Students who make the effort count

[Errol]

Got two happy things to report on at the end of this school year.

The first is that, earlier this year, just weeks after I had emphasized to my students about NOT spray painting on the brick wall outside the shop, one of my sophomores was spraying a couple of parts and didn't remember to back up the area with cardboard getting overspray on the wall. I chewed him out for being careless and resigned myself to another gripping session from the head custodian. On the last day the sophomores were to be in shop, two weeks back, I asked the student to sit down at the computer and write a short note to the head custodian apologizing for the paint incident and expressing regret for the extra work that his crew would have to do to clean the wall with their heavy duty pressure washer. I had already tried my home pressure wash to no avail. The kid did as I asked without any complaint and we sent off an email to the head custodian. The very next day I got a call from the custodian asking for the student (who was in class then)and thanking me for his note. It was much appreciated! Today I tracked down the kid in the cafeteria and told him about the conversation emphasizing that people will find much to complain about but that he had made a good impression and didn't it feel great to get an "atta boy" for a change. He agreed.

The second thing I am pleased about is a girl from the auto body shop had asked me if I could make her a clock with Wallace and Gromit on it. It took a good while to find an image we could work with but we finally found one. I asked her instructor if she could come up to our shop to work on the image and she sat down for a solid three hours tweaking the image to make it sharp and crisp. Today I got the machining done and tomorrow I will fit the clock work and hands and scout her out to give it to her. What I really admire about this girl is the fact that she was patient (politely reminding me occassionally) but no whining or moaning. She put in the work to make her project happen. Here is a linnk to a scan of what the clock looks like...

http://neme-s.org/images/Wallace_and_Gromit.

Finally, I took real ill last Monday and was out of the shop until today. When I walked in this morning the shop was clean and orderly. My freshmen students really came through for me. It felt good to know that they were willing to put in the extra effort to have things in order for my return.

Well, enough rambling. If you are interested in how we make the clocks just ask and I will detail the process in another posting.

Errol Groff
Instructor
H.H. Ellis Tehcnical High School
Danielson, CT

 

[Errol]

Sorry, the correct link is

http://neme-s.org/images/Wallace_and_Gromit.jpg

Errol Groff

 

[Jackmo]

You sound like a teacher who makes a difference!
To that I say thanks,

 

[mark costello]

Now if we just had the bosses who made the effort count.....

 

[Bobw]

Now if we just had the bosses who made the effort count.....

Hey, they're out there. I do what I can for my people, well, the ones that deserve it anyways. Last scrap run, everybody got a $50 for no reason. The occasional "official" meetings on Friday at the Pub. Lunch on the "oh my god this is HOT" saturdays. Understanding that a tired or burnt(work wise not drug wise) employee needs a few days off, or an easy job until quiting time(I don't need scrap parts). etc...

As for the high school students, and college students, Errol you're lucky you found a few good ones. Actually you're lucky you're in a place that still has some form of a shop class.

Encourage those good ones, because I'm running out of good people.

 

[speedy]

It is also the tutors who make the effort, who count Errol. You appear to be someone who gives a damn about his students.
I can clearly remember Peter Burton from College, he made a difference.
Also Bob Lindsay, my shop foreman.
Generally we get back what we give.

Ken