Last year the ***istant principal asked if I would like to apply for the Auto Shop position, I thought long and hard and to my dissappointment at the last minute the current instructor decided to stay. Well, this morning he comes in again and says its official this time and was wondering if I would apply. I currently teach American History and 2 sections of Tech. Ed. in the Junior High. At the high school I would have 2 sections of Tools for Life (I would teach small engines) 2 sections of Auto 1 and one section of Auto 2. I am not real comfortable with modern cars but as many in the field have said you just need to stay 1 day ahead of the kids. We have a strong vocational dept. and a good budget. I enjoy the job where I am at but this seems to open up a world of cool oppourtunities. What are your thoughts, opinions - I would to help shape the next generation of hot rodders??
You know what you want to do. Do it. The challenge of learning something new & staying ahead of the kids will be good for you. Congratulations. JH
New cars are easy, if you have a scanner and an understanding of the systems. You're not training dealer techs, you CAN do it! Keep the program alive.
DO IT. im a school teacher to. I teach special ed. Life skills. We have a welding shop here at my school and i cant help but to stop by and see what there working on. I know it will be a laid back and fun postion. and im sure the days will go by fast.
First, thank you for being a teacher of any sort and one who is interested in staying. I know teachers and schools can sometimes seem less than appreciated, but I personally appreciate anyone who wants to be a teacher. I firmly believe that good schools and a strong public education system for everybody is what made America a great country. You have 2 good choices to make and you will be helping kids no matter what. So do what you think is right for you and the best of luck with it. There is something to be said for being wanted and being asked to do something. Either way, thanks again for being a teacher!
Go for it! American History doesn't change, but cars do. It'll stay fun and fresh for you. Modern cars aren't that hard, especially if you are mechanically and electrically inclined. The basics still apply.
Looking back on high school, I think about how stupid I was even tho I thought I knew everything. Keeping ahead of teenagers on newer cars should be no problem. It sure seems like you want this... go for it!
It sounds like you've made your mind up already....I'd go for it. My only concern would be that the budget doesn't disappear when cuts are made and that if it does disappear you get your old job back...
My first reaction was:"GO FOR IT!",but on further reflection I realized that I didn't have all the facts.First of all,I don't know your age,marital status,experience(both in teaching and automotive skills)and any number of other factors.I ***ume you have either taken these into consideration or are in the process of doing so now. I concur;I think it is a wonderful opportunity to not only make a REAL difference in youngster's lives(as opposed to being a babysitter for burgeoning hoodlums)but to be doing something YOU really enjoy. If you have a good BASIC knowledge of things automobile and the ability to impart that knowledge to others,you have a head start on most teachers.The use of spe******ts in certain fields for the occasional seminar always seems to enhance the learning process. As for not knowing more than your students,the old axiom,"Age and treachery will ALWAYS triumph over youth and enthusiasm". Sounds like a lifetime opportunity to me.
Do it Dan, I'm sure you won't regret it, it's a great challenge and should be a fun job to have. One thing about teaching electives, the kids want to be in your cl***, that might make a difference too?
If i was in your shoe's i too would do it. Aside from my dad, the shop teacher i had in high school was a guy i looked up to in my younger years. He raced a KB HEMI rail, was into fast car's and really was an inspiration to us. He was more of a friend than a "teacher" to us, and that alone made going to his cl***es enjoyable.. Learning the new car's isn't easy, but i'm sure you will be able to grasp it and p*** the needed info along to your student's. That's what's important, giving them the insight needed to continue thier learning.. Just give them the chance to learn, hands on, to feel as though they can accomplish thing's with thier hands and mind.....and of course introduce them to the old stuff as well... That's what my teacher did, and i'm damn glad he did.. Good luck if you choose to go that route. Tony
yes do it! if you are being encouraged by other staff, they are telling you, you are the right guy for the job. contact teach on the jockey journal and check out what he has accomplished you are the guys we need in these positions
As an ***istant principal and an ex-Industrial Arts shop teacher... the things I look for most in teachers are: good at***ude, willingness to learn, willingness to work with kids and parents, good parent teacher communication, and most of all good cl***room management skills... if you have that, coupled with a love for cars (and a grasp on the basics) you'll make a fine auto shop teacher! Keep us posted! Sam.
You sound like you already made up your mind! Do it, I would love an opportunity like that! And, thank you for being a teacher! I can tell you are the type who is in it for all the right reasons. Enjoy!
If there is a tool check out, check in procedure you can heat up a pair of pliers with a torch and, with gloved hand, give them to one of the little goobersmoochers.
if it wasnt for the three periods of auto shop i had in school i wouldn't be doing what i am today< ford diesel tech>. it takes teachers to make this happen and i saw go for it there are plenty of things i learn all the time in this field and it never stops. so dont worry about what you dont know and focus on what you do the rest will come as you go.
Free tools? Wouldn't have to tell me twice. You don't have to stop teaching American History. Now you can teach traditional American Hot Rodding History and bring in all kinds of study aids like some of those old car movies and stuff. You could even invite racers to speak now and then. What an awesome cl*** that would be.
You may be quite a bit ahead of where I was when I started teaching auto Mechanics. I started right out of the field into teaching and at times it wasn't an ideal situation. I went from aligning Pontiac front ends on Wednesday to having the cl*** handed over to me on Thursday morning. I had the mechanical skills and training but didn't have the cl*** room skills that you have. If the current instructor has a course syllabus I would try to get my hands on it and see what he has going (or not going) and what needed changing. The ***istant Principal may have a copy as it might not be productive to ask the teacher who is leaving for one. Barring that, I would sit down and see if I could write out an outline for what I wanted to do with the first year auto kids and see how it looks. I'd also check around and see if I could get cl*** outlines and sample lesson plans from other instructors, especially those who are known to have successful programs. This day in age I would say that it would be more important to turn out a kid who could be ahead of the game in a Tech school or College Auto mechanics Program rather than one who could walk into a shop and go to work on the line. If the cl*** is paid for in vocational funds you might be spending some time going to vocational certification cl***es. In this state those usually happen at the tail end of July just in the middle of rod run season.
I couldn't tell you who my English, History, Math or Science teacher were. But I'll always remember my Shop Teacher.
Dont wory about the new cars, they'er kids they need to know the basics of a car first. If they want to learn the newer stuff they can do that post Highschool. This generation needs to have a positive car influnce. I never took a shop cl***, and regret it. Don't regret not teaching it.
I agree with the posters here - it's a great opportunity. But, to play devil's advocate, is there a risk of the program being cut for funding anytime soon? I've worked with school districts across the US, and a lot of them are cutting programs "unrelated" to NCLB (a notion I couldn't disagree with more, BTW). Lots of outstanding arts, tech ed, and other programs have gone the way of the dodo in a hurry the moment district or school revenues begin to decline. LIke I said, I agree it's a helluva opportunity - fun, challenging, and a great to engage kids in learning...but it would be a damnable shame to have a good teacher get nixed from the district as soon as the winds of funding shift. Just my $.02.
Dan, I know you enough to call you a friend..........go for it man, you p***ion for the job and teaching kids will make you an ace at teh new ***ignment!
Dan, from one shops teacher to another..... go for it. Every day a kid or two let me know that my cl*** is his/her favorite. You'll see lightbulb blink on for some who suddenly realize that they now have a direction in life. Oh yeah, and sneak a hotrod project in there as quickly as you can. I've got a '28 RPU taking up space in both my Metal Shop and Mechanics Shop. It's a great "instructional tool"..... and fun at lunch time too.
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