The woodworking space welcomes the children from both the EW and the WW to work together with multiple tools. It is in this process that they can bridge new and seasoned experiences and expand on their learning by sharing their challenges and discoveries and support each other in the different ways of using the tools.
Archer: I want to use the saw. This is hard work.
Adriana: You can always ask another friend for ideas on how to overcome the challenge.
Emilio: You’re almost there, Archer.
Ozzie: Yes, it might take a long time and then you’ll do it!
Archer: Look, Emilio, I did it. I did it. (with a big smile)
Emilio: I knew it! You did it, Archer.
Mason: The hand drill is too big.
Jake: Mason, keep practicing. You’ll get to the hard part.
Fiona: I’m practicing too. My mom will be so proud of me.
Harrison: I’m getting tired. (As he uses the saw)
Rio: Harrison, that was a challenge for me, too, and I tried for two days and I did that challenge. Keep sawing! Now my new challenge is to make a deep hole. (As he uses the hand drill)
Reflecting back on this experience, we can see that when the children face a challenge, it is essential that the other children are present. For example, when Archer and Harrison worked through their struggles, the rest of the children listened to them, encouraged them to stay focused, and they expressed with them how they once felt the same way, too. This normalizes the process of frustration, persistence, and achievement in the culture of learning.