MEMOIRS OF A SHOP TEACHER (B/W Version)
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The subject is Stan Sipka, who graduated from the machine trades program at Hower Vocational High School and became a vocational machine trades teacher too. There are 28 stories about students and eight stories about teachers, and 121 inserts (pictures and documents) to add to the stories about baseball because that was why this career path happen. There were teaching positions in machine trades that didn’t require a college degree, just journeymen’s classification. Still, my wife, Joanne, encouraged me to stay at Kent State University until I obtained my degree. An adult told me in an apprenticeship program; he learned the math because “it was the way you presented it!” Others in the class agreed. I started “R & R,” which stands for Rework and Return to try to help those with a bad grade to learn from mistakes. As the student sat at the desk, I would kneel to look at his eyes, which would show signs of understanding. The student was to rework the problem, not just change the answer. I was laid off in 1987, R.I.F. (Reduction In Force), and that was a crisis. My goal was to teach for 30 years and retire, but out of work with 24 years of teaching, it looked bad. The time out of teaching was difficult, but because of my advanced degrees, I was recalled to a middle school to finish my 30 years. Teaching adults, high school students, and then middle school students was challenging every day. Finally, the machine shop instruction at Hower and Cuyahoga Falls was changing with electronic innovations. The machines of today don’t resemble those of years past. I think the terms machine shop doesn’t exist now; it’s Machine Technology.
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About the Book
The book is about me and my interaction with students, faculty, and everyone else. I want to move through my life from birth to the present. The 85 years of life have been eventful, and I am grateful for those who helped me arrive at this point in life. I want to convey the events that guided me through my early years, grade, high school, Army, marriage, college, teaching, and retirement. Each day was a learning experience. The goal was to make teaching more rewarding to the students. Many assignments that are included were not present when I started in 1965. My work during the summers helped me understand the innovations – NC (numerical control), CNC (computer numerical control), EDM (electric discharge machining). That learning helped me convey that knowledge to the students. Included are jobs made by the students that were designed to provide similar experiences found in the machining industry. There are stories about students and teachers that filled my days as a teacher. Lastly, there are assignments a person can try. My only comment is, “don’t do the last two because they are difficult.” That was a favorite comment to get students to work the difficult problems.