Learning to use scissors

Written by Anna, Lola's teacher

March 9, 2011

Lola picked up the scissors and held them closed with the tip pointing up; she observed them for a while. Then she put them down and picked up a pencil and made a few marks on her paper. While writing, she noticed that other children at the table were using scissors; she watched intently. She then put down the pencil and retrieved the scissors and she held them tip up again. She was then able to open and close the scissors using both hands. So she brought them to the paper but was unable to close them on the paper. She began looking around the table at her friends. She seems to be watching how they were manipulating the scissors. She was observing her peers using one hand so she tried this too, but was unable to open the scissors with one hand to cut her paper. So she tried to close them a little having the scissors open about a quarter of an inch, held them still in one hand, and brought them to the paper. Yet again she was not able to close them on the paper to make a cut. She did not seem frustrated with the process just perplexed because she seem unable to make the connection that she needed to make the scissors work. She chose to tear the paper instead and then she got up and left. We will have to see what she does next week at the writing invitation, and when she is able to comprehend how to use scissors.