Practical Arts
As human beings, we use our hands regularly in our daily lives. At Mountain Sunrise Academy, our practical arts program incorporates handwork grades 1-8.
Our handwork curriculum is broad and includes skills such as knitting, crocheting, cross stitch, hand sewing, felting, paper crafts, and machine sewing in the older grades.
Many of the benefits of practical arts are obvious: hand-eye coordination; small motor dexterity; right and left hand coordination; crossing the mid-line; basic math skills such as counting; the ability to understand and follow a process from concept to completion; developing resilience and patience; and the ability to focus on a project for an extended period of time.
There are also more subtle rewards that complement these obvious benefits. Students must prepare and care for materials.
Design and color choice allow for individual creative expression.
Another, far-reaching benefit of handwork class is the social aspect. Students often work together on larger scale projects.
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