The 16″ childrens’ bike project has cleared my outbox. I’m busy in reflection mode with the students, examining all the different parts of our work for ways to improve the product, teaching and quality next time. I thought the bike itself came out well: If you’ve followed the blog over the past two months, thenContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Refurbish A Children’s Bike”
Monthly Archives: February 2011
This Week In the Classroom: Quadracycle In Progress & DIY Wood Bongo Drums
It’s that time of week again – I’ve had some personal living arrangements wetness and have been living out of a dufflebag and a smile. Reminds me of college, but at that time I didn’t have two in diapers… At the home workshop, I’ve been banging away. So, in one project, my segmented tube experimentsContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: Quadracycle In Progress & DIY Wood Bongo Drums”
This Week In the Classroom: The Garden & Experiments in Wood
It’s been quite a week here on the range. My sawing post made Make Magazine’s Blog. Traffic soared. My father finally subscribed to my blog, which is intensely gratifying. He taught me most of what I’m passing along. At work, we had some great stuff happen. The kids worked very hard and made great stridesContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: The Garden & Experiments in Wood”
A Quick Thank You
Over this past week, I’ve been linked/promoted by WordPress’s “Freshly Pressed” page and http://www.makezine.com. I’ll be honest, I am completely stoked that Make’s Blog editors took me up on my suggestion. They do check that “Site Suggestion” box! Anyways, thank you to the new visitors and I hope you stick around. Thanks to the newContinue reading “A Quick Thank You”
How To: Teach Sawing to a Young Student
I have a perfect record in the woodshop. No fatalities. I have had two injuries though this year (I average about one a quarter or semester). Both happened due to good sawing habits gone bad. This picture shows my basic hand-saw set up when I cut a board to size. I’m right-handed and for south-pawed students,Continue reading “How To: Teach Sawing to a Young Student”
This Week in the Classroom: SNOW DAY!
It’s going to be a snow day in Houston! we canceled school two days early…. The last big piece of work I’ll do this week: I can’t really explain this one. Context is nothing when you have a big cow sculpture hanging out the back of your truck. It’s like trying to explain missing homeworkContinue reading “This Week in the Classroom: SNOW DAY!”
This Week In the Classroom: Computers Ain’t Everything
Took over our conference room to work through some design challenges today. My students used Google SketchUp to start creating jewelry boxes, art car vehicles and bookshelves. During the Art Car class, I led the group building a 3D model on the big (like 50-60″ screen) TV. Computers+big screen TV+3d modeling software+we are building aContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: Computers Ain’t Everything”
This Week In the Shop: Internet as a “Presentation”
An Idea: have students present projects to the internet in a controlled, safe way with my school’s brand on it. I’m unsure the success or necessity of this particular brand of teacher-activism because it’s mainly driven by my need to go HOW COOL IS THAT! If I could spend half my day yelling “how coolContinue reading “This Week In the Shop: Internet as a “Presentation””