Teaching woodworking to middle and high school students

[KCwoodman]

Thank you all very much for the tips, advice, and expert knowledge - a lot of good things to think about here.

Ben

[Arlin Eastman]

Back in my military days I did a lot of lesson plans and used for the teaching.

First I would put some notes in order of what you plan to teach by just bullet lines and use that to teach by.

Also YouTube is a great place to learn by and you may even use it during teaching to stress some points if the school has a computer with Wi-Fi and a screen to watch it by.

Then practice what you are going to say to not only relax but to rehearse what you want to say.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Hello,

My wife was recently speaking with the principal of the school she works at and it was brought up that there is an interest in starting a woodworking class at the school over the summer.  She mentioned that I was a woodworker and one thing led to another and I think I got signed up to be the instructor for the course.  I consider myself to be a self taught woodworker who never had any formal education on the topic.  I learned everything I know from Wood, Woodsmith, Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, and Shopnotes magazines.  I may have checked out a few books from the library along the way, watched some Youtube videos, and attended a class or two at the local Woodcraft store.  I guess the final source of my knowledge is from this forum and the members here. 

All of that to say, I'm not sure of the best way to go about teaching others what I know.  Tool safety seems like the best place to start.  Teaching what the tools are used for, how they work, and how to use them in a safe manner.  I'm not much of a designer as I typically work off plans or copy others' designs. 

Surely some of you have done this or currently do this.  Any advice for a newbie in the WW teaching area??  Any textbooks in the woodworking area that you would recommend I look into??

Thanks,

Ben

Best procedure(IMHO)

1. Teach wood. How it grows, how it is structured, how harvested, what sawmills do, and how delivered.

2. Tool safety. Start with hand tools. How to shape/cut/sand wood.

3. Project. Bird house, serving tray, etc. Loads of ideas.

4 Prep and finishing and staining.

Now, there are several accomplished woodworkers in Kansas City. Check the Kansas City Woodworkers Guild and several folks here. KCwoodbutcher(Jim Walsh) has a sawmill and kiln(Grandview). He might help if he has time. See if you can get volunteers to come help. That gives kids real world teaching.