RC and Education

[kpl72]

Chad -
I really enjoy the show, and I truly hope that you can continue to produce it and grow the content. I'm wondering if, now that you are sponsor free, you could do an episode (or a section) of hobby shop reviews. I've ordered quite a bit of stuff from Headsuprc.com in Florida, and find they are fast, efficient, and well-priced for a US based retailer. Perhaps there are others out there as well.

It's refreshing to hear that you are committed to mission. So many times mission gets sacrificed in chasing the $$$. Stay true to your mission.

One other thought - our country is in desperate need of of STEM education (science, technology, engineering & math). Your program is awesome in that respect. I think you have a great platform - NSF (national science foundation) would be wise to sponsor this type of activity. I am a Lego robotics coach, and a lot of the excitement I see around robotics extends to RC flight. I encourage you to look in this direction if it makes sense for you. I think you could do an awesome youth outreach program. I notice Josh Scott is a youth leader at church, I suspect he has some real skills to offer in this area.

Keep fighting the good fight

Kevin

 

[Carbon]

I am a Lego robotics coach, and a lot of the excitement I see around robotics extends to RC flight.

+1 for this. I am the president of a 4-H FRC robotics club. I joined robotics to learn about things like programming, circuitry, etc, but then I found that my passion was with flying and I have used my skills from the team to help with my plane building.

 

[earthsciteach]

kpl72- Awesome, man! I'm a Science Olympiad coach, have an RC club at school and also a degree in Mechanical Engineering (teaching is my "sanity" career). The STEM education is SO vital, particularly in this BS climate of standardized testing and "No Child Left Behind" load of sh*t. For instance, did you see that the Texas GOP announced that they are against teaching critical thinking skills? Its this kind of mentality that we educators need to combat against! I've been in the business world and I know what skills are needed. Sadly, those aren't being reinforced by the standardized testing. We have SO many kids who are smart, capable, but disengaged because of the one-size-fits-all mentality of education over the last several years. I am expected to teach to some generic curriculum because... well, just because.

I still do what I see as best for the group of kids I have. There is no one answer. If you can't tailor the subject to the kids you have, you are nothing but a robot, yourself. Keep doing what you do! I KNOW how frustrating and demoralizing it can be, at times. That's why those of us in the classroom need to do what we see as best. That's what we are paid for!

 

[Ak Flyer]

teach, I was one of those students. I couldn't care less in school and my grades reflected that. I had one teacher who was tough as nails but expected us to learn and everyone including me hated him. He had a passion for what he taught though and by the end of my second year in high school he was hands down my favorite teacher. Much more so than the laid back do whatever the book says types.

It wasn't until I got the tech school that I really enjoyed what I was learning and excelled. I went to Denver Auto and Diesel College and all the teachers there were required to have a minimum 5 years working in the topic that they were teaching. These guys were real, knew the subject inside and out and were able to relate to the students. I came out with straight A's even from the business courses. My second option was the Oregon Institute of Technology for a dual Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering Degree. Being a dumbass teenager I was turned off by the 5 year commitment and student loans so I took the easier route and became a mechanic. I think if I had more teachers like you I would have taken the challenge and pushed myself further and gone the other route. I've done well for myself so no regrets but the longer I work, the more I agree with you. Less and less people in the work force are capable of thinking outside the box. (I hate that expression but it fits.) If things don't go according to plan, they lose their focus completely and start making stupid decisions. Even though I took the GT courses and the problem solving/critical thinking stuff, when I got to high school they just lost my interest all together. All I was doing was killing time. I obviously can't blame them entirely but why did the good teachers all live in elementary school and all the high school teachers were burn outs who lost their passion for it.

Long story short, I applaud you. I wish I had been in your classes. I know we need more teachers like you. Want to come up and teach my kids?

 

[earthsciteach]

Funny, I spent the entire day watching shows about Alaska on Nat Geo, or one of those channels. Looks awesome except for that 8 months of winter, thing!

Don't be down on yourself in any way for learning to become a mechanic. It probably has served you quite well. In fact, you are probably more mechanically adept than 99% of engineers out there!

 

[Ak Flyer]

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm good at what I do and I've never been out of work longer than I wanted to. I'm also a certified crane operator and a dozen other things so it's served me well. I just know I could have done well in that field as well had I chose it and I think with different encouragement I would have tried instead of taking what at the time was the easy route. Plus like you said, most of the engineers in the world could really use some field experience. I think that people should have to start in the field and work their way into the office so they understand what the guys in the field are having to deal with. A lot of our engineers (I work in the oil industry) have no idea what they're doing and they send us all kinds of things that won't work. We get things done right in the end but it takes us giving it back and telling them why it won't work a few times.

 

[earthsciteach]

Yep. That's a big reason I left engineering. I was working for a consulting engineering firm as an HVAC engineer. I kept asking to work in the field for the new controls and commissioning department, but was told that they couldn't justify my salary doing that. Funny thing is, that particular department had more potential for growth and profit than any other aspect of the company. Oh well. I'm MUCH happier now!

 

[Ak Flyer]

Glad to hear it. Sounds like it worked out for everyone.

 

[tinkerbill]

Signature sign off quote...

teach, I was one of those students. I couldn't care less in school and my grades reflected that. I had one teacher who was tough as nails but expected us to learn and everyone including me hated him. He had a passion for what he taught though and by the end of my second year in high school he was hands down my favorite teacher. Much more so than the laid back do whatever the book says types.

It wasn't until I got the tech school that I really enjoyed what I was learning and excelled. I went to Denver Auto and Diesel College and all the teachers there were required to have a minimum 5 years working in the topic that they were teaching. These guys were real, knew the subject inside and out and were able to relate to the students. I came out with straight A's even from the business courses. My second option was the Oregon Institute of Technology for a dual Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering Degree. Being a dumbass teenager I was turned off by the 5 year commitment and student loans so I took the easier route and became a mechanic. I think if I had more teachers like you I would have taken the challenge and pushed myself further and gone the other route. I've done well for myself so no regrets but the longer I work, the more I agree with you. Less and less people in the work force are capable of thinking outside the box. (I hate that expression but it fits.) If things don't go according to plan, they lose their focus completely and start making stupid decisions. Even though I took the GT courses and the problem solving/critical thinking stuff, when I got to high school they just lost my interest all together. All I was doing was killing time. I obviously can't blame them entirely but why did the good teachers all live in elementary school and all the high school teachers were burn outs who lost their passion for it.

Long story short, I applaud you. I wish I had been in your classes. I know we need more teachers like you. Want to come up and teach my kids?

Ak Flyer, I really liked your sign off signature. I have one I coined that is of a similar vein regarding sky divers. It goes like this: 'Sky divers, good to the last drop'! :black_eyed: