Looks like the old man is going back to school. I'd be interested in picking your collective brains for input on curriculum(sp) as well as how things have changed in education in the last 10-20 years. PM me if you are up for a little discussion or just change the 'at' to @ in stevie_gatswampfoxcustoms.com Anyone here had any luck starting an automotive club in a school without auto shop?
pm tinbender, he teaches at a community college, but may be of some help. The school I work at only has wood shop because none of the teachers know anything about working with metal.
Congrats and good luck with it. Samiyam's a shop teacher, but I don't know how often he's on here anymore...
I've been at it for 25 years...spent the last 15 at a community college. There are a lot more issues to deal with now than when I first started....if this is your first venture into teaching you will find that there is more "work" involved than what you anticipated....having said that: "Welcome Aboard" ... make it a p***ion (not a "job") and you will find many rewards.
That is my take on it. I started this over ten years ago because this curriculum covers all my p***ions/hobbies. I look at it as having the ability to leave a legacy (Sounds corny, I know). Anyone here remember that one teacher that turned things around for you or opened a new door? My rose colored gl***es are in the desk drawer where they belong. Cynicism is what kept me away from finishing the last time. As long as I can find the right scool system, things will work out fine. Hopefuly as more schools set a good example...more schools will follow. We have a few systems down here that really get it. No student left behind...but, they also keep the parents involved in the process. I'm here to educate your child...It's your job to raise them and teach them right from wrong. Looking forward to rocket powered car races and lessons in aerodynamics. Here's to training the next generation of car guys/gals, gearheads and engineers in general with a little Arts & Crafts Architecture thrown in to keep them balanced.
I completed a two year auto machinist course about three years ago. I was happy with the curriculum and my instructor. My main problem was the 17 and 18 year old dip****s who were going to school just to get grant money. Horse play, cell phones, hard to find at cleanup time, stealing parts, decibel/burnout compe***ions, etc. Yeah, I know that not all 17/18 year olds are that way, but out of my cl*** which averaged around 15, I only saw two guys besides myself make it the graduation walk. If your studies are in an academic vs vocational area, you may not see as much of what I'm describing.
Not sure by your thread. Are you going back as a student or Instructor? I work with Greenville Tech in SC. I'm working in the continuing education department with industrial maintenance technicians. Greenville (GTC) also has an automotive department where they teach auto body, paint, desiel repair, NASCAR courses, and a Hot Rod cl*** (although the people running this department have a weird concept on what a Hot Rod is). Pays not that great, hours ****, and they don't seem to want to spend any money to provide materials, But when you see that facial expression change, on a student, and you know the light just came on, it's well worth all the h***els. You have to enjoy the position and not expect to make Forbes 100.
To clarify... I am going back as a student to get my Degree/Teaching Certificate. I started this back in '95 in NY and dropped it when I got a super job offer down here in GA. Well, since my little accident as a reservist on active duty, the VA is going to send me back to school so that I can be a productive member of society. This is something that I've really wanted for quite a while and now all the pieces are in place.
My cover are blown. . Technically, I haven't been hired yet, but what I've found is it depends on your school district, geographical location and administrative support. The job I am trying to get is building a new school with a state of the art tech ed facility. They want CAD/ CAM manufacturing along with old school industrial arts skills. When I met with the principal they were excited that I am into old cars and told me that they would have no problem with me introducing a auto customization course. This district is in a semi-rural area. You don't get support like that in the cities. . Vocational and tech ed cl***es are really the only cl***es that have not been crippled by no child left behind. If you have a vocational certification (enough hours from working in a trade), you qualify for federal funding, which frees up the district budget. Cl***es like this help math skills because the students are constantly measuring things and working with geometry. Even my math skills improved from just one semester of student teaching. Another benefit of having the voc. cert. is your cl***es will be limited to 24. If you have a reputation for having an interesting cl***, there will be a wating list, and you can remove the kids that refuse to work. . My biggest problem with modern kids is they come into cl*** with about $500 worth of personal electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, video games and laptops). I dream of one day confi****ing an ipod and taking it out to the shop and smashing it with a hammer. Dave
I took a drafting course and electronics course in high school and learned more geometry and calculus in those cl***es than I ever learned in a math cl***. I wished then I could have taken more vocational cl***es. At my school the focus was 'college-prep' if they thought you could get into college they tried to steer you away from the vocational courses. I hate my student counselor to this day for not letting me take more vocational cl***es. I had amazing experiences in the cl***es I was able to take. Both the instructors came in to teach after working in the field...they had any insight that most teachers don't have. Good Luck to you hopefully you'll be able to reach some kids. Bird
i was an instuct. at a tech school in PA. it ****ed students ***** cause their paying 20k and dont have every new gizmo snap-on tool made. parking lot ful of sticked up wing ricers. 28 want to be jesse james that want turbo/NOS/ and tig welding only. bosses harping about retaintion. spending 10 hours a day making power point presentations. and fer what 22,500 a year i make 80k as a tech! but their is always that one student you see the light come on in. makes it better. the losey pay damn near cost me everything as i found my self selling of stuff to keep my house. but i got a young family maybe in 20yrs when the bills arnt as bad ill do it again! RAYDAY
I've been an automotive instructor for 8 years now and love it. I get to hang out with a bunch of young guys and gals and talk cars all day In real life it's a lot of work, I was a luxury import tech, then a shop foreman, thena service manager, this is the hardest. My students are high school 16-18 year old kids that have little or no knowledge . I get them for two years for 2 1/2 hours a day, I spend a lot of time with them and get to know these kids very well. Not all of them act like they want to be there, but the ones that do that's the deal. I have 3 to 4 a week come back and see me, some call, some just come by and hang out on their days off. It makes me feel like I've made a mark on their lives. The pay is far less than I was making in the field but the rewards are great. If your thinking about being an instructor, I say go for it. You have to wade through the **** but the end is worth it. Sorry for rambling but it's late and I DON'T HAVE SCHOOL TOMORROW Mick
This is my 9th year teaching and my 4th year as the Woods teacher (similar). I'll cut to the chase: Ups -decent pay (for around here) i started at 23k 9 years ago and i'm at 45k right now.....but, that's with 9 years, a masters degree and hour +15 hours over and above my masters (not all systems offer this 3 step) -decent retirement -good health insurance (some districts a great others aren't) -sick days (nice to have) -summers off, weekends off, holidays -you get to do something you love -in my district, no one bothers me (i'm left alone), i do my own thing -no standardized testing -seeing kids enjoy working with their hands, especially when you hear the other teachers say....."i have a lot of problems with billy" and he does great in my woods cl***..... Downs -funding, funding, funding.....did i say funding? most systems want to say they offer woods, tech, etc. but they don't want pay for it....to be straight with you, i get 2k a year....my nails, yellow glue, saw blades, sharpening services, screws and sandpaper equals about 500 a year.......have you priced lumber, lately....well, that's the rest of my budget......and because i have a lot of kids in my cl***es, they can consume a LOT of wood just making smaller projects....if i turn them loose on tables, beds, etc.....we'd never make it through the year......i imagine the automotive world would be even worse.....things change and you have to have the latest greatest tool/machine -did i say funding? -the idiot that is just a jack-off can ruin a whole cl***.......luckily, i have an ace in the hole....if i can't trust a student, for whatever reason, i consider them unsafe and they need to find another cl***....so far the dean and principal have really backed me on this.....i suppose they don't want me to recommend that someone is unsafe, they didn't remove that student and then someone get hurt...monkey is on their back -summers off is great, but out of 9 years, i've only had 2 that i haven't had to take a lot of college courses or go to a lot of professional development (still better than a "normal job" -i buy things out of my pocket....my first year in the regular cl***room i spent around 2k.....when i buy things now, in woods, i spend around 2-300 a year but i try to buy things that when/if i leave i can take it with me- in other words, i don't buy consumables out of pocket -it's not too bad but i'd guess that in the automotive world it would be worse- theft of tools -remember when i said no one bothers me as a +, well, that's a double edged sword....being that you aren't important, you get used as a dumping ground for kids that misbehave, need a second chance, etc.....you do feel good if you can see them grow with you though -a lot of liberal silliness....take that however you want but it's true....PC is rampant in the education field...... -did i say funding? -i'm not allowed to charge ANY fees (i know most of my kids couldn't afford it anyway) but even the "poor" ones seem to always have a gatorade, chew, cigarettes or i hear them talking about how many cases of beer they bought over the weekend.... all-in-all, i really do love my job......seriously.......other than hitting the lottery, i can't think of something i'd rather be doing right now....it's great when i have kids come back to visit me and they are nurses or pharmacists and the tell me that i was their favorite cl*** and teacher....(i know it's hard to get excited about english) good luck, go for it!
Bless all who want to instruct young people in the ways of SHOP. While I generally don't like the 'Chopper Shows', this thread made me realize their unintended consequence. Young people, once again, want to learn how to use their brains and hands to... 'make something themselves'. You will be instrumental in sparking this ability. Back in the eighties, my old high school shop shut down and was replaced by a 'Computer Lab'. They will never have the budget to go back to an Industrial Arts curriculum. Shop teachers defy the educational proverb "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." I remember each and every one with fondness and respect. Especially the one who caught me making a hash pipe...
I was an HVAC instructor back in the eighties. I wasn't all that much older than my students at the time, so it was a constant battle. I know some of my students turned out to be pretty good service techs. Some of them ended up on the back of a trash truck, in jail or dead. You can't reach all of them, but there are usually a few bright ones in each cl*** that want to be there. It can be fun.
I used to teach Shop(Auto, Autobody and Welding). Due to a "disagreement" with administration, I was forced to leave. I havent been back since. The "system" doesn't work in many places. It's a life of jumping through hoops. Be prepared to teach hands off Tech Ed, not hands on Shop. Your department will be the most expensive non-athletic subject area in the district, so you will always have a target on your back when budget time comes around.
Flathead Youngin', What grade level do you teach? I observed a middle school woods program when I was in college and the teacher had a yearly budget of about $150. Most of the power equipment had something wrong with it and the teacher had no real industrial arts/ tech ed training, his expertice came from helping build decks in the summer. He asked for suggestions and I said close the program and put in a computer lab or beg for more money. Vocational funding applies to grades 9-12 and the budget can just be unreal sometimes. The teacher that I did my internship with said that one year his program got like $30,000. He was just giving all of the students materials for their projects. Bugman, Around here hands on shop is making a comeback. The hands off tech ed was kind of a fad in the mid 90's but students lost interest because it was becoming a "paint by numbers" curriculum. Hands on tech ed gives students choice of going to college or trade school, depending on what side of the gl*** they prefer to work. I took alot of auto shop in high school, but I Knew I would never really be happy working on new vehicles, so I went to college. In college I majored in vehicle design and it was just like taking shop again, but the equipment and materials were way better. Dave
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