Why kids can't use a hammer

[BobSch]

Interesting article about how the demise of shop classes have left us with a generation that can't figure out tools.
http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/08/25/w...-use-a-hammer/

[cork58]

That is why I got involved in NATFE. The local schools here are now going back in time with skills teaching and it brought lots of funding to them as well. I was blessed with the job of getting it started then seeing it through to what it is today, a resource for not only our young people but for anyone who wants to learn a skill. I am blessed, thank God for that.

[sweensdv]

While I agree with what the article states I think that that article could as easily been written in 1970 and also been accurate. The 70's was about the time when people started to loose their "I can fix anything" skills. Just about the time that America started using and buying products that are throwaways. It's not a new trait with young people today, it's a trait that is generations old.

[leehljp]

I have often wondered how far the mechanical minded and analytical problem solving (with hands on) can decline - before forward progress in society ceases! Are we there yet?

[cabinetman]

I have often wondered how far the mechanical minded and analytical problem solving (with hands on) can decline - before forward progress in society ceases! Are we there yet?

I think it's at a pretty low ebb right now. To learn trades is more OJT and mentoring than classroom and apprenticeship. It can get a lot worse.

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[dbhost]

I thought it was just my imagination. I have friends with kids that just plop them down in front of tech toy X, Y, or Z, and walk off. Others with young kids that interact with them, give them those puzzle ball things, with the different shapes that go through different holes, and play with them, well now 5 years or so later, I am noting that the children that had problem solving play are far more mechanically adept. They are the ones tearing apart an old toaster with dear old Dad's help... In my job I see a lot of young, well educated imbeciles that can't turn a wrench to save their lives, but they carry the title "engineer"...

Our Education system needs to be fixed....

[unknown poster]

Around here many high schools have eliminated shop class as a cost cutting measure. However, kids can take community college courses at night and apply the credits to high school. When I went to welding school a few years ago more than half my class was high school kids. They were eager to learn and did a good job. Most beat me on the tests.

Some counties have consolidated their high school vocational training classes to one campus, and they bus kids there for half the day.

Maybe they dont offer technical training to kids who are being tracked for college, but they certainly offer the training to kids who are headed to a hands on career.

Personally I just teach my kids how to do this stuff at home. When they grow up my kids won't have any problem using a hammer, wrench, drill, or duck tape to fix something.

[cabinetman]

Around here many high schools have eliminated shop class as a cost cutting measure. However, kids can take community college courses at night and apply the credits to high school.

Some schools here that have eliminated 'shop' classes have classroom curriculum, like building/construction, with no hands on. I'm unaware of any 'woodworking' or 'cabinetmaking' courses of instruction in this area. That's unfortunate. Woodcraft had 'classes' per se, but the local store closed. It may become a lost craft. Years ago I taught an adult education class at one of the schools that still were equipped with a shop class. Not much the school system provides for learning the craft.

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[Shep]

Great article. I'm fairly young (30) and I seem to be very handy compared to all my friends. I grew up in the country, so I suppose that I grew up getting my hands dirty. When I went throuh school I was fortunate to be able to take shop classes. Looking back, I wish I would have capitalized on my engineering strengths instead of going to school for business. Oh well, can't change the past. Plus I ended up meeting the LOML through work, so that would have changed everything.

[Pappy]

I grew up in town but, being the son of an old farmer/rancher, I was raised 'country' and taught to work on and build things. Raised both my boys the same way.

Most of the young guys at work are mechanically inept. They come to the older bunch for advice a lot.

[capnjack2]

Hopefully, this article represents the wave of the future. Around here, on Long Island, there are standards that require schools to offer x number of credits in various disciplines. Wood shop, as we know it, is barely breathing but still exists under the heading of STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. So teachers have to first explain the science behind the project; e.g. a rubber band car. Also, the school where I teach just received a $92,000 dollar insurance settlement to replace all the old machines after several floods. All shiny and new, we have beautiful table saws, scroll saws, drill presses, band saws, etc. But, honestly, our teachers are pretty afraid to put a kid on a machine because of the liability. They have a tough time cutting wood for the pieces of a bridge with a 6" back saw and miter box!

Jack

[Shep]

I remember in my shop class we we able to use every machine except the table saw. Don't know why we couldn't use it. I'm guessing that most of the time the rough cuts were already made for us, so we really only had to use the other tools to shape the project.