Encouraging creativity in students is one of the most important aspects of incorporating jewellery-making into the classroom. In my capacity as a student teacher, I chose to do this in the classroom through my own example. Instead of keeping the standard fabric lanyard for my nametag, I saw a chance to have some colour and fun in the classroom on Wednesdays! I created a rainbow, beaded lanyard, specifically with the idea of fostering the imagination and originality of the students.
This project seemed like a relatively small detail to my Link2Practice days, but the students immediately noticed my new and improved lanyard, saying they liked my necklace. Many of them pointed out the different colours and charms, usually the little glass pig!
this is the cute little bead, from Michaels
The lanyard is made out of a mixture of glass, stone, plastic, wooden, and ceramic beads that I sourced from several different places over the course of a month. I didn’t want to limit myself to only one material for the lanyard, because it was important to me that it was dynamic and interesting to look at. I also had to keep the weight of the piece in mind, as I would be wearing it for the entire day. I chose the varying beads with an organic pattern in mind, using only the colours of the rainbow as a guideline. I was excited to create a piece that would be viewed primarily by the students, as it gave me an excuse to string the lanyard with any size, shape, and material of charm I wanted. I find I like the jewellery I wear in an everyday setting to be more refined and, while still colourful, more dainty. However, designing for a child’s eye comes with less self-judgement and encourages more creativity.
It was essential to me that the lanyard was a rainbow of colours. As I couldn’t limit myself with materials, I also didn’t want to limit the colour palette! I have a vision of how my future classroom will look, demonstrated by the resources I’ve already created, and I designed the lanyard with this vision in mind. The importance of children’s exposure to colour goes beyond my aesthetic taste. Colour, in any setting, fosters an engaging and vibrant environment that enhances creativity, imagination, and cognitive development. Specifically in a classroom, using a variety of colours promotes active learning and a positive emotional connection to their place of education. Many studies explore this topic, and I encourage you to do your own research on the connections and importance that colour has in our lives!
photo created on DALL • E
Before creating this piece, I knew I wanted to use some specific charms, such as the beloved pig and painted ceramic beads, but I had no exact layout to work with. After trimming a piece of jewellery wire about forty inches long, I strung the beads with a temporary spring-clasp on one side, starting with pink! I worked my way to blue, using white beads throughout to break up the saturation and make the transitions smoother.
I would often take a break, holding up the string of beads to make sure I liked it. When I wanted to change something, I just removed a few beads and re-strung them in a new order. This process sounds very mundane and tedious, but seeing this piece come together was so fun and motivating for me. After attaching the clasps, I put the lanyard on and wanted to wear it everywhere, even outside of the classroom. I loved creating a piece so personal that I am able to share with my students and classmates every week! I closed off the lanyard with two lobster-style clasps to attach to my nametag. It is easily detachable, which means I could always make more. I am already thinking of more opportunities, friends, and holidays to make lanyards for!
