The Start

"I'm looking for a shop and Spanish teacher," my former boss wrote me from his recently acquired position at another district. I chuckled. There are about two degrees of separation between everybody in the Upper Peninsula.  I knew I was the only one with both of those qualifications for miles.

 

We agreed to meet a few times.  I didn't want to bite. I had just finished my second year of teaching and was content.  I had little interest in utilizing my Spanish teaching certificate.

 

I went there and I looked around the shop.  I saw the struggle, and I saw the potential. Things lined up well enough and I thought, "Sure, what the heck?"

 

Just kidding.

 

It wasn't that simple at all. What job change is? I'm just not writing about all the things that "lined up well enough."

 

"You'll be teaching middle and high school shop... Spanish.. CAD... and elementary computers."

 

Well... this will be fun," I said.

 

He responds, "It'll be something... don't know if fun is the right word... "

 

It's been "something" alright: My first time teaching Spanish and elementary students. It's been building a functional environment for both CAD and shop, and adjusting curriculum to the conditions.

 

And that's the backstory.

 

Here, I'll focus on the shop, though; I'll field any questions or requests about the other disciplines. Wednesday, I'll  dive into the rest of the story as I prepare to share maker and teacher insights, projects, and fun... or something, from the lens of a public educator. 

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