New Plumbing Teacher saying Hello

[tsunami]

Hi there, this is my first post on this Forum. I have been a Plumber on the tools for for nearly 30 years now (time flies!), but everything changes and 4 months ago i started a new job teaching Plumbing at my local College. I have really enjoyed the experience so far and i will be back again after the Summer Hols. I will try to Keep you posted of what happens over the next few months.

 

[Dan]

Welcome to Plumbing Forum | Plumbing Advice | Plumbers Forums | A forum for plumbers advice in the UK!

Hello tsunami, welcome aboard www.UKPlumbersForums.co.uk. Stick around, I'm sure you'll like the place.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

hi tsunami welcome to the forums

steve

 

[Barry98]

nice of him to WAVE a hello , welcome tsunami

 

[Puddle]

Hi tsunami

Welcome to the forums,hope you enjoy and feel able to get involved

Hope the move into teaching works out well,is it full time or do you still do a bit on the tools,did you have to do any special course or sit a exam to allow you to teach or can you go straight into the class room?

 

[northstar]

Hi tsunami and welcome what area are you from ? many thanks

 

[tsunami]

Hi tsunami

Welcome to the forums,hope you enjoy and feel able to get involved

Hope the move into teaching works out well,is it full time or do you still do a bit on the tools,did you have to do any special course or sit a exam to allow you to teach or can you go straight into the class room?

Thanks for the welcomes everyone! I did not have to do a special course but as part of the deal i have to start my Cert Ed course this September and also my A1 Assessor course at the same time. Its gonna be busy. I am reserving all judgement on courses and the like as i came through the basic craft and advanced craft route many years ago.

 

[turnpin]

Hi tsunami and welcomeregards turnpin

 

[dontknowitall]

Tsunami - interesting you're "reserving judgement". If it's any comfort I trained on a fast track course over two years ago and my favourite teacher was nearly 60 years old and had plumbed just about all his life.

I know I'm old fashioned but I much prefer the old ways of doing things in so many aspects of life (e.g. shirt and tie when going out for a meal or to a party, even for children!)

I'm not trying to suggest you're old fashioned at all, just hope you're allowed to teach the way you learned!!

 

[kirkgas]

Thanks for the welcomes everyone! I did not have to do a special course but as part of the deal i have to start my Cert Ed course this September and also my A1 Assessor course at the same time. Its gonna be busy. I am reserving all judgement on courses and the like as i came through the basic craft and advanced craft route many years ago.

i started part time training/assessing gas while i worked as a Gas Manager full time, i worked towards A1 the V1, did that for a couple of years then i was offered a temp full time contract in a college teaching gas and plumbing, have been there for about 15 months and thoroughly enjoying it, the fact you dont have formal qualifications doesnt matter as long as you are passionate about plumbing and keen to pass on your skills, i have thoroughly enjoyed getting back into the theory side, we get a lot of prep time which i use to get right back into things, i know how to do all the jobs but it is important to get the theory over to the students as well, one thing i found weird to get used to is the hours, i only teach for 25hrs a week with 1/3rd on top for prep so i only work 32.5hrs a week its like part time

 

[tsunami]

Tsunami - interesting you're "reserving judgement". If it's any comfort I trained on a fast track course over two years ago and my favourite teacher was nearly 60 years old and had plumbed just about all his life.

I know I'm old fashioned but I much prefer the old ways of doing things in so many aspects of life (e.g. shirt and tie when going out for a meal or to a party, even for children!)

I'm not trying to suggest you're old fashioned at all, just hope you're allowed to teach the way you learned!!

Hi again, all i meant was that 29 years ago i went through the route of six months full time at College then day release one day a week until completing my Apprenticeship. I am reserving judgement on the new course contents compared to what i studied, as I can see good things in both of them. By the way, its quite nice wearing a tie and clean clothes at work for a change.

i started part time training/assessing gas while i worked as a Gas Manager full time, i worked towards A1 the V1, did that for a couple of years then i was offered a temp full time contract in a college teaching gas and plumbing, have been there for about 15 months and thoroughly enjoying it, the fact you dont have formal qualifications doesnt matter as long as you are passionate about plumbing and keen to pass on your skills, i have thoroughly enjoyed getting back into the theory side, we get a lot of prep time which i use to get right back into things, i know how to do all the jobs but it is important to get the theory over to the students as well, one thing i found weird to get used to is the hours, i only teach for 25hrs a week with 1/3rd on top for prep so i only work 32.5hrs a week its like part time

Thanks for that. I find that my preparation time is soon filled with lesson plans and the like. Could you give me any tips on planning and presentation that you have found useful?

 

[kirkgas]

Thanks for that. I find that my preparation time is soon filled with lesson plans and the like. Could you give me any tips on planning and presentation that you have found useful?[/QUOTE]

TBH only having started 15months ago (full time anyway) i'm not sure i'm qualified yet to be an expert, but i do find that honesty helps, ie you cannot possibly know everything so if a student asks a question i dont know i say i will need to check and confirm before i commit and send them down the wrong route, i prefer this as to talking rubbish, as you end up back tracking and lets be honest when a know it all starts spouting you just want to punch them in the head (havent done it yet!!!!) dont get me wrong you pick up the stuff quickly but i found coming from the tools and hopefully doing a good job as i have done it for over 30yrs, i like most others didnt know the number of the BS or reg that i was complying with every day so now i have to get up to speed with the numbers etc, i also think being passionate about the trade comes across and the students appreciate what you are trying to do for them, when i started my prep for lessons i was adviseed to keep them short, precise and on topic, it is too easy to go off on a tangent and lose too much time, be strict with yourself, prepare well, and be honest enough to change what isnt going well for you, feedback from students is very helpful as well, eg asking after the lesson what they liked/disliked do they want more active lessons or more workshop, you are guided by the carriculum but there are always different ways to present, i'm sure you will settle into it, enjoy it and develop what you are doing, it is far easier to discuss fitting a storage tank, boiler, cylinder and 10 rads than it is to do it haha

 

[tsunami]

Thanks again Kirkgas! i will try to bear some of that in mind on monday when i go back to college to prepare for the new students starting next week which should be fun!