If I could teach the world to sew

Three years ago, as an award, I got to attend a conference in Vegas for three days.  Lamest conference ever.  With one small exception.  The last speaker talked about the joy and fulfillment that comes from doing a hard days work with something physical to show for it at the end.  He used the example of Dwight from the office, needing to show his worth with a poster of positive attributes.  If Dwight had something physical to show for his days of work, he wouldn't feel the need to validate his efforts with a poster. 

Of course, he was speaking to a group of teachers who all, like me, taught hands on subjects.  Sewing, cooking, welding, auto, the subjects that so many schools have taken out.

This is not political, this is not to say other careers are not valid, awesome, or fulfilling.

But if I could teach the world to sew.  Since quitting teaching, I've started my etsy shop and started sewing for my sister-in-law's baby bedding company.  Working hard on a project and having something at the end that you can hold up, it just feels good.  It's been so cool to see that I can use these skills, that at first were just fun for me, to make a little money for my family.

There is money to be made everywhere if you have a hands on skill.

Granted, you have to be really really good at that skill.  Cooking?  Cater parties.  Sewing?  Never did I know the need for sewers (tailors???) until I started working for Oilo.  Auto?  Open a little shop.  Welding?  So many options.  And the great thing about these professions is that they aren't all or nothing.  Often they can be done on an as needed schedule.

I guess because of this economy, this realization was pretty cool to me.  I hope someday I have the chance to teach a sewing class again and express just how awesome an opportunity it is to be able to create with your hands.

I used to teach. . .

Often in conversation I throw out the phrase, "I used to teach. . . " followed by something you probably had no idea I used to teach.  I pretty much majored in like ten things.  It's very much a "Jack of all trades, master of none" kind of major.  I took classes in cooking, sewing, interior design, finance, child development, fashion and religion (not part of my major, just part of being at BYU.)

People usually look at me like I'm lying.  Now you're telling me you taught fashion?  I thought you said interior design?  And last week it was sewing!

So here is a comprehensive list of every high school class I ever taught.  I'm not a liar, but I was a very busy teacher.

Interior Design.  This was my main focus, what I spent most of my time on at Bingham. I taught 4-6 Interior Design I classes each year and one or two year long Interior Design II/Advanced Interior Design classes each year.

Student Project.  She got an A.

Fashion.  I kept this to myself during the 30x30 challenge.  I don't need that kind of pressure.  During my five years at Bingham I taught this class ten times and put on three fashion shows.

We did A LOT of sketching in this class.

Sewing.  This is my weakest subject as a teacher.  I'm pretty good at sewing, but organizing 30 students and their projects made me run around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I only taught this class four times.  Twice my first year, twice my last year.  (It was way better my last year!)

One of my favorite sewing students presenting me with a made up award.  So dang funny.

Child Development.  I only taught this class twice and it was my first year so I pretty much copied the lesson plans word for word from the teacher that taught the bulk of the Child Development classes.  But this class did give me opportunities to tell lots of stories (I love telling stories!)

Pro-Start: This is the restaurant level cooking class.  I taught it twice my third year of teaching and I told them if they ever made me teach it again they could start looking for my replacement.  I hated that class. (most of the students were okay, but the few egotistical wanna be chefs were enough to push me over the edge)

My competition team.

Adult Roles: This class basically teaches everything high schoolers need to know about being a grown up.  The 7 units include: Self Concept, Communication, Dating (sex education), Marriage, Parenting, Family Life, Finance (I hated finance as much as the students.  We all suffered together!)

Three of my Adult Roles Students taking their robot babies home for the weekend during the parenting unit. 

Whew!  Kind a fun to have that all written out!  What was your favorite subject in high school?

Secrets of a School Teacher

I'm not a mom of teenagers.  Heck, my baby is barely one!  But over the last five years I have taught over 1500 teens (probably a low estimate!!) and they tell me things, things that would shock most of you (and that's probably what they were going for: shock).  And when you get to see that large of a sample, you see patterns.  So here is some advice for parents of teens.  At the very least, I want to remember it for when my kids are teens!  So if you don't want to listen, no hard feelings.  This can just be for me.

Help your girls have a good self esteem

Sometimes I freak out thinking about my students and worrying that my daughter will grow up to be just like them.  Their shirts are too low, their skirts are too short, their earrings and hair and nails too crazy.  But when I get to know the girls that cause these panic attacks, its easy to see the patterns.  They don't feel good about themselves, they need attention from boys to boost their feelings.  Some simple things you can do:

Tell them you love them.  Once a girl got a text in class.  Her eyes brimmed with tears and she looked at me and said, "My mom just said 'I love you," for the first time in two months."  No matter how much you fight with your kids or how rebellious they seem they just want your love.  I promise.  I have never heard a student tell me otherwise.

Show them they're important by being there for them.  One student had been in my classes for over two years.  I get these types, they click with me and take everything I offer.  I love it!  She stayed one day after school to make up a test.  She always complained about her mom not buying her enough things or not getting her the phone she wanted (even though she had a LOT of clothes and an iPhone even I couldn't afford).  But that day while she was in my class her mom called.  From what I heard I could tell her mom was calling to say she would not be coming home from her trip as soon as she planned.  My girl said, "You are my mom.  Do you know what moms do?  They help you and they're there for you.  You have a daughter!  You need to come home!"  It was so emotional I knew I never wanted my daughter to feel that way.

Show them they're important by setting limits and rules.  My first year of teaching I would visit with  my students during class, rotating through each desk off 6 students.  (I only taught in that room for one year, but I always missed the set up that allowed me to chat with all of my students easily) On one desk a girl was talking about tattoos and piercings.  "My parents would never let me do that," one girl said dejectedly.  The 15-year-old, who was the ringleader of this conversation, said "My dad will let me do anything.  He loves me."  This poor girl was searching for attention she didn't get at home.  She had to tell herself he loved her, because the only thing he did to show it was ignore her. 

All of my students are worthy of love.  The ones that dress in black and look extreme were maybe the most in need of it.  I can't think of a student that I got to know where I didn't find a soft loving heart deep (but not as deep as you think) inside.