Monthly Archives: March 2012

Gear Review: SKIL 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Mo. 5480

If you are in the market for a 7-1/4″ circular saw for light homeowner use, I don’t see any reason not to buy a SKIL 5480.  It’s cheap, durable construction, dead simple set-up and with a decent saw guide, can create clean cuts all day long.  The hard plastic casing has held up to threeContinue reading “Gear Review: SKIL 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Mo. 5480”

Work Ethic

Teacher Tom: The Work Ethic Indeed “play” and “hard work” are not opposites: in fact, they can be seen as synonyms. Anyone who has ever played hard also knows how to work hard. There may be aspects of our play that we dislike, that are not “fun,” but we do them because they are steps inContinue reading “Work Ethic”

This Week in the Shop: Movin’ on Up!

As I’ve hinted at in earlier posts, I’ve officially moved my home shop (the Magic Shop, as I tend to call it) to my new home in suburban Texas.  The move took nearly seven days to complete – two to three to move and another two or three for set-up.  I’m very happy with theContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Movin’ on Up!”

This Week in the Shop: Fixing the Couch

My wife bought a beautiful used Craftsman couch for the new house.  Unfortunetely, the previous owner had two young boys.  Boys, as any parent knows, have an instinctual hatred of nice things.  My parents used to run around my house yelling “this is why we can’t have nice things” at random intervals throughout my childhoodContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Fixing the Couch”

This Week in the Classroom: The Pencil Caddy

Thirteen pencils began the day, thirteen pencils ended the day.  A new record!

Little Toy Trucks

Brrrm brm brm brm brm brm brm, brrrm b’ brrrm, Brrrm brm brm brm brm brm brrrm b’ brrrm, Brrrm brm brm brm brm brm brrrm b’ brrrm. Brrrm brm brm brm brm brm brrrm. Take me riding in the car, car; Take me riding in the car, car; Take you riding in the car,Continue reading “Little Toy Trucks”

This Week In the Classroom: Probability Dungeon Crawl

When I’m not being a father or husband or woodworking, motorcycling, teaching, or any host of other things, I’ve been known to engage in miniature wargaming.  For those not in the know, think green army men on steroids.  Or Dungeons and Dragons on the battlefield.  Or… Anyways, I have two students which need to learnContinue reading “This Week In the Classroom: Probability Dungeon Crawl”

What a School Could Be…

…if we only let it.  I’m lucky.  Most of the time, my school walks this walk and talks this talk.  I hope your’s does too. Connecticut superintendents propose a radically different approach to education | Dangerously Irrelevant How do you transform factory era school systems so that they better serve the needs of an informationContinue reading “What a School Could Be…”