Actually Jim...thats one of the reasons I have against taking the job.
Can you picture me taking **** from a baggy pants 17yr old flashing me
gang signs, without putting his head in the vise on a Bridgeport and
engaging the down feed with a fly cutter in it?

Im not sure I have the patience for it. As Im ageing..my capacity for
bull**** is getting smaller.

On the other hand..being a curmudgeon shop teacher has its appeal....


Let me tell you a little story about one of my teachers when I was in grade
school. She was an albino so with stark white hair and stark white skin she
wore the brightest red nail polish and lipstick that was made.

From the early grades she had the reputation of being the sacriest teacher
in the school, defintly not one to let catch you in any mischief. She was
the one teacher in the school that songs were sung about and they weren't
nice ones.

On the first day of her class, she stands fully erect and with proper
posture at the podium and gives the following speach:

"I am going to hold each and every one of you to high standards. I give
home work that will be turned in on time and I cut no slack on grading. If
anone thinks they will pass just by showing up they will be here next year
to serve as an example to the rest of the class that I mean what I say.

I expect each and every one of you to obtain a three ring note book and a
supply of paper you purchase with moner you have earned from odd jobs, paper
routes or babysitting. This will be known as you P-O-W notebook... This
stands for pearls of wisdom and as the pearls of wisdom flow from my ruby
red lips you will make notes of what I say or you will not do well here."

She was one tough broad. She was the best teacher in my whole school
experience. She had every one doing algebra before we left the 5th grade
and didn't even tell us it was algebra until each of us had shown
competence.

As well as math and science she also peppered her lectures with common sense
problems like how to wrap christmas presents with out wasting paper and she
had all of us get into the habit of folding discarded papers rather than
crumpling them.

I think this kind of thing would work for you. On day one in the shop class
you dress in a shop coat starched with perfect creases and give them the
speach that you are here to convey important information and teach them to
make stuff because in the real world people pay for competent workers, not
slackers. You will run a tight ship and work will be done to print. Any of
you think you can't cut it see me and I will give you a hall pass to the
counsellers office so you can drop this class.

Tell them you require them to show up everyday ready to work safely. This
means no baggy clothing that could get snagged and be a safety hazard. This
means if any one here insists on showing up with long hair it will be tied
back and tucked in, and this will be done before you step into the
classroom.

Now who wants to drop this class?... Very well lets get started.

I think if you start that way, you will have much less grief


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Roger Shoaf

Important factors in selecting a mate:
1] Depth of gene pool
2] Position on the food chain.