Death of shop class!

[Capt Nemo 882]

Kommiefornication does it again!

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarabrown/2012/05/30/the-death-of-shop-class-and-americas-high-skilled-workforce/

 

And I wonder why I have to show the stringers how to use basic tools!

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

Hmm idiocracy is becoming real.........

[Big John! 2,062]

This may be in CA. now but I predict it coming to a state near you due to a lack of interest.

 

When it comes to mechanical skills, by boys are flat out embarrassing.  Two of them try.  One doesn't give a shit.  Either way, none of them go the distance.  I have some pretty damn good skills in automotive, steel fabrication, wood working, home repairs, and a genuine degree in african ingenuity.  They have all worked with me in my garage and I've tried to pass knowledge on to them but it just doesn't seem to really stick.  They all come to me with the most backward ass questions and I try my damndest to be patient knowing full well in the back of my mind that based on things they've been taught they should know better.  When I was growing up, having skills to make things, or fix things were something that boys all looked forward to.  I was the norm to be in the garage with dad or grandpa.  Now it's the exception.

 

This instant gratification society that our generation has created will be the death of my kids generation.  The internet will turn out to be the devil.  Small businesses, gone.  Won't be long before what little is left of the world we grew up in is completely gone.  The kids coming up are in great danger of being totally dependent on electronics and government.  In contrast to our generation who grew up doing everything for themselves with a small electronic benefit.  Hell, I'm only 47 and I look at twitter like my grandfather would.  That damn thing moves too fast fer me.  To hell with that.

 

Most are working more hours away from the home than ever before just to make ends meet.  The family is divided due to this.  People do not even know how to talk anymore.  The fucking text has replaced the phone call.  I yell at my wife all the time as she texts the boys to tell them dinner is ready.  Really pisses me off!

 

There truly is not much we can do about this trend aside from spending as much time as we can with our boys/girls and try to pass on the knowledge of our generation and hope to hell some of it sticks.  Like it or not, we are going on this ride.  I'm pretty certain it's gonna bring the suck. 

[G O B 3,516]

Pussification of America. We made zip guns in Junior High shop class, now the younger generation will not even be able to make a gun after they cannot buy one!

[Arik 565]

This may be in CA. now but I predict it coming to a state near you due to a lack of interest.

 

When it comes to mechanical skills, by boys are flat out embarrassing.  Two of them try.  One doesn't give a shit.  Either way, none of them go the distance.  I have some pretty damn good skills in automotive, steel fabrication, wood working, home repairs, and a genuine degree in african ingenuity.  They have all worked with me in my garage and I've tried to pass knowledge on to them but it just doesn't seem to really stick.  They all come to me with the most backward ass questions and I try my damndest to be patient knowing full well in the back of my mind that based on things they've been taught they should know better.  When I was growing up, having skills to make things, or fix things were something that boys all looked forward to.  I was the norm to be in the garage with dad or grandpa.  Now it's the exception.

 

This instant gratification society that our generation has created will be the death of my kids generation.  The internet will turn out to be the devil.  Small businesses, gone.  Won't be long before what little is left of the world we grew up in is completely gone.  The kids coming up are in great danger of being totally dependent on electronics and government.  In contrast to our generation who grew up doing everything for themselves with a small electronic benefit.  Hell, I'm only 47 and I look at twitter like my grandfather would.  That damn thing moves too fast fer me.  To hell with that.

 

Most are working more hours away from the home than ever before just to make ends meet.  The family is divided due to this.  People do not even know how to talk anymore.  The fucking text has replaced the phone call.  I yell at my wife all the time as she texts the boys to tell them dinner is ready.  Really pisses me off!

 

There truly is not much we can do about this trend aside from spending as much time as we can with our boys/girls and try to pass on the knowledge of our generation and hope to hell some of it sticks.  Like it or not, we are going on this ride.  I'm pretty certain it's gonna bring the suck. 

 

I guess Im going to be somewhere in between you and your kids. While I can do some stuff myself Id rather let a pro do it. At home I did my own floors, paint, walls, moldings...etc.. I DO NOT mess with plumbing or electricity. But in the end it does come down to instant gratification. I DONT want to mess with it. Its not something I enjoy, nor do i get any gratification from it. My job is 6 days a week and one day to try and squeeze everything into. If I pay someone the job will be done in a timely maner, if I do it myself it will become an ongoing project. Also I dont want to second guess myself. Did something go bad because its just coincidence or was it because I messed up somewhere. I'd just rather have it done right the first time.

 

I took shop class in school and made a small metal box, still have it, use it as a piggy bank. It was interesting I guess.....better than music class

[Sim_Player 1,939]

Edited September 29, 2014 by Sim_Player

[storm6490 2,768]

Well, it has been up to the parents for quite some time. It's the parent's responsibility to teach their kids the skills the public fool system wont teach.

 

fyi, my 4 year old girl can start a fire with one match.

 

hope my son doesn't turn out to be a punk.

[XD45 7,124]

The problem is much deeper than that. We are the world's largest consumer of technology but among the worst first-world nations in technical education.

[james lambert 3,059]

I predict a day is coming where people who have skills will be more apt to survive, than those who do not.

[TigerMoses 31]

Article from May 2012.  Since then, Texas has recognized not EVERYONE going to college and is attempting to restructure high school and have some 'skills' taught, not just academics.  I guessing the problem with be finding the teachers. 

[DLT 1,646]

I'm extremely happy that my kids' high school has a full auto body, small engine, welding, farming, agriculture, and wood shop program. This an advanced placement classes worth college credit at UT or Texas A&M. My son is in the engineering program and has learned CAD and works on engineering projects daily. Last week they designed and built a car jack. The best part was they had to show the math that went with the design. Honestly, I'm very happy with their school.

[gunman1 1,753]

There are no shop classes in Norfolk Virginia anymore either, been gone for years now. There is a technical center for grades 11 and 12, but nothing in the middle or high schools. They use the votech as dumping ground for the trouble makers, dummies, and general gang bangers, fuken place is dangerous.

[Capt Nemo 882]

Middle school shop for me:

 

Drafting

Leather working

Sheet metal

Plastics

Woodworking

 

Home Econ (bare minimum)

 

High school shop:

 

Electronics (4 years, radio/tv servicing)

Graphic arts (2 years, various presses and camera work)

 

Wish I took machine shop!

 

Technical:

 

Electromechanical Technician

 

Military:

 

OH-6/58 mechanic

Unit armorer

 

Job:

 

Union Stagehand (covers rigging, carpentry, electrician, audio, props, pyro, video, photography, trade shows, and a little wardrobe)

[sccritterkiller 473]

Thats too bad....I dont think I am very mechanically inclined but I know enough to be dangerous. Never had shop class in HS although they did offer it. I had a college prep curriculum and it did not leave room for a lot of vocational classes, it was one way or the other you couldn't do a little of both. Thats the problem, it either on way or another. I did have a few empty classes to fill and one I signed up for was facilities maintenance. Yep we actually learned how to fix shit around the school...lights, switches, bath room stalls, you name it, and maintain the lawns and sports fields and the equipment used for it. One of the best classes I ever had in HS or college. I dont use anything I learned in Econometrics in college, but hardly a day goes by I dont put the lessons learned in FM into use.

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

Well study hall is a must have. God forbid they don't learn how to stick pencils in the ceiling and pick buggers correctly............................  Oh shit, we could just have school year round and fit it all in?

[termite 463]

Years ago my step son was trying to change the plugs in his car (4 banger engine), after about 4 hours, he came inside about to cry and all pissed off, his mother asked him what's wrong, he actually told her "it's too hard". I couldn't resist, so I started giving him hell, after a few minutes, he got all pissed again and I told him that I could get a 4 plugs changed out in less than 30 minutes or I'd pay him $100.00 if it took me longer, less and he paid me. I ended up with $100.00 to buy beer and smokes, he got all butt hurt, BUT, he has now learned to do things his self, from working on his truck, to remodeling his house. Little shit hit a steel rod in the ground with his mower, instead of throwing it away and spending good money for a new one, I'll be damned if he didn't take the motor apart, put in a new crank and other parts for cheaper and it runs like new. 

 He's not really "MINE", but I'm as proud of him for learning to do it on his own as any father could be. The boy may make it after all. I did finally get him into shooting and collecting firearms, now he just needs to learn to reload his own and quit shooting up my reloads.

[KTM 72]

My high school had awesome industrial arts classes. I took drafting 1 and 2, metalshop 1 thru 3, woodshop 1 thru 3, auto mechanics 1 thru 3, and l had a 4 hour carpentry class that I took at Anchorage Community College during my senior year. I still have quite a few of the projects I made in those classes, it's a damn shame to cut programs like these !

[DogMan 2,343]

I can't honestly say I got all that much out of shop class, or the rest of school for that matter. I graduated high school but still consider it mostly to be a big waste of time. Everything I took away from grades one through twelve I could have learned in one or two years of good home schooling. I love history now but couldn't absorb it then the way it was force fed to me. Shop class is where the teachers doted on their few favorite students and the rest of us diddled around making some doo-dad just to look busy.  I educated myself after after high school and forged a good career not because of, but in spite of that that stupid institution called public education. Yeah, I'm bitter.

[gunman1 1,753]

I can't honestly say I got all that much out of shop class, or the rest of school for that matter. I graduated high school but still consider it mostly to be a big waste of time. Everything I took away from grades one through twelve I could have learned in one or two years of good home schooling. I love history now but couldn't absorb it then the way it was force fed to me. Shop class is where the teachers doted on their few favorite students and the rest of us diddled around making some doo-dad just to look busy.  I educated myself after after high school and forged a good career not because of, but in spite of that that stupid institution called public education. Yeah, I'm bitter.

 

Gotta say.....my experience is very similar, I hated school and really didn't go much. I graduated H.S. on the deck of the USS Saratoga in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Learned enough to make a living on my own, probably would have done a lot better if the booze hadn't been a problem for so long. I'm not bitter, just grateful.

[G O B 3,516]

We grew up POOR! I did not know that things came new, most of what we had was thrown away at least once before we got it. My Dad and his friend used to go dump diving. One time he brought home a washer and a dryer that did not work, and 4 large boxes of parts. After dinner each night we would work on them. I remember my brother asking him "wow dad how many of these have you fixed?" He answered "If I can get THIS son of a bitch working, that would be ONE!"

 

 Needless to say we got it working, and used it for many years, untll the boxes of parts were nearly empty.

 

 We had wood and metal shop in Junior High, and I took electronics, computers, drafting and printing in High School, along with a full academic diploma.

I rebuilt my first auto engine at 14, and Dad and I rebuilt his auto trans a few years prior to that. I made it my business to learn how to fix everything I could. I was HUNGRY and the way out was to LEARN!

I learned auto mechanics from the next door neighbor, I found that if I was quiet and swept the floor the men would tolerate me. As I learned the tools, I would clean them and put them away. By 13 they let me lap the valves and install the piston rings. When I graduated High School i apprenticed in the Elevator trade, and as I had a 1A draft card they put me with every grumpy old bastard with the instructions to :make him quit: I diid as my father had taught me and watched everything they did. As they used different tools for different jobs, I had the too;s laid out on a clean rag, and wiped them off before putting them away. Those old men taught me all their best tricks to repair old equipment!

 

  I am not pontificating on ME, but the difference  between me and those who never made out of poverty , MY DAD!

He refused to take ANY government assistance. He told us a thousand times--

 

" Public assistance is a trap, if you go on it you will be poor all of your life, and so will your children and grandchildren!"

[hdskumm 39]

I had to start doing technical projects wit my 10 yr old girl this summer to try to get some kind of common sense drilled into her. I helped her take her bike completely apart down to the bearings, and made her put it back together without assistance.  I think she hated every second of it.  Just last week, she stuck a tree branch into my garage door keyhole and the splinters jammed in it and rendered it useless.  Little girl had to stay up a little late rebuilding the lock mechanism.  She hates it now, but hopefully she'll be able to make a bomb out of a paper clip to get out of a sticky situation later in life.

[KTM 72]

if it wasn't for the shop classes I probably wouldn't have graduated, they were the only classes I thought were worthwhile and actually enjoyed

[csspecs 1,987]

Never had "shop class" because I did home school..

 

My Father had a decently equipped garage that I used to make all sorts of stuff in.. He did make me learn cad enough to clean up his house drawings on his old 286, and I was the only one that could figure out how the plotter worked. My friends used to come over and build stuff from time to time.. Don't think any of them really picked up on the process.

 

I worked full time for 14 years doing building construction and part time doing electrical and I'm currently 27.. So I got an early start.

[vepr12x 89]

Pussification of America. We made zip guns in Junior High shop class, now the younger generation will not even be able to make a gun after they cannot buy one!

Ahh shop class improvised weapons..those were the days.

[lbsrdi 1,078]

I think public school should be eliminated all together. My kids are not participating in government programming camp.

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

I'm extremely happy that my kids' high school has a full auto body, small engine, welding, farming, agriculture, and wood shop program. This an advanced placement classes worth college credit at UT or Texas A&M. My son is in the engineering program and has learned CAD and works on engineering projects daily. Last week they designed and built a car jack. The best part was they had to show the math that went with the design. Honestly, I'm very happy with their school.

Same here

[montec 164]

I grab a tools as a child, took my grandfathers tools and tried to do something with them.  yes I lost a few in time.  Was he mad probably but he didn't let me know it very often unless it was recent, or I left it outside in error.  I was always interested in mechanical things, maybe it was because of looney tunes and watching old movies like smokey and the bandit and cannon ball run.(this was the mid 80's)  I am early to Gen Y I think that started in '80 or so.

 

I started wrenching with my stepdad by age 12, he is a mechanic.  I was on a roof about the same age learning to help with shingles.  Driving an old '53 chevy 2ton truck, manual with no brakes.  age 14 I was roofing as part as a crew for a few days until I think they realized I could do more then I should have been.  moving their truck around so they could tear off more shingles cause I was able to get up and down the ladder much faster and they could keep going laying out the shingles perfect for the nailer to come thru and even staging refils of roofing nails for the guns at the right intervals for them to lock and load.

 

I've been wrenching ever since now 21yrs later I still do it, but I hate electronics in cars.  Really I can do so much more with a carb.  I had Auto class my junior and senior year of HS.  I placed 1st in our local competitions and 4th in state(missed 3rd by 4pts), almost made it to nationals if only I had know AC better or had longer time to learn.  Plus it was on a Ford at state and I'm strickly a GM person, older that is and I do love me a classic mopar.  Auto Class was fun and it interested me, even though I was not the best student in class for getting different assignments completed as I really didn't care for them.  PO'd the Teacher as I liked to disable emissions on vehicles and I do so with great enthusiasm.  Had a '78 Pontiac Pheonix that had no cat, I got rid of the stupid EGR and managed to get it so tuned that, even though it got 15mpg or there about, I had the cleanest emissions out of the tailpipe then the brand new vehicles we had in the shop that were to cali specs.  When you can pass the cali sniffer test better then cars made for it, that shows something.

 

I'm trying to get my 5yr old interested in building stuff and its working ever so slightly.  he gets so excited to do things but he drifts off cause it takes so long.  Glad Home Depot and Lowes have these building events for kids.  He wil learn how to do things, thats gonna be the hard part is to keep him in that stage to learn.  He loves being around me working on vehicles but I have a hard time letting him under or over the hood as I just dont want him to get hurt if something were to happen.

 

I know wrench on my own dont get much work but it sure does save me thousands of dollars over the years.  I've done transmissions, engines, differentials.  I think it says something when you have a list of vehicles like I have.

 

1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo(400+ hp and 450+ ft lbs of tq)

1983 Chevrolet T-10(4x4 s10)(this is currently pending a restoration with a V8 carbed transplant)

1994 Chevrolet S10 Blazer(this wil get a lsx when I get done with the '83 LSx's get upwards of 30+ mpg in these trucks when done for gasmileage)

1995 Chevrolet Blazer(for sale)

2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer(wifes vehicle)

 

 

I work on my own stuff, If I can't do it then I have family or friends to call on and we trade skills as we each know something more then the other.  I'm not afraid of doing any house repairs.  Hell I'm hell bent on building my own house someday from the foundation up, and I mean everything.  I'll have to learn how to lay cinder blocks, getting the right footings, ect.  I may even get to do the foundation in my current home in a couple years just because it will be so dam cheap to do so.  I've played with sparky, and plumbing.  Hell I'm gonna be playing with plumbing in the next few weeks.  hopefully I can get the gravity re-circulation system figured out so I don't need a pump on the hot water side.

[Ronin38 2,117]

When I went to HS in the early '80's, I took everything I could. Wood shop, welding/sheet metal, drafting, cooking, sewing, and typing. Took some shit for taking sewing and typing, but I still fix my own seams and buttons that have fallen off, and with the advent of the "computer age" the typing skills are being used as I type this! 

 

Dad taught me most of what I know about firearms and auto-repairs (among other things), and I've always been willing to at least try other new things. Mom taught me more about cooking, riding horses and snow skiing, among other things. 

 

I'm a "renaissance man" because I like to go to the Renaissance Faires! 

[G O B 3,516]

It's good to see so many people here that have the balls and the drive to learn how to do it themselves!

 

Far too many have bought into the hollywood bullshit that somehow those who work with their hands are a lower class. .America was built by mechanics and tradesmen. Without us, the world quits working and crumbles into dust.

[storm6490 2,768]

Years ago my step son was trying to change the plugs in his car (4 banger engine), after about 4 hours, he came inside about to cry and all pissed off, his mother asked him what's wrong, he actually told her "it's too hard". I couldn't resist, so I started giving him hell, after a few minutes, he got all pissed again and I told him that I could get a 4 plugs changed out in less than 30 minutes or I'd pay him $100.00 if it took me longer, less and he paid me. I ended up with $100.00 to buy beer and smokes, he got all butt hurt, BUT, he has now learned to do things his self, from working on his truck, to remodeling his house. Little shit hit a steel rod in the ground with his mower, instead of throwing it away and spending good money for a new one, I'll be damned if he didn't take the motor apart, put in a new crank and other parts for cheaper and it runs like new. 

 He's not really "MINE", but I'm as proud of him for learning to do it on his own as any father could be. The boy may make it after all. I did finally get him into shooting and collecting firearms, now he just needs to learn to reload his own and quit shooting up my reloads.

Good on ya man. Every punk needs a dad to kick their ass into shape.

It's good to see so many people here that have the balls and the drive to learn how to do it themselves!

 

Far too many have bought into the hollywood bullshit that somehow those who work with their hands are a lower class. .America was built by mechanics and tradesmen. Without us, the world quits working and crumbles into dust.

I had a prophetic dream once where the service workers ended up controlling the sheepole who couldn't do anything but stare into a monitory and feed themselves on occasion. The people uploading the software, turning the wrenches and fusing the communications lines were like doctors were in the 90's.

 

Who knows, maybe it will filp one day.