Folks -

Whew, I finished the first week! I've got 4 sets of students, and a group of
drop ins.... One group was like hearding cats.... I should have been so
lucky... After the first week my "view from the front" is that about 40% of
the students have some motivation, about 40% range from being dark, cool and
withdrawn, to only having a benign interest in learning; the remaining 20%
is split between kids that are really interested, and a few real trouble
makers - sometimes the same kid...

As for a "crisis of the week", I had a group of 'drop in' kids - they work
for about a half hour during their lunch... and when they all left I noticed
that one of them had just tagged the class door with spray paint. I
followed them all out, asked who did it, and of course, nobody knew. I then
said that the lunch work period was voluntary on my part, and that the shop
would remain closed for lunchtime work until the responsible person came
forward. I had the kid clean up the paint, and told him I may make him
paint the door.... I've reconsidered that tho' - I want to be more
constructive... maybe making some push sticks.

All of the kids in the classes have issues.... I'm learning that I am going
to have to modify my instructional methods - short attention spans, lack of
ability or desire to read and study.... kinda scary in a way to think of
where they will be in 10 years. I am trying work in other instructional
elements when I talk about how to do something, and there are some glimmers
there... One young gal, very headstrong - knew everything, but not the NAME
of things (WTF??).... she didn't know which machine was the drill press, or
the jointer, but she could use them and her skills seem competent - anyway,
I told her the history of the circular saw, and how a shaker seamstress
invented the circular saw blade in the early 1800's - and that most modern
saws all owe something to the lady - She *really* liked that story...
Another kid made a sword (THERE's the pointy stick connection) and I had to
explain, in some detail, why I wasn't going to let him take a 4 1/2" long
oak spear out of the classroom. The "kid" is about 6'2" over 200" aryan as
all get out with a mohawk, tats and a large inverted red star tatooed at the
back of the base of his neck. By the time his Senior year comes around, he
will have to turn sideways to make it through the door. I'll bet he already
has plans for a Trebuchet!

Apparently, I am also "righting the ship" in terms of keeping things
woodworking related - things seem to have been quite lax under the earlier
instructor. One of the kids asked me where the weight bench was - I guess
they had a weight bench in one corner - that explains the EZ Curl Bar that I
found behind the Shop Bot and the chart showing bench press results. Gone
also, I guess, is a "project car"(?).... I'll be getting rid of the carved
mushrooms and marijuana leaves that were done on the shop-bot. If any of
y'all need some of these carved on 6/4 clear pine let me know. You don't
have to worry about finish, either - they've already been burned with a
propane torch, wire brushed and covered in polyurethane. Some of the
marijuana leaves have had the incised portions painted in green. This is
okay, but in my opinion, the oeuvre of these examples lacks the depth that
the purple and read highlights that only Northern California KGB is *known*
for. If I can find a student's name on these lesser examples, I will inform
the local 215 Compassion Centers and I will grade accordingly!

All said, I'm going to go back next week, hehe... The class prep work takes
more time than I thought!

We don't need no education....

John Moorhead

"John Moorhead" wrote in message
. com...
Folks -

Whew, I finished the first week! I've got 4 sets of students, and a group
of
drop ins.... One group was like hearding cats.... I should have been so
lucky... After the first week my "view from the front" is that about 40%
of
the students have some motivation, about 40% range from being dark, cool
and
withdrawn, to only having a benign interest in learning; the remaining 20%
is split between kids that are really interested, and a few real trouble
makers - sometimes the same kid...

As for a "crisis of the week", I had a group of 'drop in' kids - they work
for about a half hour during their lunch... and when they all left I
noticed
that one of them had just tagged the class door with spray paint. I
followed them all out, asked who did it, and of course, nobody knew. I
then
said that the lunch work period was voluntary on my part, and that the
shop
would remain closed for lunchtime work until the responsible person came
forward. I had the kid clean up the paint, and told him I may make him
paint the door.... I've reconsidered that tho' - I want to be more
constructive... maybe making some push sticks.

All of the kids in the classes have issues.... I'm learning that I am
going
to have to modify my instructional methods - short attention spans, lack
of
ability or desire to read and study.... kinda scary in a way to think of
where they will be in 10 years. I am trying work in other instructional
elements when I talk about how to do something, and there are some
glimmers
there... One young gal, very headstrong - knew everything, but not the
NAME
of things (WTF??).... she didn't know which machine was the drill press,
or
the jointer, but she could use them and her skills seem competent -
anyway,
I told her the history of the circular saw, and how a shaker seamstress
invented the circular saw blade in the early 1800's - and that most modern
saws all owe something to the lady - She *really* liked that story...
Another kid made a sword (THERE's the pointy stick connection) and I had
to
explain, in some detail, why I wasn't going to let him take a 4 1/2" long
oak spear out of the classroom. The "kid" is about 6'2" over 200" aryan
as
all get out with a mohawk, tats and a large inverted red star tatooed at
the
back of the base of his neck. By the time his Senior year comes around,
he
will have to turn sideways to make it through the door. I'll bet he
already
has plans for a Trebuchet!

Apparently, I am also "righting the ship" in terms of keeping things
woodworking related - things seem to have been quite lax under the earlier
instructor. One of the kids asked me where the weight bench was - I guess
they had a weight bench in one corner - that explains the EZ Curl Bar that
I
found behind the Shop Bot and the chart showing bench press results. Gone
also, I guess, is a "project car"(?).... I'll be getting rid of the
carved
mushrooms and marijuana leaves that were done on the shop-bot. If any of
y'all need some of these carved on 6/4 clear pine let me know. You don't
have to worry about finish, either - they've already been burned with a
propane torch, wire brushed and covered in polyurethane. Some of the
marijuana leaves have had the incised portions painted in green. This is
okay, but in my opinion, the oeuvre of these examples lacks the depth that
the purple and read highlights that only Northern California KGB is
*known*
for. If I can find a student's name on these lesser examples, I will
inform
the local 215 Compassion Centers and I will grade accordingly!

All said, I'm going to go back next week, hehe... The class prep work
takes
more time than I thought!

We don't need no education....

John Moorhead


John,
One tactic I used with kids who started out with EGO (eyes glazed over) was,
once they were seated, I reversed where I gave the initial talk. As any
instructor knows, most of the interested kids sit in the front and the EGO
kids sit in the back. I would simply wait until they were all plopped down,
then I would move to the back and had them turn the desks around. After
that, they never knew from day to day where to sit.

Second, as I've said before, challenge them. Have them do something that
puts them out of their paradigm right away, before their EGO. Have each kid
make a simple project that requires the use of a few power tools. Say a
picture frame. Then have them talk about ways to make the next one better.

Keep your head up John, we all will benefit from having our kids taught by
involved, caring instructors.

Dave



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"John Moorhead" wrote in message
news:QFB%d.20758
All said, I'm going to go back next week, hehe... The class prep work
takes
more time than I thought!

Nah. According to the other teachers, there's no "prep" needed at all.
Means you get hooked to substitute every time someone else has an IEP
interview during your prep hour.

BRAVO!1

You set the rules early on, and enforced them. Those that don't like your
attitude will go somewhere else, which won't hurt your feelings a bit.

I found that my classes were divided into those who would succeed no matter
what I did, those who wouldn't succeed not matter what I did, and those who
if I reached I might make a difference. The first were the most fun to work
with, the last were the toughest, because I had to keep thinking about how
to help them grab hold even tho they weren't sure they wanted to do what I
wanted them to do. I kept trying even with the ones that wouldn't succeed,
it's amazing the seeds that you can plant that may not take root for a few
years, and maybe not in your sight.

And I was amazed when I started teaching how much prep time I needed. And,
for the first year, if I could count two good days in the week, I felt I had
succeeded.

Teaching ain't quite as easy as people think it is.

Walt C

I found when I got
"John Moorhead" wrote in message
. com...
Folks -

Whew, I finished the first week! I've got 4 sets of students, and a group
of
drop ins.... One group was like hearding cats.... I should have been so
lucky... After the first week my "view from the front" is that about 40%
of
the students have some motivation, about 40% range from being dark, cool
and
withdrawn, to only having a benign interest in learning; the remaining 20%
is split between kids that are really interested, and a few real trouble
makers - sometimes the same kid...

As for a "crisis of the week", I had a group of 'drop in' kids - they work
for about a half hour during their lunch... and when they all left I
noticed
that one of them had just tagged the class door with spray paint. I
followed them all out, asked who did it, and of course, nobody knew. I
then
said that the lunch work period was voluntary on my part, and that the
shop
would remain closed for lunchtime work until the responsible person came
forward. I had the kid clean up the paint, and told him I may make him
paint the door.... I've reconsidered that tho' - I want to be more
constructive... maybe making some push sticks.

All of the kids in the classes have issues.... I'm learning that I am
going
to have to modify my instructional methods - short attention spans, lack
of
ability or desire to read and study.... kinda scary in a way to think of
where they will be in 10 years. I am trying work in other instructional
elements when I talk about how to do something, and there are some
glimmers
there... One young gal, very headstrong - knew everything, but not the
NAME
of things (WTF??).... she didn't know which machine was the drill press,
or
the jointer, but she could use them and her skills seem competent -
anyway,
I told her the history of the circular saw, and how a shaker seamstress
invented the circular saw blade in the early 1800's - and that most modern
saws all owe something to the lady - She *really* liked that story...
Another kid made a sword (THERE's the pointy stick connection) and I had
to
explain, in some detail, why I wasn't going to let him take a 4 1/2" long
oak spear out of the classroom. The "kid" is about 6'2" over 200" aryan
as
all get out with a mohawk, tats and a large inverted red star tatooed at
the
back of the base of his neck. By the time his Senior year comes around,
he
will have to turn sideways to make it through the door. I'll bet he
already
has plans for a Trebuchet!

Apparently, I am also "righting the ship" in terms of keeping things
woodworking related - things seem to have been quite lax under the earlier
instructor. One of the kids asked me where the weight bench was - I guess
they had a weight bench in one corner - that explains the EZ Curl Bar that
I
found behind the Shop Bot and the chart showing bench press results. Gone
also, I guess, is a "project car"(?).... I'll be getting rid of the
carved
mushrooms and marijuana leaves that were done on the shop-bot. If any of
y'all need some of these carved on 6/4 clear pine let me know. You don't
have to worry about finish, either - they've already been burned with a
propane torch, wire brushed and covered in polyurethane. Some of the
marijuana leaves have had the incised portions painted in green. This is
okay, but in my opinion, the oeuvre of these examples lacks the depth that
the purple and read highlights that only Northern California KGB is
*known*
for. If I can find a student's name on these lesser examples, I will
inform
the local 215 Compassion Centers and I will grade accordingly!

All said, I'm going to go back next week, hehe... The class prep work
takes
more time than I thought!

We don't need no education....

John Moorhead

Good for you. Don't let the kid with the paint can take control. Make
him take responsibility instead. If he learns nothing more than that
then it doesn't matter what he can or can't do with a piece of pine.

Same goes for the chick wi' attitude. When she takes some kickback from
the table saw, as inevitably she will, make sure she learns that nobody
believes her B.S. any more than the saw did.

You'll probably be able to write a book about your experiences after a
couple of years. It would be a great read.

J.

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 17:49:27 GMT, "Walt Cheever"
wrote:
I found that my classes were divided into those who would succeed no matter
what I did, those who wouldn't succeed not matter what I did, and those who
if I reached I might make a difference. The first were the most fun to work
with, the last were the toughest, because I had to keep thinking about how
to help them grab hold even tho they weren't sure they wanted to do what I
wanted them to do. I kept trying even with the ones that wouldn't succeed,
it's amazing the seeds that you can plant that may not take root for a few
years, and maybe not in your sight.

There's some truth to that, at least in my experience. I only took
two shop classes in my public school career (French and Spanish were
the electives I took), and thought they were a complete waste of time.
Something must have took hold back then, though- after I gave up
drinking, I kept remembering the walnut box I made back in middle
school, and started pursing woodworking (furniture, as opposed to the
framing and trim carpentry I had been doing) as a better use of my
time than getting falling-down drunk three or four times a week. The
hobby kept me sober then, and still does to this day. I tried to give
a little of that back by taking a voc. ed. course taught by that same
instructor, so that I could thank him- both for the class, and for
that little box back in the 8th grade. Looking back, I can probably
thank that guy not only for my woodworking hobby, but for my wife and
my home as well. Sometimes it's amazing how something so simple can
be so important later in life. You never know for sure who you're
helping- or how.

Nice work, John. It's a noble profession and we thank you.


Aut inveniam viam aut faciam