Teaching....

Today I picked my mom up from her once-a-week day program at our local nursing home. I stopped to chat with the Activity Coordinator, who asked me about my pottery. It seems my dear mother is bragging me up and telling everyone that I will bring pots in! I promised I'd bring one or two for 'show and tell'. That led to another idea...the possibility of me volunteering for a handbuilding class.

Now I'm thinking there is some real possibility in this, because I know how therepeutic running your fingers into clay can be, even though I have yet to convince my mother to try it. I'll push that a little more in the next few days, using her as my 'guinea pig'. Most of the residents in this home suffer from Alzeimers or severe dementia and my mother is quite "normal" in comparison. That being said, a lot of them do participate in the morning exercises and from what I hear they get quite excited when someone comes to entertain them with music.

I'll need to keep it simple. My Aussie friend Adriana suggested nothing more than rolling out clay and cutting it with cookie cutters to use for wind chimes or Christmas tree ornaments. I like that idea. I do realize that some might have trouble with the rolling but of course I'll be there to help! Another suggestion was a handprint, which is another fabulous idea! I think I'd need some very soft clay. It takes some strength to press down into the clay and really some of these people are very frail.

I'd love to hear any other suggestions you might have. Maybe I can make it a monthly thing if it goes over well the first time. I'm thinking it'll be much like teaching a kids program. Not that I've done that, but I've seen what they can do!