Nearing the end of the quarter so heads up for grading
Drafting--------------
3-3 update
I have to say everyone in this class is doing excellent. Report cards will show excellent progress for everyone.
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Home Repair---------
3-3 update
assignment due on Wednesday the 5th....... electrical diagrams for the circuits on the walls we built in the shop.
As parents I ask you to monitor their homework. My philosophy with these kids is that I am the instructor and I give the assignments. They have the responsibility from that moment on to get the work done. I do not babysit. Missing assignments are not a reason for detention either. It is their report card and their grade (their paycheck). If they do not do the work they do not get a grade. Very simple!
1-27 update
Homework assignment due monday feb 4
Students need to draw floor plans of their house, all levels, and draw in all doors windows, fuse/breaker box, fire ext. etc. They have a written sheet of instructions.
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I would hope you asked to see the drawings that our kids made for the assignments. Some of the students did not do the assignment completely and this was reflected severely in the grade they got. I urge you to monitor what they have to do so that you encourage them to accomplish what is necessary to get a grade in this class.
We are now studying the basics of electricity and home wiring. As of friday each one has completed the wiring of a light socket and switch properly and saw the light go on and off as the switch was operated. This may not sound like much but when you do something like this for the first time, having drawn the wiring diagram yourself it is a thrill to realize that you came up with the correct connections for all the wires and nothing sparked or went poof.
In the following week we will be doing more of this, adding more components as we go and doing more complicated circuits.
All of this teaches them proper handling of tools, proper handling of electrical wire and components and techniques for connecting the wires to these components. We practice over and over until we do it right. There is no such thing as close enough when working with electricity.
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Digital Photography------
3-3 update
We are working on our final projects for this class. Each student has chosen what they are going to do for their project; some scrapbooks, some colages and some slide shows.
The big thing to keep in mind is that the quality of the photos is what will be graded. They must be interesting photos and use good principles of photography. The list of 6 elements of good photos is what will be used to grade these photos.
The projects are due to be finished by thursday the 6th. because there is no school on Friday.
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We have progressed from point and shoot to arrange, position, adjust, focus, capture the moment. This is becoming more visible in the photos that are coming out of the cameras with these kids. I love seeing what they see when they take that picture.
This past week we had some photos of pets and there were a few award winning moments shared with the class.
This week we are starting to work on downloading photos from the camera into the computer and learning what can be done with them when you get the there. Here is where the usefulness of photography starts to show itself.
Wow, there are some neat things being built in this class. I am totally impressed by the imagination and the ambition of this group.
We will be finishing up our building projects by this weekend hopefully and then each student will have to write an essay on what they learned in this class. We will be taking photos of the projects and making a photo book with the essays in it for display in the classroom. I invite each parent to come in during the parent teacher conferences and see the shop and the photos of all the projects.
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Well, we have had some lessons on what technology is and where it is used. We have had some "tool days" and we have had some thinking days. We are getting close to getting it all together where our thinking will be brought to life with the use of tools.
We have learned about problem solving and planning, which are two of the most basic and important skills you need in life.
Planning is where we have been most of this week. We are drawing plans of the project we are going to make. Each person is allowed to choose their own project based on a few rules. It has to be able to fit into a 2' cubic area (or box). It has to be able to be made within the amount of time we have left in this class before the quarter is over. We have to be able to learn the needed skills during this time and to accomplish it all with the tools we have available to us. We are going to be looking for all the materials needed to build these projects this next week. If you have any of the types of materials laying around that your child needs feel free to send it to school with them. We do have a limited budget so we can purchase what is needed but I try to instill a sense of using what is available and scrounging what ever you can. Frugality is a virtue in my mind. It helps our environment and our pocketbooks all at the same time.
I would like to add that if any of you find leftover building materials that you think might be useable for things like this please, by all means feel free to bring it and leave it by the overhead door facing the parking lot on any school day. I will put it inside when I arrive.
--------- NOTES TO ALL PARENTS ABOUT MY GRADING--------
I have been a businessman all my life and know from that experience that sloppy work is not tolerated in the workforce. You as a customer do not want sloppy food, sloppy repairs on you cars, nor sloppy work on you clothing you purchase etc.
I treat these kids like they will be treated in the work world to a certain extent. They all have been given penmanship lessons so I expect them to use those skills in all they write. I know they are taught how to figure out math problems so I find no excuse not to be able to do math in my classes. I know they are taught how to respect other people's property both at home and all other classes so I expect them to respect anything that is not theirs as though it was extremely valuable to someone else. I know they are are taught to respect their elders and I am one of those so I expect they will know how to treat me properly.
For the first time since I started teaching 3 years ago I will be giving detentions when deserved. I will respect each students right to question me on it however I will not hesitate to use this tool to teach each student that there are consequences to bad behavior no matter what it may be. I will also make sure they serve these detentions when it is "not convenient for them". I run a business outside of school and I will have to take some time away from my business in order to sit with these students while they serve those detentions so it will be done to maximize the punishment for the person deserving and minimize the stress on the person administering the punishment. If you have a problem with any of these issues I welcome your participation in all things related to your children. I am only here to help you get what you want for your child............... a successful adult down the road.
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