one point only. Rub some fine polishing
paper and Voila! Each kid had his own ring. And you know that no 2
of them looked alike, but that didn’t matter at all. I was proud of
them, and the reward was that my son was proud of me !!!

Go to it. It will be fun as long as they are well behaved.

Sol K.
@solk1

I taught my 14 year old granddaughter to facet, and she is quite
good at it, She even demonstrated at a gem and mineral show. So far
she has cut topaz, garnets, saphire, and amethyst . I have also
taught her how to mount in 14k and s/s. She looks forward to
recieving faceting rough for birthdays and at Christmas All it
takes is patience and a little time. Charles in Austin.

I taught my 14 year old granddaughter to facet, and she is quite
good at it, 

In one hour??? My original query asked what I could cover with a
group of 18 13 yearolds in 1 hour.

Now whaty you think?

Brian
B r i a n � A d a m J e w e l l e r y E y e w e a r �
@Brian_Adam1 ph/fx +64 9 817 6816 NEW ZEALAND

http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ NEXT ONE - Queenstown Mar11 to Mar18 '98
http://www.adam.co.nz/ruthbaird/ across the bench from me

Brian, I will once again suggest the copper bracelet, I just
tried it in a class of inexperienced adults. One completed from
start to finish in less than 30 minutes. Joy in Illinois