Scissors: more than a cut above.

"Scissors are a wonderful friend. They will keep you company for hours, and journey with you to imaginary lands that you both create together. Scissors demand very little of you, asking only that you carefully close their mouths, then hold them securely when walking, keep them dry, and use them to cut paper, not hair, clothing, curtains, or clay. And when you are finished using them, if you close their mouths, and place them in a safe place to rest their hard-working teeth, they will be faithful companions who will take you on one adventure after another whenever you wake them up."

This is what I say to children the first time we cut with scissors. Scissors, themselves, are not dangerous, but the moment they are picked up they have no control over the manner in which they are used or misused. Scissors have the power to improve fine motor skills, stimulate creative imagination, reinforce concentration, support hand and eye coordination, provide springboards for flexible thinking, promote language development, inspire confidence, strengthen conceptual skills, and enhance basic learning skills including math.

No Boundaries

There is one catch, however. I try to discourage the use of lines to guide cutting. Crayons, pencils, and markers can set boundaries that restrict the imaginative flow of ideas. Cutting freehand offers a choice. Sizes and shapes change as ideas evolve. Freehand cutting sets the atmosphere for flexible thinking. Cut too small at first and the shape has little room for alteration. Cut large and the shape can be changed or improved.

In Japan, where children are still expected to stay within strict educational limitations, creative challenges and alternatives that extend beyond four sides of a piece of paper are necessary. When challenged by the absence of lines, students realize their own creative potential and genius. At a university kindergarten in Japan, I was asked to present a basic cutting lesson to three year olds who were using scissors for the first time. The teacher had faithfully prepared lined paper for cutting exercises. I informed her that I honored her efficient preparation, but asked her to believe in her children's capacity to cut freehand without lines.

Preparation and Activity

At the beginning of the hour-long lesson, the three year olds awakened their hands using hand aerobics exercises accompanied by music. Fingers ready and minds alert, children experienced scissors safety, holding techniques, gluing methods, folding, rolling, matching corners, respecting paper and materials, following which they confidently tackled fringing, basic cuts, and geometric shapes, including circles, all freehand.

In the end, each child had not only made a beautiful, floppy butterfly, but realized the potential for unlimited creatures and objects. As their eyes imagined cutting lines, students became aware of their hands, recognizing the dual importance of their "holding-turning hand" and "cutting hand." In a simple cutting experience, three year olds energetically cut butterflies while absorbing basic concepts (color, size, shape, numbers, etc.) in both Japanese and English. Their teacher realized the unlimited teaching and learning potentials hidden in a pair of scissors.

Art and Action were the keys to a successful bilingual classroom. We think with our hands. As we think, we create. And as we create, we remember.

Freehand cutting gives children freedom to create as they cut. Basic guidelines such as hand aerobics, scissors safety, and tearing and gluing exercises are essential. Students are encouraged to use paper and materials resourcefully. Then, using a series of basic cutting techniques, eyes are trained to see the paper, its edges, corners, and the shapes within shapes. Once basic cuts are mastered, students are introduced to the exciting worlds of animal cuts, nature cuts, holiday cuts, storytelling cuts, half-cuts, double half-cuts, symmetrical cuts, and phonics, to mention a few.

Reflection

Scissors are a unique interactive tool when successfully used, allowing teachers and students to recognize and explore each other's creative ability while nurturing mutual communication. During paper-cutting workshops, I have witnessed a metamorphosis in how students respond to one another. Educators have also realized new avenues in art and language arts education, new ways to excite and encourage students' imaginations, the versatility of origami paper, and the importance of scissors activities after experiencing freehand cutting with scissors.

As a creative educator, you can help your students to attain remarkable freehand cutting skills while learning other basic subjects. Respect each child's handedness; recognize different cutting styles, speeds, dexterity levels, and artistic visions. Believe in each child and prepare to be amazed at what can be created from a single piece of paper. Pick up your scissors today. Discover a new world with one of the best friends you'll ever have--scissors.

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www.terisuzanne.com

Teri Suzanne is a freelance bilingual specialist associated with Children's Castle in Tokyo, Japan. She is the assistant creative director at RBR, The New Center for Creative Arts in Tokyo, where she teaches scissor art. [e-mail]