I'm just gonna say it: I don't think we should be using Pinterest for school projects. I know, you think I'm saying it because all of my unfortunate attempts at crafting belong on one of the many lists of Pinterest project fails.
It’s really not that. It’s because we are so tightly bound to quick-click answers . I don’t know about you, but I live on Google. I don’t even try to remember answers anymore. Who was that actor in that thing about the what…?
Before my muddled brain has even finished processing the question, Google has answered it for me.
So here we are. My five-year-old daughter is just entering the world of school projects, and already, the pressure is there to click and find the most attractive – and elaborate – solution. We’re building a model of the solar system and I admit it: I headed to Pinterest for ideas.
Here’s the problem: The project was left open-ended for a reason. It is mea nt to foster the kids’ creativity and challenge them in a way that the more structured daily curriculum can’t. So if I pick out a project at random online and simply have my daughter assemble it, aren’t I doing her a disservice?
I’m not going to show Abby that link – We’re going to keep it old school. Tonight, we’re going to sit at the table and set up a plan of attack. We’re going to go to the craft store and she is going to get to pick out what she would like to use to make the planets.
The bonus? It means I have another year or two before she realizes how bad I really am at these projects.
Besides, I credit all of my fame and fortune in life to that awesome diorama of “The Old Man and the Sea” back in high school.
