"Blather"
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1. What the heck is "blather"?
Blather is considered "ready or rapid talk":.
It is a sort of "shoot from the hip" mentality about issues, ideas, observations,
and other items that may be pertinent to the reader at any specific time.
The blather here will be numbered for reference so they can be pointed
out by me, or referred to by others. Hopefully, this will open another
forum of professional, personal, and academic ideas that I would not generally
discuss in class, given the constraints of time and course content delivery.
2. Success in lab work...
Lab work is different than other classes.
It takes a different kind of thought, action, and organization. Time seems
to be the critical resource, and good students always know how to manage
it well. When a lab assignment is given, start planning immediately. Put
it in first gear, so you can shift up. Those that keep it in neutral don't
even get their wheels spinning! (Sorry about the Trans analogies!) Know
that everything takes about twice as long as planned (Waite's Law?) Remember
Murphy's Law too - "anything that can go wrong, will" (paraphrased). When
you arrive for a class, have about three times as much lab work planned
than you could possible accomplish. That way, if a piece of equipment is
being used by another, or you hit a brick wall because of a shortage of
materials, you can shift over to plan b and c! Remember, the top students
always finish early, and leave time to "fluff and buff" - even if it's
a term paper.
3. What a great preparation for life...
Have you ever thought about what a great preparation
for life this college degree is? I mean in a practical sense. Sure, professionally
you will have the pick of well over three jobs per graduate - and they
will be high paying ones at that (as evidenced by over ten years of placement
reports). But how about the everyday "stuff".
I can't remember when there was a technical
problem at home that had to have a serviceman call. Technology people most
often do there own building, remodeling, maintenance, and design. Even
if you ship something out for service, chances are you won't get ripped
off because you know its operation basics.. Areas that are unfamiliar can
often be covered by a technology friend down the hall.
Electronics - Design - Transportation -
Materials - Drawing - Computers - Manufacturing - Energy - Construction
- Graphics - Presentations - Planning - Record Keeping - Evaluation - Systems
Thinking - "People" Skills - Liberal Arts Courses. All these areas, and
many more, will be part of your background for life!
4. What a great preparation for a position...
Don't believe me? I have now logged on over
30 years of watching placement reports of technology graduates. I can honestly
say that I have never seen anyone with good academic and professional standing
NOT get a job! Sure, you may have to move out of your home town, as there
are needs for this kind of teaching in schools everywhere. What about the
"doom and gloomers". Been there; done that; got the T-shirt! I've heard
about the field evaporating for decades, and have read references about
it since the end of the 1800's! Yes things will change, and shift, but
principals everywhere know how valuable hands-on learning is, and nobody
does it better than we do. If you were a principal, would you want to see
your kids sitting lined up in rows all day long. Of course not.
Yes, academics are important. But you have to give the kids something to
write about in English!
Caught Boca Grande Pass,
Florida
Sunday, May 20, 2001
150 Pound Tarpon - 7 feet
long
4.0 Penn Senator Reel - 7'
medium heavy rod - 50 pound line - 100 pound leader
Five ounce jig head - chartreuse
12 phantom grub - cable tied to 8.0 hook
6" off bottom - one hour
fight - covered 1 1/2 mile of ocean
Returned to sea!
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Waite - Revised February 4, 2009