Creative Woodworks & crafts 2005-03, страница 72

The State of School Wood Shops

Traditional middle and high school wood shops are having a difficult time surviving. In recent years, curriculums have been focusing on technology and automation as opposed to hands-on projects typical of woodworking. Downsizing, budget cuts, liability issues, and lack of interest have also victimized woodworking as a subject in schools. The joy of making handcraftcd projects is quickly being replaced by technologies such as CNC automation. This article discusses how woodworking has been revived, redefined, and reinvented in many schools throughout the country.

The School Products Division of Penn State Industries, a woodworking company based in Philadelphia, PA, has taken ihe lead in creating a program that has generated excitement in school districts nationwide. In fact, approximately 2,000 schools are currently participating. Their mission is to keep the woodworking legacy alive in our schools, and to integrate technology concepts into a curriculum that satisfies both the physical and mcchanical skills required for woodworking with the intellectual challenges required by technology education.

A student glues her pen tubes into the drilled pen blanks.

A student drills her pen blank, prior to inserting the pen tubes and turning.

A Teachers' Discovery

Ted Weiberg missed the feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment his students experienced when he taught shop. He missed seeing the pride his kids had after making a stool, birdhouse, toolbox, or whatever was the project for the week. Like many shops throughout the country, his shop had been downsized significantly. Today, Ted teaches technology to junior high students in Richardson, Texas, with a goal of "finding a project that was small, affordable, easy to construct, yet would be something the student would be proud of making and showing off." Ted was looking for the "WOW" factor— an easy, hands-on project that would fit into his technology curriculum.

Eventually. Ted found just what he was looking for. A trip to a neighboring high school opened his eyes to the possibilities of pen making. His school soon purchased its first lathe, and his students quickly became excited about using it. According to Ted, "We started an after-school group that wanted to make pens, and then it all took off. The next year we bought another lathe and learned how to make yo-yo's." His production lab now has four mini-lathes, each outfitted with a duplicator. The duplicator allows students to "more easily turn a project with very little supervision." With this setup, Ted's students are able to make pens and awards, and sell them lo raise money for his technology shop. His Technology Student Association made a $1000 profit through a single fundraiser.

Pen making has grown by leaps and bounds in Ted's school district; even,⁷ junior high school now has at least two lathes, and the program has proven to be very popular. Furthermore, the program is appropriate for students on all age and skill levels. The conccpts taught through this program include design, problem solving, tooling, machining, measuring, building, and assembling products. "Turning small projects on a lathe introduces students to the machining procedure and can be used to teach measurement and manufacturing processes." Ted particularly enjoys the sense of achievement that his students feel when they make projects, since he knows that most people are not able to do this.

"Build a Business" Lesson Plan

In addition to enabling students to develop woodworking skills, PSI also provides specialized lesson plans that have students participate in the activities of a real corporation.

by Pam Levy

28 • Creative Woodworks S. Crafts March 2005