Thank you AWGB

[Haggy]

If you are a technology teacher, you would have just completed assessment of your students work.  This is often a period of reflection for me.
I now feel compelled to thank AWGB members and this site for their help they give to my design students.  Here are just some:-
Health and Safety - Students always listen to real health and safety issues which I read out at the start of some lessons where I sense complacency, from cuts on the lathe ( Eric) to the terrible accident that happened to Lynne Yamaguchi.
Inspiration- I only have to show breathtaking work from the Gallery to promote discussion.  The fact that it has been commented on by fellow members promotes discussion. 
Design- Discussions on proportion and form (eg rule of thirds - Brian) become meaningful when they relate it to work on your site.
Finish- The students want the perfect finish but pupils and staff are not trained any more on how to achieve it.
Eg Sian couldn't achieve a quality finish on her turned work and I couldn't help. I posted part of her work on this site and immediately I was able to show her your solutions.  She got a top grade as a result (I can post a pic if members wish)
Theory exam- students don't relate timber seen in B&Q etc to trees.  There is no finer way to open their eyes than woodturning eg Amy's fountain pen was made from a piece of yew that grew in her garden.
School projects - without doubt their favorite project involves turning a pen for a client. They took their finished work to show AWGB members at the Axminster (Nuneaton) woodturning event and came back buzzing due to the encouragement and interest in their work.
Multi-materials- I have posted a pic of a bracelet made by Charlotte.  She has cast gear wheels into  segments of ash to fulfill the requirements of her brief.  The bracelet was inspired by a Canadian Woodturner on Utube.
          Thank you Andy C. and AWGB
                        Haggy

[Les Symonds]

What a great report, Haggy. I'm about to start a bit of turning with my LD students, so I'll pinch some of your ideas.

Les

[Bryan Milham]

Haggy,

I'm sure many of us will feel humbled by your thanks and direct examples of how we've helped.

The power of a forum like this is amazing, the knowledge base that can be drawn on for some of the strangest of questions, but it all comes to nothing unless those words fall on willing and understanding ears.

So I'd just like to add that the most important thing in your pupils year was the enthusiastic tutor that stood before them. He was prepared to put himself out to learn more so he could instruct better.

So please pass our congratulations to your students for their efforts to learn and understand, and of course for their grades but for all of that, in no small way, are you very responsible.

Now the bad news, it all starts again next year,

And the good news, we’ll still be here to help.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Haggy,
         I echo Bryan's thoughts above, and although we may have been helping we were only doing what wood turners do best apart from turning and that is talking about it. If useful information was passed at the same time that is even better (or lucky in some cases  ) I am sure I speak for all the users here that we are always interested in seeing other people's work, I know I would like to see it.
     The fact that your students are taking an interest in our craft or aspects of it and doing so seriously by looking at all of the elements you have mentioned is encouraging to us as they are be the future of crafts and the arts once all us oldies have gone.
   Your next step now is to arrange an AWGB training day for your class. Where they can get hands on experience under the tuition of professional turners.
     Please convey our pleasure to your students.

[bodrighywood]

This thread is really great. The fact that you are actually involving your students in the way you are is a major part of it IMHO. Having been there and seeing how hard it is to get young people motivated nowadays I think a lot of the credit is due to you as said.

Pete

[John]

Hi Haggy,
I fully agree with all the other posts in this thread.
Well done to yourself and your students.
John

[John D Smith]

Hi Haggy,
            What a great thread you have started here this is what the Forum is all about,you mentioned about some of your Students visiting the Axminster Store in Nuneaton I don't know what area they come from there is a show at Daventry "Woodworks" this weekend which is Free and this would be a good event for them to attend.Details can be found on this Forum under Events.

                                                            Regards John

[Haggy]

I will show students some of the replies to this thread- it should be them thanking you.
What a good idea BHT to have an AWGB session with my pupils- they will love it!
As part of their pen research they visit and take pics at local craft fairs (eg Melbourne Arts Festival)
and have to pluck up the courage to speak to wood turners - they also recognize there is money to be made!
Two students have now bought lathes of their own and bring their own turning tools to school!
I will make a point of looking into the possibility of further training as they are an exceptional year group.
             Regards     Haggy

[Bryan Milham]

Two students have now bought lathes of their own and bring their own turning tools to school!

Have they joined the local woodturning group, AWGB Junior membership is (I think) free and certainly also at my club?

 - AWGB Training oppertunities then open up for them.

Have they thought of joining this forum?

[woodndesign]

Haggy,

 what a wonderful post, thank you, it's so good to see first your dedication to the students, for all the technology of today, it takes a teacher to motivate, something we had in our own younger school days with woodwork and sadly is now left out of the curriculum, there is not any senior wood turner who wouldn't say it had been down to school days that they still followed or took up wood turning .. I am one .. ..

As said, we all freely extend our knowledge to the next generation of turners.. so ask away.

Well done to Charlotte on the bracelet she has made, really stunning.

Thank you again for sharing, well done everybody and look forward to seeing future work from the budding turners.

Cheers   David