woodworking school

[Tim Lucas]

We are getting closer to approaching the school board in our area about offering a votech type class for high school students and I would like some pricing strategy for the class. We have joined up with the WCA (woodwork career alliance) and will be setting up the students with passports and using WCA study guides.

I know we have a few teachers out here and would like to use there wisdom to help get setup.

Thanks
Tim

[dlcw]

I'm a substitute teacher for my local high school, plus I spend a lot of days volunteering in the wood shop to help the kids. The shop teach and I have approached the school administration on a couple of occasions in regards to the WCA program. They were all in favor, but wouldn't pony up any funds to get me and the teach certified with WCA. That alone is expensive.

Another thing we noticed is the apathy in kids today. They just don't care about anything except their cell phones. They want instant gratification (which has been drilled into to them by technology). They don't put anything away. They abuse tools like crazy. And they don't like to be instructed on the proper use of tools and following procedures. Lots of tools grow legs and disappear. They pretty much ignore safety rules if they think they can get away with it.

But through all this, the shop teacher and I push on. There are usually two or three students out of a class of 30 students that seem to really want to learn. I've approached the school administration about me providing a mentoring program at my shop for these kids that are interested, providing the school covers the insurance for them to be at my shop. They like the idea of a mentoring program but aren't will to provide funds for the insurance. And in WA state, it would cost me $17/hr paid to the state labor and industries gestapo agency to provide that service in my shop. That ain't going to happen!! I can't afford that. I think labor insurance is going to be your highest cost. Don't know FL laws regarding this though....

I hope you are able to make a successful run at it. I sure would like to do that here, but WA state laws makes it virtually impossible.

[Tim Lucas]

Thanks Don, I am hoping for 3-5 students at a time, I wont do 30:confused: but I wont be part of the school.

It will be at m shop and I have added to my liability insurance for students but still have to check with my building insurance.

I have had grown students in the past but would like to help some young students if they would like to learn.

Tim

[willnewton]

I taught Woodworking at our local Community College years ago. It was a continuing education class for adults, so other than saving a few of them hurting themselves the first few classes, things were fine.

My issues were with the administration, that could have cared less for the program as they were killing off most of the trade programs and replacing them with computer classes and college prep courses.

No money to repair the machines and make them safe. No money for fresh blades or shop supplies. No money to make it worth putting up with, as I already had a dream job building custom furniture.

At the same time, my much younger brother in law was in High School with a fantastic curriculum and shop. I think the shop even had some corporate sponsored tools. Can’t remember if they had a ShopBot. The program was the gem of the school and the students that worked, made great work.

You will be in a good position to enjoy teaching young kids that actually want to be there and you will have control over the shop environment.

As for pricing strategy, so you mean how much to charge the students? You may want to see what local music lessons or art lessons are priced at. It may have to be in that range per class or monthly. Or you may want to do a special workshop over weekend for a quick project.

Maybe you want to be an off-site classroom. Our Comm. College would do this for certain classes. You are still working under the school system, but without a lot of the direct administrative headaches.

Sorry, I am not familiar with the WCA aspects, so don’t know if I am helping or not. :)

[genek]

You need to check with your insurance. they may prevent you from doing a class... the cost on insurance for that is high.

[Tim Lucas]

Thanks for the replies, I will update as we move along

Tim