Auto shop teachers???

[Dan]

We have an opening at our high school...contact me if you want more info. Thanks-

[Satinblack]

I always thought that would be a cool job. I don't think I would want to go for years of college to be a teacher though.

[Fat Hack]

Yeah, I think they need the college NOW, but that wasn't always the case!

(Our high school was blessed with TWO auto shop teachers...one was a hot rodder who used the school and the students for his own personal gain, and the other was a truck driver/carpenter that fell into teaching by accident and decided it was easy money...he didn't even know how to time and engine or do a valve job...but he was 'teaching' the class!)

If you got ONE teacher, you had to "buy" your way through his class by doing slave labor that he got paid for, or by purchasing broken 'speed' parts from him.

If you got the OTHER teacher, you had to fly under his radar...going through the motions by playing with junk carbs and stuff thrown away by the first teacher...and never let on that YOU knew more about cars than the TEACHER did. Oh yes...and ignore the pot smoking drug dealers who used the classroom for their own personal "smoking lounge"...they were in good with the so-called 'teacher'!

One of my friends went to school and became a high school auto shop teacher. That lasted for ONE year, before he quit and went to work for GM! He said the 'students' were brain-damaged thugs who didn't care about cars beyond putting louder stereos into them and bolting on stupid wheels. You couldn't teach them a thing, and they were better off with the pot huffing truck driver or the smooth talking scam artist!

For an ever-so-brief moment in time, I actually CONSIDERED trying to "do some good" by becoming a teacher and setting an example that would hopefully change things for the school and the students, but my buddy quickly talked me out of it after I visited his class for one session!

(I did go back to my old high school to teach art, but backed out before the first day of class...that school system was staffed by the dreggs of humanity, and I didn't want to be a part of it when I came to my senses...I did my time there ONCE, and consider it four of the worst, most wasted years of my life...no need to return!)

I'd love to teach somewhere in a system where the teachers are there to TEACH, and the students want to LEARN...but I don't think such a place exists anymore? Hope I'm dead WRONG, but I haven't seen it yet!

[hankcash]

Do you have to have at least one missing finger to apply???
HC

[Dan]

Fat Hack-
you are indeed DEAD WRONG and I am sorry that your experiences have led you to believe that such is the case. Everyone has some bad experiences, many good things are indeed happening with our children. I am sure some people consider me to be the worst teacher in the world but I am also positive that I have helped some...
Hank Cash - that is funny you mention that - my good friend teaches wood shop and has been fortunate enough lately to add some new (i.e. specialized) tools to his shop - his learning curve is marked by numerous scrapes and scratches as he learns the intricacies of his new tools, still 10 fingers though!
Oh and by the way, his class is turning out such degenerates that a couple of years ago a community member was so impressed with the quality of his students that when the person passed away he left a large endowment to the shop class. It basically supports itself financially - pretty good testament to the quality of the kids and the program...

[SamIyam]

I'd apply, but the commute would be a bitch!

I have an Industrial Arts degree from CSU Fresno, a California Teaching credential, a Masters in Education and an Administrative Cervices Credential... ten years teaching experience in I.A. Woodworking... but my degree is in Transportation Technology (auto shop) and Woodworking.

Right now, CA is so hurting for money that people with jobs aren't volunatarily moving anywhere...

How is the economy in your state? How are the school districts doing financially?

Sam.

[Upchuck]

I had a couple good ones for woodwork and metal work but when I got to automotive it sucked, we had 2 auto shop teachers one thought he was some sort of vehicle inspector long before vehicle inspection was required, the other thought he was the Alpha and Omega of cars/trucks. I remember the first few students who brought their cars in to be worked on as a hands on thing where they bought the parts and then say we were doing brakes their cars would be worked on and then impounded by these 2 "thug" teachers for having some blue on the rotors for example, aside from having to take english auto shop class was the next worst experience I had.

I bought an old 57 chevy 1/2 ton truck and pieced it together scrounging parts thru highschool and about every time I asked for any advice from them 2 larps they tried to discourage me, called it stupid idea, that won't work yadda yadda but I was driving that truck to school for the next year and a 1/2 pretty much trouble free, had an old 261 6 banger in it from my grandpas old stratochief a transmission from an old gmc 3 ton etc, the only vehicle I sold that I have regrets selling....

[Dan]

Financially the state isn't in great shape, teachers wages are probably lower than other states. The cost of living though is probably less than other areas. Quality of life is great. With your masters and experience you would make a comfortable wage. My wife and I both teach, we aren't rich but we dont starve either (very often anyhow http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif) The shop is very well equipped, our ex-principal was a huge motorhead and the shop was kinda his baby.

[Bugman]

The guy I replaced was one of those bad shop teachers. His class routienly watched cartoons, and during the track and cross country seasons, it was the shop students job to get everything setup for the meets. I've been teaching almost a year now, and I think I like it.

I have a number of students that I think drank themselves stupid. It's a small WI community, so we have a large population of 4x4 stars and bars farm kids. Wanna latch'em?

I have my share of students who really want to learn and be challenged too, but they're in the minority.

Do you have any pics of your shop Dan? I'm concidering quitting here because rumor has it that my Auto Body classes are going to be eliminated, and I'll be cut to half time, in which case, I'll quit. How's you new principal?

-Jeff

[Boones]

[ QUOTE ]


Right now, CA is so hurting for money that people with jobs aren't volunatarily moving anywhere...

[/ QUOTE ]

Sam, I did not get your statement. I know Ca (especially Bay Area) is going thru tough times wtih the Computer Industry crash but why would that keep people from moving away looking for better environments to live?

My work wants me to move back to the San Francisco area but I am pushing back hard trying not to.. way to expensive, thou it does have a great Hot Rod scene... but living in Tracy and driving to the SFO airport is not what I call fun..

[Jkustom]

Yeah some shop teachers are bogus. I had one for a short while in high school, but the one after that is still one of my heros. Anyone in the N.W. know Ray Sweetser?

[WZ JUNK]

I am a retired Industrial Arts teacher with a Masters degree in Industrial Education. I now use those resources to drive a school bus twice a day. My experience is that the teachers and students who are problems are a small group but they seem to make up for their size by the amount of trouble they cause. Most students are anxious to learn and most teachers are dedicated to their job to the point that all other things take a back seat.

In the spring of the year I could stand in a corner of the shop and watch my students building projects and operating machines. My class was the first shop experience most of them had. I knew that I had shown them how to do things they did not know before my class. It was a very good feeling and I miss that most. Most teachers do have that chance to see what they have taught but I did.

I miss the time with the students, but I do not miss the parents, the administrators, the meetings, the paperwork .....

[Nick32vic]

Hey Hack!
[ QUOTE ]
If you got the OTHER teacher, you had to fly under his radar...going through the motions by playing with junk carbs and stuff thrown away by the first teacher...and never let on that YOU knew more about cars than the TEACHER did. Oh yes...and ignore the pot smoking drug dealers who used the classroom for their own personal "smoking lounge"...they were in good with the so-called 'teacher'!

[/ QUOTE ]

I didnt know you went to the same high school as me?
Seriously, I HATED Auto Mechanics class (If thats what you want to call it)

The Garage was for smoking.
The Teacher was for getting paid.
The Tools were for stealing (No, Not me)
The Students were for acting like there doing stuff.
The machinery was for breaking (again, not me)

I dont know how they expect anyone to learn with "classes" like mine was.

Once i took it upon myself to do a break job on my truck. So im doin it all by myself, only knowing what my dad (not the teacher) taught me. So i take the drum off and realized i need one of them screw driver type things to get the spring off. So i describe what i need to the guy that sits in front acting like a teacher. he says he doesnt know what im talking about. After buggin him about it he decides to get off his ass and try to figure out what i need. He looks at the spring thing i need to get off and tells me to get some pliers and a couple flat head screw drives.

I hope to god, other schools have better Industrial Arts programs.

Nick

[Tman]

WZ Junk, do you drive that bus like your pickup? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[hillbillyhellcat]

I go to school at a vocational tech school for high school kids as an adult student (I am 22). My class is auto body but mechanics is next door. Some of those instructors can be real jackasses. I don't know if it is because the constant dealings with idiotic kids or what, but the one guy as a major attitude problem and the other guy thinks he is some sorta god, and both act they hate kids. I asked about the possibility of them putting a pump seal in my trans of my truck (simple job with a trans jack and lift) and they give me some sort of additive to stop leaks! This is on a 35 y/o truck with a seal like tree bark, probably. It's just me but dumping snake oil to solve simple problems doesn't seem like a very good impression to put on kids who want to be mechanics. Not to mention that the additive was for Dexron, NOT Type-F, which any good mechanic older than 30 would know that that is what Fords take of that vintage. Sorry for the ranting, but I feel bad for kids who might get disinterested in such a career by guys like that.

[Bugman]

You know what's really sad? There's a huge push in this country for "Technology Education," not "Industrial Arts." The college system thinks we should do away with shops all together, and have everyone sit at a computer learning about satelites and sky scraper construction. Their thinking is that "shop" type stuff has no place in a high school, and should be reserved for a vocational school.

I argue about that to my college program director every chance I see him. He's all like hands off, hands off, hands off, knowledge and concept learning, and I'm all like you want to send kids to a tech school with no hands on experience working on a car?

-Jeff

[Tinbender]

Man this post saddens me. Maybe I was lucky. All my shop teachers were great. Even ag shop, the teacher was a bit of a dork, but taught me some very valuable skills. My HS auto teacher was awsome. He turned out to be a huge influance on me, even though I didn't know it at the time.
I teach community college, (collision repair)and it has been the greatest time of my life. I know the kids like it, and I see them grow and learn every day. It simply doesn't get any better than this.
Any of you guys that have even close to the qualifications for this job should check it out. Not a bad place to live either! We need to keep our shop classes strong, they are going away fast.

[Bugman]

Yeah, what Tinbender said. Plus the benifits and retirement package you get as a teacher are great. Not to mention an entire 3 months off during the car show season.

Plus, if you're a shop teacher like I am, you have a nice warm shop to work in when it's 12 degrees and snowing and your brakes need replacing but your snowsuit and long johns are in the wash.

-Jeff

[WZ JUNK]

Tman, I asked my boss if I could take my new bus to test and tune at the strip on Friday night but she said no. I thought it would be good public relations plus I think it would dial in pretty good. Maybe I will just take it to the school bus demolition derby next month. It is a nice bus as it has automatic transmission, tinted windows, stereo, intercom, cruise and lots of other neat stuff. Best feature is that all the other traffic has to stop when I tell them and they can not move until I say so.

[AHotRod]

If your school was in Weeki Wachee Florida I would apply!

[Bigcheese327]

[ QUOTE ]

I'd love to teach somewhere in a system where the teachers are there to TEACH, and the students want to LEARN...but I don't think such a place exists anymore? Hope I'm dead WRONG, but I haven't seen it yet!



[/ QUOTE ]

Have you tried a community college? To me that would be an ideal place to work... I'm just so egotistical that I want my PhD.

[Fat Hack]

I really AM glad to hear that there are some quality programs and people out there bringing the chance to learn automotive skills to young people who WANT to learn them, even if that wasn't the case where I went to school!

(Like anything else, you had to learn to take what you could from the experience. I had to deal with BOTH shop teachers and I was able to learn some things and gain experience despite their shortcomings as teachers. It was in auto shop where I worked on and drove my first vintage Chevy...a 51 coupe the one teacher had me and a few others work on for him.)

I really hope that the children of today, who have come to be more interested in mechanical knowledge thanks in part to shows like "Monster Garage", get a fair shake at receiving a quality education in all fields of study...from Math and English, to the Industrial Arts! It can only be GOOD for our future AND theirs to have literate, articulate and skilled students emerging into the world!

Being a teacher is a thankless job that doesn't pay NEARLY what it's worth, and I admire the people who are able to do it effectively despite the lackings of school budgets, policies, and the attitudes of many disruptive youths!

It was just my own personal experience with a school filled with alcoholic, indifferent, dishearted and incompetent teachers (not just in shop class!) that left me cold to the whole system. There WERE a few genuine "good apples" in the system, and I'm thankfull to them for their contributions to the foundation of my base of knowledge to this day!

I had a wonderfull English teacher who pushed me hard, yet also encouraged my unique writing style. We had to keep a daily journal, and write SOMETHING in it every day. Once a week or so, we'd turn it in for her to check. My journal became a private, silent dialouge between that teacher and I...I'd write on every subject under the sun, and she'd write in comments and replies. It boosted my confidence in my ability to express myself with the written word, and helped me to develop into someone who can write REASONABLY well today!

Same in Math...one teacher became something of a friend to me, and helped me to grasp and understand concepts that had been completely foreign to me. He quickly capitalized on my interest in cars, and taught me to apply mathematics to building cars...and I use that knowledge to this day whenever I work on something. He was the one who drew the paralells between a mathematical equation and a vehicle's combination of engine design, gearing, weight, drag coefficient and mass. Working with a concept I could easily relate to made understanding the abstract art of algebra and numbers easy and enjoyable to me!

(Funny that I learned my most valuable automotive fundamentals from my Intro Algebra teacher, eh?)

All hope is NOT lost...there ARE good teachers and good students out there...and when you happen to put them together, it is truly AMAZING what they can accomplish and the bonds they will form!

Wishing you the best of luck in your search for a good, caring, qualified teacher for your school! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Bigcheese327]

I have to say, biology was a great help to me in wrenching, actually. Learning the scientific method was the first big thing we did in there and it was reiterated hard throughout the two courses I took (more so than chemistry). If there's one thing I'm consistent in it's changing one variable at a time in testing hypotheses and that's very handy in the garage.

Too bad I don't know an auto shop program on the west side of the state. The public schools over there are just great and the scenery is better! Sadly, I don't, my high school certainly didn't have one. Slackers just took woodshop instead.

[Dan]

Bugman - I'll see if I cant get some pics or maybe take a video. Been awhile since I've been there (I am at the Junior High) but it seems to me the shop easily holds 8-10 cars, has two lifts, chain hoist that runs the length of the building, huge overhead door, sandblast cabinet, solvent tank, tire changer, wet sump in the floor, lathe, welder, big classroom, upstairs storage, etc. etc. Our welding and wood shop are quite wel equipped too. The principal is a really good guy, he used to be my boss at the Junior High. Our VICA team just got home from state compettion and did quite well from what I hear (my nephew went). Our state is in the same boat - the colleges think they need to produce Tech Ed. teacher and not Industrial Arts teachers. Our old principal really had a go-around with the state over that issue, they cant find an actual auto shop teacher to fill the position. I really do think this would be a good oppourtunity for someone and dont want to see the program die. Some of my fondest memories are my auto shop teacher telling me to the principals office so he could give me advice on tuning/building the engine in my SS. Driving down the street and seeing the same principal and my biology teacher timing their FED. My auto shop teacher didn't pretend to know everything but did all he could to help us find the answer and figure it out. Seriously people, I really want to see the job filled, and not just so I could work in the shop too http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[SamIyam]

What I meant about "moving" is moving within the state... A couple of opportunities have come up in the last year, but since I have tenure in my district, I'm not willing to loose that by taking a job in another district where a program could be cut in a year. My wage is in the mid 50,000 range and my shop budget for my small woodshop is about $4,500 a year... other districts aren't as lucky as we are. Also, in the next year or so I plan on taking an administrative job in the district, and would also like to teach auto shop after the H.S. teacher retires... so, if I stay in my own district, I am guaranteed that job.

Anywho, I love my job... like WZJunk says... after the first quarter, the majority of lesson work is done and the kids run with what you taught them. There is a buzz around the shop, everyone is working and you just have to field the small questions... yes, it's a thankless job, but onece in a while you get your "reward". It may be a student that comes back to visit, or someone that says they saw one of your ex-students working in the field... the best compliment that I have gotten in the last 10 years was a Christmas card from one of my kids' parents that thanked me for teaching their boy to be a "craftsman"... and I thought I was riding his ass too much about having all those cross grain scratches in his book shelf. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Anyway, I've been at it for ten years and it seems like I started yesterday... the work is fast paced and it seems as though it's time to leave before you know it... I guess time does fly when you are having fun!
Sam.

[Travis]

Boones-

I live just outside of Sacramento and I work for the State of California for the Department of Transportation. I too am kind of fed up with California and all the bullshit that goes on here. Taxes are higher and keep going up. They keep trying to find other ways to tax something so the California Government can attempt to get themselves out of our current economic disaster. For example... After 200+ years of fucking with Native Americans by sending them to reservations and making them live in poverty, the Native Americans are now doing extremely well with legal gambling casinos built on their reservations. I think it's great because now they are self sufficient and personally I think they deserve each and every fucking dime they earn. Now that they are doing well, we have somebody in the Capitol trying to pass a bill "To make the Indian Casinos pay taxes like any other business or corporation because it's not fair that the Indian casinos do not pay taxes blah blah blah". Fuck THAT. I say that they can be Tax-Free for the next 300 fucking years. California has the WORST credit rating in the HISTORY of the United States. We're not getting any more raises for at least 5 more years (last 6 years- 2 raises). They've raised our medical insurance contributions 34% in the last 18 months, and I hear it's going up another 18% in January. We have the most expensive fucking gas in the U.S., and it's shittier gas than the rest of the U.S. And these are the POSITIVE aspects of California! Sure, I love the climate. I like how my home is appreciating (in June 1998 we scraped to buy a $139,000 home and now we are sitting on a $315,000 home). I've been basically offered two jobs outside of California but I don't want to leave. If I leave, I will never be able to afford to come back. There's one other issue why I won't leave but that's a long and O/T related subject (has to do with me being deaf).

Anyway... despite all this shit... No... I don't want to leave California. Not just yet.

Travis

[SamIyam]

There was a teacher that came from out of state to CA... suring lunch one day I asked her where she was living. She responded "in a trailer park". I said "Why the HELL would you live in a trailer??" "You should BUY A HOUSE!"... She said that she didn't want to waste her savings on a house as they were only planning on staying a couple of years... Well, she could have bought a house for $200,000... and now it would be worth $350,000... she's been here for five years now and $150,000 CASH in five years ain't bad... Our house cost us $198,000 when we bought it 7 years ago... and now it'd sell for $460,000... so, I can live with higher taxes and gas prices...

Health care is a different issue though... it's unfuckingoutragiuos what they are charging us... They GIVE us $13,000 in benefits on top of my salary... and then we have to pay another $300 a month on top of that for blue cross... I can't afford it, So I have to have "take your life into your own hands-Kaiser"...

Anyway... all the stupid shit we have to put up with because California is in, and has been in "demand" outweighs the negatives... IMHO.
Sam.

[Nick]

Sounds like the perfect job for me. Too bad it is in Montana. I am just finishing up student teaching right now in Tech. Ed/Industrial Arts. And since I was a mechanic I think I could handle an auto shop.

[Byron Crump]

SamIam...preach on brother, I feel your pain...


your bother merc50, choir member in Texas...

(the place where they now think merit pay will fix everything...great idea that one is http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif)

[sawzall]

[ QUOTE ]
SamIam...preach on brother, I feel your pain...


your bother merc50, choir member in Texas...

(the place where they now think merit pay will fix everything...great idea that one is http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif)

[/ QUOTE ]

dan

sounds like this is a great oppertunity for someone..
I have only positive things to say about teaching shop as a profession.. some of my students lack motivation but for the most part are pretty good kids..

merc 50.. fwiw our association struck over the merit pay issue.. your texas politicians are right merit pay does fix one problem. it gets all the teachers pissed off and motivated.. good luck getting rid of that monkey..

sawzall

nick I sent you a pm

[Upchuck]

its good to know there are some quality autoshop teachers out there and I surely do hope now that the 2 dicks I had for teachers in auto shop are out of the public school system my 2 boys can get a couple of good ones and learn a few things, it is unfortunate that my wood and metal shop teacher is long retired because even though he was a tough grumpy old coot he knew his crap and didn't hesitate to let you in after school when he was around to do some extra stuff or play catch up on assignments

[Dan]

Sawzall-
your right, its pretty easy to find some good in even the "shitheads". This is the only job I've had where I wake up every morning and am anxious to get to work, every day is something new - kids are great fun...
Talked to the high school principal today and he said they have had 3 or 4 requests for apps., doesnt mean they will have three or four apps. returned. He basically agreed with what everyone is saying that the Tech. Ed. stuff is forsaking Industrial Arts and that is not good. Apparently our high school program is also operating as a feeder for the local Community College ASCE program and the kids in shop can get a jump start on their degree while in high school. He has also been in contact with a Cadillac dealer in Rapid who wants to hire kids coming out of the JC - starting at 52,000 a year. That is good money.
I cant believe the cost of housing you guys have to pay, my most recent house here cost 62,000. Oversized garage, plenty of room, corner lot, 2 blocks from golf course (just to give you an idea of the neighborhood)
This is a pretty good opportunity here for someone, besides we have some good poker parties and river floats here http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif