Paul Meisel

Blog #3

Comments on past posts

My first two blogs resulted in some interesting and welcome reader posts.  I appreciate the input and look forward to learning from all who have worked with children.

Two people mentioned the point of that not all children have an interest in woodworking.  This is true.  The comment "...woodworking either grabs a kid's imagination or he simply tolerates it" is well put.  Last school year one of my twelve students told me she decided she didn't like woodworking.  She had seemed to enjoy it at first but one day she told me she decided she didn't like woodworking.        

Children do have their own unique personalities.  We can't expect them all to fall in love with woodworking.  But let's at least provide an opportunity to experience this hobby so they can decide for themselves.

On the subject of age, one post mentioned that their 2-1/2 year old loved pounding nails in wood.  That got me thinking about my 3 and 4 year old grandsons.  Maybe it's time I invited them into my shop!  Has anyone else tried working with very young children?

Although the focus of my blog is on working with children ages 8 and older, I am open to sharing reader experiences with children of all ages.      

On the subject of safety

Although your young workers will be anxious to get started in the shop, you must let them know what you expect from them before you allow them in the shop.

Begin by defining the word safety.  It means: The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt; freedom from harm or danger; being safe and acting in a safe manner. The term "safety" includes having a positive attitude.  Students should agree to act responsibly, dress appropriately, respect tools, the work area, the teacher, and the other students.  To make sure they understand the meaning of the word, have your students to give examples, in their own words, of the word safety.  For example: "Wearing life preservers when you are in a boat is a good safety practice."

Next define the word habit.  Habit means: Tendency to act in a certain way; usual way of acting.  Doing a thing over and over makes a habit. In the shop, safe practices must be practiced until they become a habit.  Ask your students to give examples in their own words.  For example: "Looking both ways before crossing the street is a good habit."

With a clear understanding of the words safety and habit students must see how these words relate to them as they work in the shop.  Go over each of the following points and stress how they relate to the words safety and habit.

Dress correctly

Never wear loose fitting cloths. These can catch on a vise or worse, in a machine.  Long hair should be tied back.  Remove any loose jewelry.  Safety glasses must be worn at all times when in the shop.

Wear eye protection and keep long hair tied back out

of the way.  Never wear loose jewelry or baggy clothes.

Good Shop Housekeeping

Keep the work table and the floor around it clean and neat.  Pick up any scraps of wood so no one steps on them and twists an ankle.   Put tools away when you have finished using them.  Carry tools with the sharp end pointing down and away from you.

Avoid Horseplay

The word horseplay simply means rough play that can result in someone getting hurt.  It means clowning around and generally misbehaving.  Examples would be wrestling, pushing, shoving or tripping another student.  Practical jokes are a form of horseplay.

Ask each child to give you examples of behavior that would be considered horseplay.

Practical jokes are a form of horseplay.  There is no place

for practical jokes in the wood shop.

Report Any Injuries or Broken Tools

Be sure your students let you know if they get hurt.  Tell them to report any cuts or abrasions no matter how small.  Even getting a sliver should all be reported.  That way you can investigate whether the student was using a tool incorrectly or if you need to re-demonstrate any procedures. 

Have a first aid kit with the following items:

1) Adhesive bandages in various sizes for minor cuts.

2) A fine tweezers with sterilized needles for splinter removal.

3) Eyewash and cup for eye care and a bottle of re-hydrating eye drops.

4) Alcohol cleansing pads or antiseptic wipes for abrasions.

5) A list of phone numbers of parents if you are working with kids other than your own.

Most Safety Rules are Common Sense. 

Acting safely in the shop is usually just a matter of using good judgment and common sense.  Consider posting the following list of general safety rules where students can see them.  Go over them with your students every couple of class sessions.  

If anyone violates a safety rule suspend their right to work until they have made amends.  I require students to complete a written essay explaining how their behavior was irresponsible and what they are going to do to correct it.    

General Safety Rules

1.) Always wear safety glasses or other eye protection when working in the shop.

2.) Running is not permitted in the shop.

3.) Horseplay (pushing, shoving or goofing around) is not permitted in the shop.

4.) Never throw tools or materials.

5.) Keep your work area neat.  Pick up wood scraps which have fallen on the floor.

6.) Report any broken or unsafe tools immediately.

7.) Report any injuries immediately.

8.) Put away tools when you are through using them.  Clean up your work area.  Do any clean-up assignment you are asked to do.

9.) When carrying tools, always keep the pointed end down and away from you.

Although this will get you started, emphasizing safety must be done each time you have kids in your shop.  Before beginning each work period ask for one or two examples of safety practices that would apply to the unit you are covering. 

With the subject of safety fresh in their minds, it's about time to get the kids started on some type of project. 

Since sanding will be required on just about every project you will do, it is an appropriate place to start.

In my next blog I will share my method of teaching kids how to sand easily and without becoming bored.   

Paul Meisel
WOOD Online Blogger
Specialty: Woodworking with Children 
Meisel Hardware Specialties

Blog #2
 

At what age are children ready to learn woodworking?

I took my niece and nephew to several of the Home Depot Kids’ workshops when they were ages 8 and 10 respectively.  They both loved making the pre-cut, ready-to-glue-and-nail-together projects.  They always needed at least some help from me, but they did most of the assembly themselves.

While at Home Depot, I watched children 5 or 6 years old, but it seemed to me that their parents were doing the majority of the assembly. 

Although I applaud Home Depot for providing the Kids’ Workshop for introducing children to woodworking, my focus for this blog will go well beyond assembling pre-cut kits.  Instead, I will share my experiences teaching children the skills needed to make projects starting with standard-size wood boards and doing all the necessary operations, from measuring, sawing, drilling, and fastening with minimum help from an adult.

Getting back to the subject of age, the youngest student who has taken my woodworking class  was just under 9 years old.  I feel that is about the youngest age that most children have the developmental skills needed to accomplish the lessons.  Younger kids find the reading skills, manual skills and even the strength (for example when using the coping saw) to be just too difficult.

Also, children can be overwhelmed by the size and especially the noise of machines.  The solution here is simply to start at the basics, slowly working your way up from skill to skill and from tool to tool on a gradient.

I used this gradient approach when setting up my entire woodworking program.  Because my background is in teaching, I make sure students know the definitions of the words used and that there is a balance between the reading instruction and the hands-on experiences.

The first lesson is shop safety.  It is irresponsible for anyone to start children working in a shop without first making sure they know what is expected of them and what they need to do to stay safe.

I welcome reader comments.  I hope you will share your valuable insights and experiences teaching woodworking to young people.

My next blog will be on shop safety – the first step in preparing kids for a successful woodshop experience.

Paul Meisel
WOOD Online Blogger
Specialty: Woodworking with Children 
Meisel Hardware Specialties

Blog #1
  

Woodworking with children

Hi, my name is Paul Meisel.  My blog is about teaching woodworking to young people. 

If you are wondering why this might be an important subject, or why you should care at all, please read on.

If woodworking is your hobby, I assume you find it enjoyable.  I know I do!  How did you become involved with this hobby?  Did you learn about it in high school shop class?  Did you have a relative or friend take you under his or her wing and get you started?  Do you feel grateful that you have such a hobby?

Shop classes have been dropped from most high schools so kids today have limited exposure to woodworking.  If we, as woodworkers, feel the slightest responsibility to our nation’s children, if we feel any obligation to return the favor of the person who got us interested in woodworking, we need to take an active role in introducing this great hobby to children. 

But where do you start?  At what age are children ready?  What about safety?  What would you say to kids the first day you invite them into your shop?  What will you have them do the first day?

These are just some of the questions to be explored in this blog.  I hope those of you who have experience working with kids will share your experiences. 

My first job after college was an industrial arts instructor.  I taught woodworking for ten years at the public school level (grades 7 – 9).  Later I started a company developing project plans for the home hobbyist woodworker.  For the last three years, I have volunteered as a part time woodworking teacher at a small private school near my home.

In this blog, I will be sharing my recent experiences teaching woodworking to students ages 9 – 15.   

Here are some of my students with their first nailing project.  To make a name plaque, students pound up to 200 wire nails.   I believe that repetitive practice is a key to mastery.

Paul Meisel
WOOD Online Blogger
Specialty: Woodworking with Children 
Meisel Hardware Specialties