Standard Workshops for Hazel Park Academy

EXPLORING MCBA'S STANDARD YOUTH WORKSHOPS

HAZEL PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL, ST. PAUL

English Language Learner teacher Linda Madera has been working with MCBA for four years. At each session her middle school students explored a new aspect of the book arts. Linda Madeira varies the project from year to year for her students, who come from all over the world and are often new to the United States.

In the spring of 2007 Linda wanted to introduce students to a wide variety of book arts techniques rather than work on a specific project. Students visited MCBA several times to learn marbling, pressure printing on the letterpress, and five different book structures. Using the accordion pop-out structure, students created a Hmong folktale storybook with drawn images based on a story cloth motif. The pressure prints were folded into meander books. Students cut paper to create pop-ups for a dos-a-dos structure. Marbled paper served as an end sheet for photo albums bound with screw posts. Students also made three-dimensional hearts for Valentine’s Day using the petalfold structure.

Through these book arts activities the students actively engaged with their history and geography lessons and improved their English writing skills. Engaging individuals in creative expression through the book form can make a critical difference, especially for those who feel their voices are not ordinarily heard. For youth, the book arts promote creativity, youth and family literacy, and family communication as well as examine cultural diversity.

The students appreciated their experiences at MCBA so much that they and Linda made a scrapbook as a thank you gift, using photographs taken at MCBA and back at school. Excerpts from the scrapbook are shown below.

This is the inside cover of the photo album the Hazel Park Academy students and teacher made for MCBA in appreciation for their book arts experience. The marbled paper you see in the background was made during one of the workshops in MCBA's papermaking studio.

Education Program Associate Lin Lacy and Youth Workshops Program Coordinator Jill Weese display a pop-up book to inspire the Hazel Park Academy students as they begin their own projects.

Hazel Park Academy student Tou Lee loves to fish. He also loves to make books. Here is he shown with his artful homage to fishing using a dos-a-dos book structure with pop-ups.

MCBA Community Program Coordinator Emily Carr Moore demonstrates the magical technique of marbling paper.

Student Tong Kou peels off his marbled sheet from the plastic base. He's pleased with his electric design!

Students Choua and Youa concentrate on creating exceptional new designs with their marbled paper.

Education Program Associate Holly Magner gives "hands-on" instruction to the students as they create Valentine hearts using the petal-fold structure.

petalfold book

Here is an example of a heart petalfold book like the kind the Hazel Park Academy students made. This petalfold makes a terrific and unique Valentine's Day gift.

This is one of the accordion pop-out books made by the Hazel Park Academy students. Many students depicted scenery they remember from Thailand and wrote about their lives there before they moved to the United States.

Here is another example of an accordion pop-out book made during the workshop with Hazel Park Academy. The motif is similar to that of a Hmong story cloth.

Chor celebrates his beautiful book at a publishing part at Hazel Park Academy. When the workshops are complete and the students books are finished, teacher Linda Madera invites the students and their families to a party where the students can show off their books. The students take great pride in their work.

Studies show that book arts activities stimulate creative expression and interest in books, reading and writing. Hands-on interaction with the printed word and visual art also teaches life lessons in self-esteem, critical thinking, cognitive and social skills, and creativity. Accordingly, MCBA's youth education programs have consistently included activities in which students can learn, create, express and explore.

Here are all of the students who worked with Hazel Park Academy teacher Linda Madera during the spring of 2007. The students came to MCBA in three different groups, once a month, from December 2006 through April 2007.

Included in the scrapbook were notes written by students who had come to MCBA. Is it any wonder that teacher Linda Madera returns with her students to MCBA year after year?

To discuss ideas for a custom workshop, or for scheduling and pricing information, please call Jill Weese, Youth Workshops Program Coordinator, at 612.215.2529.

RETURN TO STANDARD YOUTH WORKSHOPS

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is located in the Open Book Building
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415

PH: 612.215.2520
FAX: 612.215.2545
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