Replies

1. 
   Gabe | Aug 12, 2003 04:14am | #1

   First, it's considered yelling when you use only upper case.

   Secondly, it's hard to give advice on such basic information. Is this a course for adults or teenagers or small children? Is this part of a regular school curriculum or part time studies as in 1 hour per week for a couple of months?

   What knowledge do you bring to the table to teach this class? Are you a tradesperson trying to teach or a teacher trying to teach trades?

   There are several teachers on this board and several teaching tradesmen as well. The information is here if you need help but you have to be straight with us first.

   Gabe

1. 
   constteach | Aug 13, 2003 09:31am | #9

   Gabe,

   Sorry about typing so loud. I have been in the trades for 15 yrs. I started as a laborer then carpenter and finished as the construction superintendent for several residential developments.

   I'm teaching a high school program but it is new to my school. I have a classroom and a good size shop, but it was an auto shop so no wood working tools. The powers that be say they are going to throw some funds my way, but no dollar amounts yet.

   I'll be starting with 5 one hour classes of Construction Technology I for the first year. The class will focus on entry level skills in concrete,framing, roofing,painting, drywall, finish carpentry, the use of hand and power tools,safety and construction math.

   The dist. has the program at another school and after four years  the students have a very good grasp of the trades. I know because I've hired a few. So I hope to get some start up matiarls from them. 

   thank you for your advice

1. 
   kai230 | Aug 13, 2003 09:45am | #11

   Good luck, teach! I wonder if there is anything needing doing around the school that you could make into a teaching project that would help the school, and get you free tools and materials?

   There have been many threads here about teaching, but the search engine doesn't work too well for me.

   If there's any way you can contact even more of the students from previous classes, they will have ideas for what to include.

   If you lack for tools, you could bring in graduates for a Q&A forum for one day.

   I'm glad you're helping these kids learn a trade or about the trades. My town just shut down enrollment in the local public university due to the CA budget crisis!

1. 
   constteach | Aug 14, 2003 02:15am | #13

   Kai,

   Thanks for the input and to tell the truth every teacher on campus has something for me to do, but I need to get my shop up and running and teach the students who to use it first. They have had no wood working here for 10 or 15 years.

   theach

1. 
   Shep | Aug 14, 2003 02:37am | #14

   teach-- If the school board will allow it, and if you have one in your area, a Habitat for Humanity project will give your students some great hands-on experience.  BTW, I hate typing, too. My typing  is somewhere near glacial speed.<G>. My wife is constantly bugging me about learning how to type. I keep telling her that more than two fingers is a waste.

2. 
   Gabe | Aug 14, 2003 03:26am | #15

   I'll be starting with 5 one hour classes of Construction Technology I for the first year. The class will focus on entry level skills in concrete,framing, roofing,painting, drywall, finish carpentry, the use of hand and power tools,safety and construction math.

   At first glance it appears to me that you have toooooo many subjects scattered towards toooooo many trade needs with toooooooo little time.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to residential trades.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to site safety.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to the basic tools used in residential construction AND their safe use.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to basic layout of a garden shed.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to basic designing of a garden shed.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to basic measurements and calculations in order to put together a material list.

   The class will focus on "introduction" to basic costing of all the materials for that shed.

   The class will focus on "building" their garden shed for graduation.

   The class will focus on "marketing" their garden shed for graduation party after deduction of cost.

   Class will learn something.

   Gabe

2. 
   sungod | Aug 12, 2003 07:41am | #2

   Here is a site

   http://www.ownerbuilder.com/obs.news.shtml

3. 
   skids | Aug 12, 2003 05:21pm | #3

   I am curious to know where and what you are teaching to whom? is this some sort of apprenticeship class? a private industrial education school? a college or junior college industrial program? I was very involved in the carpenters union apprenticeship training program in pleasanton california serving the san francisco bay area. it is one of the premier training facilities for carpenters, millwrights, piledrivers, and bridge builders (structural concrete) in the world and I may be able to answer some of your questions about curriculum but you need to be more specific.

1. 
   constteach | Aug 13, 2003 09:35am | #10

   sorry about being so vauge. i hate to type

4. 
   jagwah | Aug 12, 2003 05:42pm | #4

   A Trades class. What's with the grill.

   Simple enough, when I started my stagecraft class here in Tulsa I knew I might be teaching anyone from ,just out of high school to senior citizen. (I do adjunct at a local Junior college.)

   I called up my friends at the local Carpenters Union Local #943 here in Tulsa. They were more than helpful to offer me a beginning series of videos and computer testing.

   Your local might be able to offer the same thing. It's a 7 video two cd set with 8 instructional booklets you can copy from. the whole set cost under $200.00.

   This is just a supplement for me but the visuals are very helpful to drive home the basic beginnings and safety issues.

   The class uses "Theatrical Design and Production by J. Michael Gillette"might be a side helpful for you.

   In my 30 years as a carpenter and cabinetmaker I never dreamed I'd be teaching much less Stagecraft but I gotta say. It is very zen/peaceful to build a wall, hang a door or put up trim knowing in 30 days there isn't going to be some midnight call about the door sticking or wall paper bubbling.

   My favorite word here is after a production we, STRIKE! A passive non-union happy time. Ha

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/12/2003 10:45:18 AM ET by Bob

1. 
   talkingdog | Aug 13, 2003 03:22am | #6

   When you deal with safety you might want to get your hands on the new 5th edition of Health Hazards Manual for Artists and see if you can extract the relevant info about chemicals and woodworking. This little book is essential reading for anybody doing craft work.

   For instance, they will learn things like the difference between benzene and benzine.

1. 
   constteach | Aug 13, 2003 08:58am | #8

   Sounds good I'll take a look

2. 
   constteach | Aug 13, 2003 08:57am | #7

   Thank you for the info but I'm in Arizona a right to work state, and there is no uion here.

1. 
   Tyr | Aug 13, 2003 10:31am | #12

   I could hook you up with Red Rocks Community College just west of Denver.  They have had Const. Tech. classes for years.  I'm in Engineering Graphics, right next door.   Thor

5. 
   shuff | Aug 13, 2003 12:41am | #5

   I would suggest a book that Larry Haun wrote called "How to build a house". This book is a great tool for anybody. The book has a strong tie to Habitat for Humanity that helps provide a simple explination to methods and procedure.