Kids teacher

[2lostspace]

My oldest son takes one class in High School. (He is home schooled for the rest of his subjects). It is a welding class, the same teacher also teaches the auto classes,(I wouldnt take any of my vehicles to him to work on). My son wants to take the auto classes next year, there are three levels. He has been told that he cant take the second level tell he passes the first one.

In the first level it is just basic stuff like changing tires, oil changes and things like that. Now I can agree with that if he knew nothing about cars but the kid has been around this stuff all his life. Seeing that his dad is a mechanic, that being me, and talking to people in town I think that my son knows more than the teacher.

My son does brakes on his friends vehicles, changes oil. Has helped me on changing out engines and trannys.

So this is my question to all you guys.
Do you think that it would be a wast of time to have him in a class where they have to do oil changes and tires and other basic stuff ?
Do you think that he should be able to take a class that might challenge him and make him want to be in the class?

 

[IOPort51]

sounds like an easy "A".

 

[mylittlecj5]

I had to pass a small engine class in high school before I was allowed into the mechanics course to do the mechanics I had been doing since Jr. High. I was rebuilding engines at 14 YO (self-taught), and the instructors knew it.
If everyone else has to take the course, why should your son be exempted? Prior knowledge is not normally accepted as a pass grade in HS, unlike college.
As IO put, sounds like an easy "A".

 

[iCEMAN]

Going to agree with the others, the teacher is following school policy. Let your son take a class that should be an easy pass.

FYI, I teach motorcycle safety at the local college. I have students come in who have been riding for years and tell me there is nothing I can teach them. They are correct, because they have made their minds up that they already know everything there is to know about the subject.

Who knows, with the right attitude, your son may either pick up some ideas, reinforce the good ones he already has, or be able to help others in the class who need help.

 

[OldC7]

Its like anything else, you cant get certified etc until you show you passed the basics.
I dont like it but thats how most things are in the grand scheme of things. When I took auto shop I had already pulled a non running car from a field and got everything working.
My Dad bought the parts and I figured out how it all fit together. He helped when he came home from work or when I was stuck. I then went to auto shop and had to hear a lecture on how to properly use a air hose!
DO NOT use the air hose to blow air at your friends! etc etc......

 

[2lostspace]

I guess I should have gone a little more in detail about the home schooling thing. Last year I did a basic mechanics class for him that he passed that was more in dept than the one that he would be taking at the high school.
The teacher will not accept the class due to the fact that he did not teach it.

I do agree with you he should take the level one if he didnt do a class like that with me. I just think the teacher is being stubborn.

 

[mylittlecj5]

look at it this way...
The instructor doesn't know what his knowledge level is, or his capabilities are. The purpose of the introductory class is so the instructor can get a feel for his attitude, abilities, and knowledge. Nor does he know what your 'class' involved or how it was taught. (no offense). If I was in his place, no one would be allowed into the shop without me knowing something about them.
Its not all about knowledge, its also about the social situation. Is the new student going to cause problems due to lack of social interaction, lack of shop etiquette training, safety issues...ect...(this is a rhetorical question by the way...).
I think he is perfectly within his right to refuse admission until he has proven himself in the shop, under an instructors guidance.


BTW, although I don't think homeschooling is worth a hill of beans for most people, I support your decision to take your kids under your wing and teach them yourself...

 

[2lostspace]

look at it this way...
The instructor doesn't know what his knowledge level is, or his capabilities are. The purpose of the introductory class is so the instructor can get a feel for his attitude, abilities, and knowledge. Nor does he know what your 'class' involved or how it was taught. (no offense). If I was in his place, no one would be allowed into the shop without me knowing something about them.
Its not all about knowledge, its also about the social situation. Is the new student going to cause problems due to lack of social interaction, lack of shop etiquette training, safety issues...ect...(this is a rhetorical question by the way...).
I think he is perfectly within his right to refuse admission until he has proven himself in the shop, under an instructors guidance.

BTW, although I don't think homeschooling is worth a hill of beans for most people, I support your decision to take your kids under your wing and teach them yourself...

The teacher knows my son, he is the sons welding teacher. I can tell you he dosnt know much about welding. I have seen his welds and they really scare me. He has been making my son do all the advance welding in the class because he cant do it.
I have heard horror storys in town about his abilitys with vechicles here in town. Many people take stuff to the class to have things worked on it just seems that he dosnt watch the students too close.
I can tell you I was the same way Mylittle with the home schooling. My son has some learning disibilitys and couldnt read tell he was in 8th grade when we started home schooling. We tried to work with his teachers and they just didnt care they just moved him on. My wife took a lot of time with him and he is 200* better. He still has some other issues that she is working on. I just wish I had the time to teach him but work is taking up a lot of my time.

 

[ken98k]

I agree with the others, your son should take the class even if he knows most of it. He will probably still pick up a few tidbits of knowledge.
I've been working in my trade for over 30 years and still learn something new every day.

 

[Old Dog]

I have to agree with, the school has to follow there rules, otherweise everybody would want to skip the intro classes.
On the other hand, if this guy is such a bad teacher and machinic why even bother sending him there, just keep teaching him yourself. he'll probally learn more from you.

 

[mylittlecj5]

I have to agree with, the school has to follow there rules, otherweise everybody would want to skip the intro classes.
On the other hand, if this guy is such a bad teacher and machinic why even bother sending him there, just keep teaching him yourself. he'll probally learn more from you.

I'll agree with that ^^^

 

[BrockGrimes]

Students skip classes and grades all the time, hell I skipped 11th myself.
If it's a BS class why waste time taking it when he could spend that time learning something new. I firmly believe in teaching to ones ability and not to their age.

I send my son to a montessori school. The school basically teaches to the boys natural abilities, he's way ahead of other kids his age and is more mature and resposible. How many 5yr old do you know who can read, write, add, subtract, do basic multiplication, count forever, knows all the continents, understands the basic forces in nature (magnetism) and already builds things with a metal erector set.

I myself am currently going to school to finish some prerec courses to get into a medical school. It's a complete waste of time and money for me to take these courses and I have no other choice, I much prefer to take courses that actually have something to do with the work I'm doing. These misc classes designed to make you more well rounded are complete , it doesn't apply this day in time. People know more about the world than they ever have and can hold conversations on subjects you could only learn about in a class room years ago. The education system badly needs a revamp.

I say if it's a waste of time to take the class, see if he can take one at a local tech. school.

 

[2lostspace]

Hay guys thanks for the reply's. I understand what you most of you guys are saying. I am going to try to set up a meeting to talk to the teacher and get a overview of what all three levels teach. That and to get a feel for the teacher and his abilities as a mechanic and a teacher.
I may be a little over protective of my son, but some people just wont accept that he has the learning issues that he has. He mostly acts like a normal 16 year old, but he is not when it come to school. This can be a real pain when some one else tries to teach him like a normal kid and wont take the time to understand how he learns.