I LIED

These photos are proof that the 1st draft i blogged about is in fact a lie. The photos dont lie, these timber notebooks are indeed the first drafts.

29 May 2010 1st draft

Not quite as bad as UNCLE SAM drafting methods...... Although I spent the day light part of my Saturday writing up my 1st draft for the practical application of the table......Will give to a couple of collegues to read over for feedback. 1st thing on my to do list done also the most tedious one so far.

28 May 2010 To do list

Met up with a colleague who shares the same office with F&J this morning. He mentioned that F&J walked into their office after our session together yesterday, and spoke very positively about our day developing these table prototypes. How encouraging that it was not only me that had came out thinking in the same light.

Worked wit F&J some more today we are 95% done with the development of the coffee/side table. Awesome day

Note to myself

Need to draft up practical assembling instructions (ARRGHHHHHH) done 10/6/10

Need to create jigs next week done 10/6/10

Need to create 2-3 more tables unassisted so to familiarise myself with the practical application. Will also use these practice runs as examples for the class so they can visually see the tables at various stages of construction.

27 May 2010 Food for thought

I met F&J in the workshop this morning at 8.30am. We spent the whole day working on the coffee/side table. We constructed about 2/3 of the prototypes, playing around with different sizes, different patterns, best working practices and procedures. A really good positive day developing this project we meet again tomorrow morning to hopefully complete our prototypes.

F&J asked me today why i was leaving the multiskills programme next year, and moving onto teaching on the houses. I explained that being a carpenter by trade that i felt it was the right progression for me. F&J mentioned that doing the multiskills course is a great niche programme.

I went away and reflected on the day and what was accomplished and what was spoken about during the day. I was really excited and content in what had been achieved F&J planted seed of thought in my head in regards of staying on with the multiskills programme.........hmmmmmmmm FOOD FOR THOUGHT

24 - 25 May 2010

************EMAIL CONTACT************

>>> ROX 5/25/2010 10:20 a.m. >>>


Hi F&J


Thursday and Friday sound great, I will have to stop on Friday at 10 am for some interviews but will be back later on.

Thanks

ROX

>>> F&J 5/24/2010 6:12 p.m. >>>

Hi ROX,

I have no contact on Thur. and Fri. and it would not take very long to put a proto-type together. We can develop each step of the production, in order to enable the students to analyse and repeat each step easily.
I believe that multi-skills can be very rewarding, especially when you bring your enthusiasm into it.
So if you want to build one those tables, Thur or Fri is good.


F&J
Interior Systems Lecturer
Faculty of Technology and Built Environment
phone:0000000 ext.0000
mob:00000000


>>> ROX 24.05.2010 14:44 >>>

Hi F&J,

I really liked the table you showed me last Friday , the students reaction to it was very encouraging. I would like to get together with you to see it is a viable option for the multi skills students.

I currently have a teaching break from multi skills. When would be a good time to get together? I am flexible any day except Mondays.

Thanks

ROX



*********** NB Names and numbers have been changed **************

21 May 2010

My class had there last session with me today, I went see F&J (Furniture and joinery Trainer)to see if he could show my students some of the projects they could make if they decided to enrol in the 1 year furniture and joinery course after completing MS (multiskills).

After some discussion about how we could get more of these multiskills graduates into the furniture joinery courses, he mentioned he had been thinking and working on a coffee table that would be ideal for the MS program.

I asked F&J if he could bring it into the class to show my students before they left for the day. 5 minutes later F&J walked into the rowdy class with the coffee table. Instantly without saying a word 80% of students settled down and made a bee line for the coffee table. That was it! The look on the students faces said a million words. Right there and than within 30 seconds of the table coming into the workshop i had made up my mind I need to work with F&J to create a prototype for my next intake of multiskills students.

Multiskills

Multiskills is a level 2 17 week full time course. It has four key trade areas that the students cover throughout the duration of the course.

Carpentry 5 Weeks
Furniture and Joinery 4 Weeks
Plumbing 4 Weeks
Plastering and painting 4 Weeks


This course is designed to be a bridging course to the Level 4 Trade Certificate programs that are run. It also serves as a taster course for students who are unsure in which trade they would like to pursue. Upon completion of the course, students can make an informed decision in which direction they would like to pursue.

A typical student that comes into Multiskills program is aged 16-20 and for some reason or another, the school system has not worked for them, this presents a challenge in this short amount of time, I need to strike up a relationship, set boundaries, hold the attention and impart knowledge into these young impressionable minds.

I take the students for the Carpentry component, Furniture and Joinery component a total of 9 weeks. With the limited time I have with the learners it is integral that students are challenged, learn, and enjoy there learning.

Epiphany

FLIP FLOP “a decision to reverse an earlier decision”

I have come to point within my vocation where quite recently I have had an epiphany.... I know how clichéd! However, Right up to recently I have very rarely reflected much on work related issues? I have flown under the radar, have not ruffled feathers and have done just enough to do the job adequately and go home without a second thought. I’ve always been of the mindsets that “If it’s not broken than why fix it? “

I work in the education sector as a Trades (Carpentry/Furniture & Joinery) trainer. This requires me to constantly implement industry driven changes, improvement and development in course related materials, activities and assessment. The mindsets that “If it’s not broken than why fix it? “Simply is not acceptable in this environment where training and fostering individuals to a high standard is necessity. Eventually when individuals move on from our tertiary training organization, the ideal is that they leave with an experience and qualification that is relevant to the industry they wish to enter.

I have been content to deliver practical projects that somewhat may be considered outdated. For example students are required to make a CD rack. Although some students do have extensive collections of CD’s others do not have CD’s, with the introduction of mp3 players. The latter should not be hamstrung with having to build a CD rack when they have no use for them. I have observed in class that because the latter have no use for the CD rack, enthusiasm and the standard of workmanship takes a dive. This results in poor marks, lack of enthusiasm in which could possibly lead to poor retention and attrition issues etc.

With the above issues in mind, I drew on advice, expertise, experience and ideas from colleagues in my faculty, to come up with new assessments. Together we came up with a range of practical projects that are relevant to the learners and have the ability to spike the interest of all students.

So to elaborate on the “EPIHANY” while brainstorming and developing the new projects which are in their prototype stages, the process has made me “FLIP FLOP” in the way I have been approaching my job. It unexpectedly has lit a fuse of enthusiasm in me and I’m excited about developing these new initiatives and implementing them into the course I deliver.

FLIP FLOP “backless sandal held to the foot by a thong between the big toe and the second toe”

Chuck on your FLIP FLOPS and journey through this process with me. This blog is a reflective journal that will detail Development, Planning Implementation and Evaluation on the 2 new projects.

1. Letter box
2. Coffee table