Author: Croke Erin Role: Student Location: Quincy, MA Date: 02-19-05 This past summer I worked as an arts and craft specialist for the recreation program in my hometown. There were three of us and we each covered a different area of the city. Each morning before we went to do arts and crafts at the different playgrounds we would pick what activity we wanted the kids to do. We all did not have to do the same thing and could choose anything we wanted from the large supply room. At the beginning I would only bring one thing with me, like gimp, beads, or a special project. I quickly found that not all the kids wanted to do that activity so I started bringing more things with me. We only had a crate to fit our supplies in, but I found myself always bringing gimp (as that was a very popular activity for many kids) but also another project for other kids to work on. I found this got more of the kids to participate in arts and crafts because they had more than one thing to choose from. I am working there again this summer so I plan on keeping up with my new approach with choice based art education.

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