Internship Summery

Intro:

When I first came to New Tech, I thought Ms. Pollack was a big slave driver, but after working for Michael Glass in his Kids Carpentry program, MAN WAS I WRONG! I mean, I can see carrying all of the tools, I'll even shine his shoes, but when ever his car broke down, I was the one that had to get out and pull at a very high speed so we wouldn't be late for class… then there where the kids. Many people would think 5 – 10 year olds would be cute and adorable, but that's only until they start nibbling on your fingers and start licking their lips when ever I pointed at something. They where like little dogs, only worse… These kids had the power to think. So, as soon as I taught them enough in class, they would start using their skills for some serious Scotty hunting.

Okay okay, in all seriousness, none of that is true. But these things get really boring, and I've always thought that if you can't have fun doing something you love, then it's not worth doing. And that is one of the things I got out of this internship. Kids Carpentry is well renowned program throughout at least 20 cities in the bay area, known for the early skills kids learn using basic hand tools, a quick lesson in first aid (just kidding again), and for their awesome teachers who are some of the nicest people you would ever meet. Michael Glass is the president of Kids Carpentry, as well as one of my first Carpentry teachers. I've known him since I was about 8 years old, which was also when I had my first class. Ever since then, I loved working with wood and really loved the program. When I graduated from the elementary school, I was asked to help out in his basic carpentry class, and one of his advanced carpentry classes. So when I asked if I could have a summer job, he had no problem with the idea.

We came up with some things that he specifically wanted me to do during the duration of my internship, just some things that he would normally want to see out of his teachers.

1. Review all carpentry skills and systems.
2. As a TA, build projects alongside the kids.
3. Create 1 – 2 new projects for the class.
4. Solo teach a small group of kids.

 

Tasks:

In total, I worked four weeks, and in each of those four weeks I accomplished one of the tasks intended for me to do.

Week one was mostly spent brushing up on my old skills and re-learning how the program ran. This included proper use of the tools, where the tools went, ETC. and for the whole skill re-building thing, I decided to create a model sail boat from scratch. The pictures below are the finished product:

Everything you see on that boat I made myself. After I was finished with it, I kind of thought that I was finished with re-learning my old skills.

Week two was dedicated to creating the projects for the class. And to everyone's surprise, I popped out three projects instead of two. The first one was a sail boat like the one I already made; only this one was MUCH easer to make. The next one was a little wooden robot that the arms and legs could come off. And the last one was a little squirrel. How I came up with these ideas, I don't know. But I think it came out really well.

Week three was more focused on the students. I spent most of my time helping everyone out with what ever needed to be done; whether it was the next step on a project, or just an easer way to do something.

And by week four, I was teaching my own group of first time kids. That to me was one of the highlights of the whole experience. It was like seeing 8 years of work going towards something else then myself. A lot of these kids are just there for something to do, some are there to have fun, and a select few I can see doing what I was doing in the future. Knowing that I have helped people build something for their future was the best thing that I got out of this experience.

 

Educational Relationship:

Now I have to relate my WHOLE experience to New Tech's 8 learning outcomes. Bear with me; this may get a little boring:

Career Prep : my internship relates to this because becoming a carpentry teacher could be a possible career choice for me. I don't think that it will help me with what I want to do after I graduate, but it's something that I love and will carry with me none the less.

Collaboration : my internship relates to this because in order to properly work alongside Michael and with the kids, I would have to communicate and work well with everyone around me. Not only to get things done, but also to have fun.

Curricular Literacy : my internship relates to this because, obviously, if I'm going to teach anything, I would have to know what the sam-heck I'm doing. It's kind of hard to teach if you don't know what you're teaching. And I have 8 years to back that up.

Oral Communication : my internship relates to this because in order of things to run smoothly and without problems, we needed to talk after each day. I always liked to tell Michael how I thought the day went and how I thought I could do better.

Technology Literacy : my internship relates to this because for the other sail boat I made for the class, I had to make plans on how to construct it. So I did some typing on Microsoft Word and made some drawling on Paint. I will attach the plans in a folder with this Summery.

Citizenship : my internship relates to this because not only did I have to interact with the kids, I also had to interact with their parents too. You know, answer any questions they had, say “hi”, tell them how their kid was doing in the class, ETC.

Critical Thinking : my internship relates to this because not only did I have to know what to do next on the spot, but I also needed to recognize when someone was doing something dangerous. The simple act of misusing a tool could end up with an injury, and an unhappy carpenter. I know this sounds like it would better fit under Circular Lit, but you need to be able to react when something's not right.

Written Communication : my internship relates to this because in order for Ms. Hammler to understand how my internship went, she would need to see this summery that I'm writing at this very moment. Also the plans I made could go under this category.

 

My Evaluation:

Honestly, the whole thing went a lot better then I thought it was going to turn out. How many people can get up in the morning and be exited for work? I liked how instead of us driving separately, we carpooled together, which gave us more time to talk and also gave us the opportunity to go out to lunch once a week. To think that I thought I was going to be sitting at a desk for my internship. I'm glad that I got to do something meaningful and NOT boring. The fact that I got to get up in the morning and work with two great people (Michael and his wife) made it a lot better then staring at a screen all day, and made it a more enjoyable occasion. If someone else has the skills, maybe Michael would be willing to start an internship program for aspiring young teachers. If such a thing ever did happen, I would highly recommend it.

 

 

 

Plans for Scott's sail boat

Part one: boat construction

1. Start with two pieces of 1'' by 4'' that are 10'' long. Pre-drill, glue, and nail as shown in picture number 1.

Try to make the pieces as even as possible.

2. On the very end of the bow, find the center of the board and make a dot. Then measure 4'' down from the bow on each side as shown in picture number 2.

Connect the dots to make “cut lines” for the shape of the bow.

3. On the very end of the stern, find the center and make a dot. Then measure 2'' up from the stern on each side as shown in picture number 2.

Connect the dots to make “cut lines” for the shape of the stern.

4. Clamp your project to a bench, and very carefully use a Cross-Cut Saw to cut along the lines you just made. When you're finished, your project should look something like picture number 3.

NOTE: A teacher is recommended to help with this step.

  5. After all four cuts have been made, clamp your project sideways in a vice and begin to round the edges of the hull with a Shinto Rasp. (see example project for an example)

6. After all the shaping has been completed, measure 1'' from the stern and make a “cut line” perpendicular to the length of the boat. (as shown in picture number 4.)

Use a Miter Box to make the cut. (because the cut is too small for a Cross-Cut Saw)

NOTE: You can only get the proper angle for the stern by FIRST shaping the bottom of the stern, and THEN cutting 1'' off.

7. Use a piece of sand paper (80 – 90 grit) to smoothen ALL rough spots.

The body of the boat is now finished and ready for painting.

 

Part 2: cabin construction.

1. Start with a piece of 1'' by 3'' that is 3 ½'' long. On the top of the front of the cabin, measure ¾'' from each side and make two 45 degree cuts as shown in picture number 5.

2. Round the front of the cabin using a Shinto Rasp. (for an example, look at the example project)

3. Find the center of the front of the cabin and make a dot. From that dot, measure 1'' down and make another dot. (see picture number 6.) This is where you will drill the hole for the mast.

4. Use a 7/32'' drill bit and an Egg Better Drill to drill the hole.

(drill all the way through the wood)

NOTE: The hole must be ABSOLUTLY STRAIGHT! If not, then the mast will be crooked. (“cough cough, MICHEAL, cough cough”)

5. Make the necessary measurements on the top of the cabin and pre-drill three nail holes on the marks indicated in picture number 7.

6. Very carefully glue and hammer a ¼'' dowel that is 9''long into the cabin top.

The cabin is now finished and ready for painting.

7. Measure 2 ¼'' from the stern and make a dot. This is where the back of the cabin will rest on the boat as shown in picture number 8. (try to get the cabin as centered as possible)

8. Glue and nail the cabin to the boat.

And Your All Done!!!!!!!!!!!!