School...

[echnidna]

school hasn't changed in the last 50 years from the sound of it

[wheelinround]

So your doing practicle physics FC how to move mountains and get ahead those idiots will be the ones in years to come asking the seasoned Pro (you) on this forum "How Do I" "what do I use"

Glad you have a good teacher makes a difference especially if its one you get along with and visa versa.

Chipboard good tree's wasted

[SAISAY]

FC
I don't know what is is like down where you are but up here in the north they have school based appreticeships, where the students spend a couple of days a week in the trade they are interested in (and get paid for it too) and the rest of the week they do the normal school work.
My friendly cabinetmaker has got a new full time apprentice this year, who spent part of his last year in school sniffing around the workshop and getting the feel, whether this was what he wanted to do with his future life..
As it turned out, Rhys is very good at it and already using machinery that is normally not used until his third year. I suppose it was a strike of good luck for him that is is a very small shop and everything is done from scratch.
Maybe something like that could work for you?
Wolffie

[Chipman]

I will put my hand up as a teacher....

I actually am a trained Physics teacher and teach Physics and Science at school. I am also very passionate about woodwork. It was my best subject when I was at school. I was lucky, as our school shared a workshop with a tertiary institution and we were taught about tools, sharpening and maintanence and their correct use. I actually wanted to train in that area as a teacher but was refused because I was "LEFT HANDED"!!!!!!!!

I have always been involved in woodwork. Made my first wooden toys before starting high school, did some building work, renovated my parents house and made their furniture before leaving home. My main interests are in clocks, toys and woodturning and the odd bit of furniture making.

After 30plus years of teaching, I finally got the chance this year to teach some woodwork (a year 9 class). For OH&S reasons, kids are not allowed to use any of the workshop machines (we wern't when I was a student either). They basically have access to hand tools, then battery drills, sanders and the linisher/disc sander.

I agree with Funky, it would be great to have some students who really wanted to learn and for others, it is a danger to them and the rest of the class to have them there. It is so refreshing to find some students who want to be creative and who are prepared to put in the effort to get the desired result.

What a lot of us need to remember is the limited time we have with our students... 100 minutes per week divided by 18 students. Then there is the time to get it all ready for them. I spent 6 hours at school yesterday (unpaid of course) getting the timber ready for the breadboard/chopping boards the class is making. (They are not allowed to use the table saw, jointer or thicknesser) and due to the limited time, it is neccessary for me to do the first lot of glue ups. Then occassionally you have to find time to help the other teacher in the department with sharpening and maintanence etc. Sometimes I get so frustrated, I bring my own tools to school! Then what do you see...someone using a chisel as a screwdriver or a putty knife or cutting into the metal of the vice with a saw!

Oh by the way, I also have to maintain 3 servers, 100 workstations and provide assistance for all the users.

So am I enjoying the experience of teaching woodwork... The answer is yes! If I can help kids to be more creative, improve their skills and take pride in their work, then it is all worth while. I will never be able to do that with all of my students, but that is like life... you can offer all sorts of help and guidance but not everyone wants it or is willing to use it.

Student bashing or teacher bashing won't solve anything... in a way it is more symptematic of the society we live in...workers are expected to do more and more for less and less and many people want everything without putting in any effort. Think about it... it is everywhere. All we can do is the best we can and try to make a difference in whatever we do.

Just my thoughts,

Chipman

[wheelinround]

I will put my hand up as a teacher....



Oh by the way, I also have to maintain 3 servers, 100 workstations and provide assistance for all the users.

So am I enjoying the experience of teaching woodwork... The answer is yes! If I can help kids to be more creative, improve their skills and take pride in their work, then it is all worth while. I will never be able to do that with all of my students, but that is like life... you can offer all sorts of help and guidance but not everyone wants it or is willing to use it.

Student bashing or teacher bashing won't solve anything... in a way it is more symptematic of the society we live in...workers are expected to do more and more for less and less and many people want everything without putting in any effort. Think about it... it is everywhere. All we can do is the best we can and try to make a difference in whatever we do.

Just my thoughts,

Chipman

Makes me wonder what all the other work mates are doing if your doing all that stuff. Many industries professions are the same.

It stinks.... year 9 thats 2 years into high school and while parents are striving to teach their kids to grow up and become responsible adults by 16/18 which is legal ages for many things, makes you wonder why kids get so damn stressed. No wonder if they do leave at year 10 thats 12 months to learn what has to get them through the first 4 years of any job. Bosses especially those of the older age can't understand why they school leavers have no idea, this is where over regulation and extream idiots have pushed us to.

Not to worry FC is gaining a world of schooling right now the best education he could possibly get.

[AlexS]

Interesting that nowadays, kids aren't allowed to use machines. At school, I only did 1 year of woodwork and then had to switch to tech. drawing. But we were allowed to go into the woodwork or metalwork shops before classes and do our own stuff under the informal supervision of a teacher. Didn't have much in the way of woodworking machines except lathes, but were allowed to use metalworking & welding gear if we could show we knew how to. I guess the teachers were just happy to see that we were interested.

[Wyld One]

Your not wrong funkychicken!

I'm probably the only student in my woodwork class who actually does the right thing and obey by my teacher (the teacher is a she by the way). I enjoy doing woodwork, always have and always will even the theory side of woodwork doing orthographic drawings etc.

I'd hate to see how many unskilled carpenters/cabinet makers there will be when we are older!

[Frank&Earnest]

Ever seen kids start at school already able to read? They soon lose it.

Yep. And 55 years ago it was 100 times worse. You do not need to ask how I know.