European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 24, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                              24, 1968 the stars and stripes r. No one daydreams when mrs. Cele Cigil uses a hand puppet to ask questions. By Mary Neth Femina editor the second Grade classroom buzzed with excitement. Something wonderful was about to happen and the 7-year-old boys and girls could t wait for it to  whispered and wiggled in their seats and craned their necks for a peek at the object the teacher blocked from their View. Then mrs. Halit Cele Cigil turned around handheld up the puppet for All to see. This is or. Bear he s going to ask you the spelling words for  room exploded with Happy laughter. A Blue eyed Little girl in  dress leaped from he seat. Have him ask or. Alligator she said waving a snap Jawed hand puppet of her own in the air. No chorused the other boys and girls ask ours ask  wait your turns the Bear has plenty of questions enough to go around said mrs.  s not often that children get so excited about a a session of spelling but that s the Way it is in  class at Lindsey school for dependents in  makes the difference she says. When i use a puppet As my Helper the children listen More attentively work  mrs Cele Cigil introduced puppets to her class thievery first of the year and has been making Good use of them Ever  Reading we use them to dramatize stones and to illustrate Good manners. In science they Are helpful As props. When we studied butterflies for example i put on a show using a Butterfly made of coloured construction paper and manipulated by umbrella . Cele Cigil also has taken the children to see puppet exhibits and used puppets to study Peoples of other countries. Best of All As she sees it puppets give the children Chance to project themselves. Somehow a shy child finds it easier to communicate if he s holding a puppet in his  mrs. Cele Cigil does t use the puppets  believes the effectiveness would be lost if she did. But she believes puppetry can be a very worthwhile teaching Aid when incorporated into the program. Almost All the children now have puppets of their own. Most have been Given Heaters by their parents. When they Are older they can use their puppets to illustrate school reports it can be a lasting  of now she notes that a teacher s Helper like or. Bear can put new enthusiasm into classroom  get tired of hearing teachers voices droning on and on. When or. Bear Speaks to the they really perk up and turn in again and then occasionally he s a bit naughty and they can identify with him. A Little play makes learning More  the children write and put on their own puppet shows. Puppets have helped the class learn about people in other countries. Is photos by Wayne Dixon