Creating Happiness

Shoom pah shoom pah bright eyes wide open, excitement sizzling in the air Shoom pah shoom pah the magic I bring to my 5 year olds in the form of a pair of bright shiny Fiskars scissors. Scissor day is like the opening day of an exciting show, like the circus, or live performance, if my students knew what that was like. Their bright shiny faces awaiting to use the magic tool that they have seen me use that has transformed paper into so many interesting shapes and makes the greatest sound. Scissors are truly magical!

Ready to grasp the scissors the students vibrate in their seats, those Fiskar scissors are so exciting why won’t their teacher let them grab the shinny objects that create magic already!

“Thumbs up!” every student must put their thumb in the air. “This is how I want to see your thumb when you’re using scissors. Scissors get the “thumbs up, so when we cut, we always put our thumb up”.

“Elbow at your side, when we cut, we keep our elbow in so are more stable when we cut”. This is a little awkward when you are little and the table is sometimes higher than you are, but all the students manage so they can grasp the magical cutting objects.

We practice “thumbs up”. Then slowly students are able to pick up the Fiskars scissors in front of each one. Students are told “thumbs go in the small hole and fingers in the big hole” the students are still so small the rest of their fingers fit in the big hole of the scissors.

We practice “thumbs up, elbow in, open, close, open, close” students are learning how to use scissors and building their hand strength. They all do wonderfully. Everyone wants to work their magic on their piece of paper that Ms. Elva is about to give them if they do well.

Scissors have brought me so much happiness through the years, creating happiness by showing my students how to create is the greatest job in the world. I get paid to make art and share this wonderful part of life with students all day long.

Growing up when people would ask my mom what to buy me she would always say “scissors and paper” no one believed her and would buy me toys. The year my Godmother listened and got me a package of construction paper, glue and my first pair of Fiskars scissors she finally became a believer that it was really true that was what I wanted.

I then show students to cut the edge of the paper “we are going to fringe the edge of the paper, shoom pa, shoom pa the sound of the scissors as it cuts the fringe of the edge of the paper and make beautiful magical cuts in the paper. This magic of the paper is like the excitement of preparing for a birthday party.

When you are 5 cutting with scissors is truly magical. Every day is supposed to be “scissor day” after scissors are introduce. Teaching how to use scissors is my favorite day of teaching art. The first-time kindergarten gets

scissors is truly magic to their eyes.

" Thumbs up" when we cut we always keep our thumbs up

Shoom pah shoom pah the sound of the scissors moving through the paper demonstrating the use of the wonderful contraption that cuts the paper and makes the paper into a new shape. The wide eyes the excitement. Scissors are one of the most exciting things in the art room.

I'm always amazed by how many students have never used scissors until I give the big bright eyed learners scissors in their hands.

Learning to use scissors brings joy to young learners that will bring joy and life to their life, smile and bringing joy like no other.

I’m so lucky that my hobby and my career can cross and intersect in a way that most can not. I can learn and explore arts, crafts and hobbies along with my students as I teach students. Cutting with scissors is a skill that I have loved my whole life and love sharing with my students from the basic learning of cutting to the advanced paper cutting techniques. I’m glad life worked out the way it did and I ended up as an art teacher.