On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 00:17:51 GMT, "Paul King"
wrote:

As others here say, you can't "teach" somebody by getting them to read about
a practical subject - they have to be lead, carefully, by the hand until
they achieve a degree of competency,

Not when they're only 9. Just throw them a pile of timber and some
basic tools, and let them learn which way up to hold them first.
There's a lot of "sub-basic" hand skills to pick up first, and most 9
year olds just won't have them, unless they've already spent time
hanging around a workshop.

I spent this afternoon in my workshop with a 9 year old (he's a
regular). I think he learned which way Allen screws rotate (knows
screwdrivers - never seen an Allen key before), why I drill pilot
holes for screws in MDF and how he should hold a spokeshave to stop it
chattering. I don't think that's a bad start for an afternoon.

--
Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods