I have to comment on the "don't call them shop teachers" suggestion... I don't know what the history of teaching 'shop' is in every jurisdiction, but in BC I'm proud to be known as a shop teacher. In fact, I'm a second-generation shop teacher and I consider it a compliment to be grouped in with some of the most progressive, entrepreneurial, forward-thinking educators in the province.
Do we teach engineering, robotics, animation, 3D printing and such in shop classes? Yep. Shop teachers have been on the cutting edge of technology in BC from transistors, through computers, CAD, CNC... you name it and if it is a cool, new technology that involves hands-on learning you'll find it in the shop.
Officially, of course, we've never been called "shop teachers". It was "manual training", then "industrial education" and now "technology education"... put whatever buzzwords you want on the paperwork. Administrators and funding agencies are suckers for that stuff. But if someone is teaching real-world skills in a hands-on way in a shop, then they are teaching shop. And should be darn proud of it, too.
Jason
* Alternative definition... if there is a chance that someone is going to lose a finger if they don't follow instructions and use their brain, well, that's another sign that you might be teaching shop, too.
w0000000000000t! - Andy Baker [more] 
04-10-2015, 02:55
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