High School Shop Classes

Status
Not open for further replies.
synchro said:
Several times I've helped judge a science fair at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago with all of the city's public high schools represented. When I was a young kid I liked going to see that fair because they had interesting things like Tesla coils using a neon sign transformer and spark gap, Van de Graff generators, etc. But just as an example of how it has changed, one girl had some kind of experiment that involved a glass of water. However, she couldn't demonstrate the experiment because they weren't allowed to have anything made of glass because that would be too dangerous. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I know what you mean ... You see a carpenter with a digit missing ?
 
kwired said:
Another thing there is if you are really good at any these trades you have potential to make a lot more $$ than you have as a teacher teaching these trades, particularly in a high school. Post secondary teaching of this could have a chance of offering you some more though you still could possibly make more as the owner of a contracting firm than you could teaching this stuff.
Click to expand...
It could be a nice little retirement gig. Make some money, Keep your mind active. But then again kids can get under your skin
 
Here in Bremerton, Washington, home to Puget Sound, Naval shipyard, general dynamics, Bangor, submarine base, there is a large demand for skilled workers, especially welders. Our local community college is rebuilding their welding shop to accommodate more welders because the shipyard hires everybody they can out of the vocational skill center and the college. The shipyard pays well good benefits and if you get into the nuclear certification welding, you’ll do very well and be much better off than going through college.
 
My work with the Glendale Unified School District on shop classes has been put on hold. If you have been watching the main news networks lately, they have been distracted with social issues.
 
The new home built by our high school building trades classes sold at auction yesterday. 900 SQFT, 2 bedroom basic home. Minimum bid was $119K, hammer price was $136K. They’ll start another one next school year.
 
OldBroadcastTech said:
WARNING: GROUCHY OLD KRAUT RANT

Our district has totally cut out all 'shop' classes'.

Problem is, those who could teach a class ( basic electricity, basic electronics, simple woodworking, simple metalworking......hell even 'remedial' Algebra or Geometry, those who could [ mainly 'retired guys, myself included}
CAN'T because we have no 'teaching certificate'.....REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE counts zip-nada-nyet; the teachers' unions have a Death Grip on their turf.

As if most of the teachers today are totally competent in what they 'teach' (when not too busy indoctrinating in the latest Hot Fad).
Click to expand...
I worked at a vocational high school. The electrical instructor did not have an electrical license, never worked in the field and did it for 25 years. He retired collecting a nice pension from a 120k year (10 month) salary (7:30-2:30 M-F) and full medical benefits. He barely taught residential with any accuracy, no NEC, had antiquated tools and lesson plans and always blamed the students for not learning anything. It is unbelievable as to what goes on in these schools. The guy that took his place is no better.
 
I taught Electrical Trades to High School Students for 18 years. I had 17 years in the Trade and my Masters License. Pay was based on years of Teaching experience not years in the Electrical Trades. Start out at the bottom of the scale. Took some college classes in addition to the ones that I already had and got a Lifetime Teaching Certificate. I had about a 2,400 square foot shop to mock up for labs. The carpentry class built a house every year and my class did all the Electrical work. They had a HVAC class to do the heating and AC and a Brick, Stone, Masonry class to do all the brick and stone work. The houses averaged about 2,700 square feet. We always added lots of extras. They sold the house in the summer and we would start a new one in the fall. I taught, residential, some commercial, conduit bending, National Electrical Code, and Basic Motor Controls including 3 phase. My classes would do some Electrical work on campus too. We upgraded the HVAC shop to a 600 amp 3 phase 4 wire 120/208 system. Completed finished a 3,000 square foot area at the school into offices and classrooms. And numerous other projects. It was a two year program for Juniors and Seniors in High School. You get a wide variety of Students some that have never picked a tool up and others that have worked with a Dad or other family member and did know how to use some tools. Some decided that Electric wasn't for them And for others I decided Electric wasn’t for them. I did have some Students that were very successful and went into apprenticeships after leaving high school. A few of them have successful Electrical Contracting Businesses. It was a lot of work and not near what you could make working for yourself. Yes, I know working for yourself is a 24/7 365 day a job. Teaching can still be rewarding and it makes you learn a lot of things…..if you want to be good at what you do!
 
A popular partial substitute for mechanical and electrical shop classes these days it the after school Robotics team. It has the element of competition for motivation. And not all of the adults involved need to be credentialed teachers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top