BillFitzmaurice.info

byacey wrote: A good instructor can make a huge impact on the students education.

+1. I learned more from my trombone professor than just about any other instructor in college, despite the fact that I only majored in music for one year. Much of what I learned had nothing to do with the trombone.

Brent, Interesting you say that. I experienced the same thing with these electronic instructors. They had very diverse interests, sailing, mechanical design, woodworking, music, etc. They seemed to know a lot about many things. Quite often we had very interesting conversations over things not even close to being electronics related.

Another thing I found interesting is that we were introduced to and taught things in high school electronics that my later profs in college didn't have an inkling about. You can't beat experience and accumulated wisdom.

88h88 wrote:I work at a 'world class' university and the vast majority of these kids are thick as fuck. It genuinely worries me how oblivious some of them are...

I understand where you're coming from, ask them a question about what they are studying and they will blow your mind! But ask them a question about real life and it's like talking to a Moron..!

To be fair, being practical is rarely a learnt trait.
Regardless of age.

I know a number of academics who are inately impractical. And I also know some who are extremely practical.

My highschool metal and woodwork teachers were both extremely practical, so I am fortunate

I do regret not having the opportunity to study electronics in my highschool years.

Later down the track, I got interested in restoration of some valve radios from my farm. The guy who was the local guru did his apprenticeship in valve and stayed up to modern times until he (recently) retired. I didn't really know enough to learn a lot from him.

One thing he said I had down pat however, was soldering. And I have my teachers from highschool years to thank for that...

Grant Bunter wrote:
One thing he said I had down pat however, was soldering. And I have my teachers from highschool years to thank for that...

Ditto! Mine was my shop teacher who used to be a B-17 bombardier. He taught me more about math during shop than any math teacher up till then. He also taught me how to solder at the same time. Control the heat and it's your friend.

I see a common thread that many of us experienced. Good mentors are an irreplaceable and invaluable link in the educative process, and can also directly affect who we become as people.

So, therefore, we have to be(come) mentors.

All my teachers throughout school were shit, my design tutor at college was great though. It's a pity we caught him at the beginning of a downward spiral into alcoholism...

I teach pizza making to friends because I'm of the belief that anything shop bought or take out is trash. It is my gift.

88h88 wrote:I teach pizza making to friends because I'm of the belief that anything shop bought or take out is trash.

In Jolly Olde I can see that, but not Boston, Providence or New York. Mine is the equal of any, but it has nothing to do with culinary skill, you just need the right oven. For those curious, it must be convection, set to at least 550 degrees, with a baking stone. The crust must go directly on the stone, and the pre-heating of the oven takes at least an hour.

Bill Fitzmaurice wrote:For those curious, it must be convection, set to at least 550 degrees, with a baking stone. The crust must go directly on the stone, and the pre-heating of the oven takes at least an hour.

Yup. That there is the truth. I've been messing around with different flavoured yeast starters but most of the time I'll just leave a 'standard' dough mix in the fridge to cold rise and ferment for a couple of days. The UK doesn't 'do' pizza very well which is why shit like Pizza Hut and Dominos make bank, nobody knows what real pizza actually is.

88h88 wrote:The UK doesn't 'do' pizza very well which is why shit like Pizza Hut and Dominos make bank, nobody knows what real pizza actually is.

Places of that sort don't do local business where there are real pizzerias here. Anyone seen in a Pizza Hut in New York might as well be wearing a sign that says 'Tourist'. I'd rather graze my lawn than eat anything from Dominos.

coops309 wrote:

88h88 wrote:I work at a 'world class' university and the vast majority of these kids are thick as fuck. It genuinely worries me how oblivious some of them are...

I understand where you're coming from, ask them a question about what they are studying and they will blow your mind! But ask them a question about real life and it's like talking to a Moron..!

The only thing I would add is that this is nothing new. Every generation thinks the young-uns that follow them are more clueless than ever.

Read here for proof if you want. This guy calls it Nostesia, a mixture of nostalgia and amnesia.

http://www.jamievollmer.com/nostesia.html

jswingchun wrote:The only thing I would add is that this is nothing new. Every generation thinks the young-uns that follow them are more clueless than ever.

And they're right. One of the revelations that comes with age is realizing how stupid you were until at least the age of 30, and wondering how you managed to live through your stupid years. While it isn't listed as such in the actuarial tables, the number one cause of death of those between the ages of 15 and 25 is terminal stupidity.

Tom Smit wrote:So, therefore, we have to be(come) mentors.

Wisdom.

Love it Tom.

Being a mentor is good. However, finding a young mind that wants to learn the easy way isn't an easy task. They have to have a thirst for knowledge and be willing to put in the effort to gain it. To many kids expect everything to simply handed to them.