Woodworking Classes for Kids @ NYTimes.com via Jeri.
IN honor of President’s Day last month, Deb Winsor, a carpenter with a workshop in Brooklyn, led a crew in the construction of an 8-foot-wide model of the White House, complete with north and south porticos and two dozen hand-painted windows.
After reviewing the plans with the workers, Ms. Winsor, 50, supervised them as they laid out two-by-fours for the front and back walls and then hammered the studs and plates together with three-inch nails. Next, she watched as some of them raised the walls and sheathed them in plywood while others used an electric jigsaw to cut bases for the portico columns. Finally, one of the carpenters used a screw gun to attach a flagpole to the roof and secure the pediment to the freshly painted facade.
At quitting time, the workers removed their protective headphones, put their tools back in their holsters and cleaned up their work stations. Then they gathered up the wooden toys they had made during break and ran to the door to greet their parents.
“Good job today,” Ms. Winsor hollered cheerfully at Oscar Markowitz, a 5-year-old boy with orange hair, flushed cheeks and a big grin, one of a dozen children (including the reporter’s son) participating in a weeklong camp she was holding at Construction Kids, her workshop on Flatbush Avenue.
It’s a great idea
It looks like my previous comment got chopped off.
I think it’s a great idea to introduce stuff like this to kids.
The only problem I have with the article is the lead photograph. Long hair (like wearing a tie) is dangerous in the shop. I would be much happier with it if the girl’s hair was tied up in a manner that would not allow it to get tangled in the tools that are obviously present in that shop (like the drill press behind her).
If we’re going to get kids interested in this stuff, we might as well encourage shop safety as well.
From blog.makezine.com:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/nyregion/yale-student-dies-in-machine-shop-accident.html?_r=2