About 'theShopTeacher.com' web site

Greetings everyone and welcome to my temporary splash page.

You can see the beginnings of 'theShopTeacher.com' web site at depieri.ca

If you are a teacher who instructs in the areas of: technology education, industrial technology, the practical arts, industrial, occupational or vocational education, then no matter what you call it, “theShopTeacher.com” is a web site you will appreciate.  If you teach at a public institution whether it be middle, junior or high school, or even post secondary, the unique challenges of being a hands on, materials, tools and processes teacher are many. theShopTeacher.com web site will prove to be an effective, project, information and collaboration center.
We also welcome input from people of the trades, the home hobbyists, back yard mechanics, retirees and others. The relationship between shop teachers and the skill set of many is important because the students, our children, are the ones who become the beneficiaries of this wealth of knowledge.  By combining the pedagogy of the teaching profession with the traditional and up-to-date knowledge from many talented individuals, this effort will help train the 'much needed' skilled students and trades people of tomorrow.

Why Re-Invent the wheel?

Shop teachers strive to create exciting and practical lessons and projects, but unfortunately, this usually happens in relative isolation.  Why not use projects and lesson plans that have been tried, tested and reworked by others in the same situation.  Ultimately, we learn from each other.  At the same time, why not use the knowledge that is sitting at our finger tips and take advantage of our retired shop teachers, the home hobbyists, the back yard mechanics and what our trades people have to offer. theShopTeacher.com has begun and continues to compile these "real world" ideas and build a web site that will share; tips n' tricks, short cuts, quality projects, lesson plans, SAFETY strategies and production strategies to name a few.  We invite anyone who can add to the wealth of knowledge where our children become the eventual winners.  This is not academia; this is real life, with real budgets, real students, and real teacher issues.

Why I started theShopTeacher.com

My name is David De Pieri.  I worked in the trades as a journeyman machinist and CNC programmer for ten years.  I then became a high school shop teacher in 1992 and have taught a plethora of courses including; Technology 8, 9 and 10, automotive, drafting, electronics, metal work, power mechanics, wood work, as well as, career preparation machine shop & drafting technology.  Realizing the many hours spent preparing a course only to have an appointment change a year later bothered me.  We work hard at what we do!  I knew there had to be a better way for shop teachers to be able to learn on a more global scale.

Uniting shop teachers and talented individuals of the practical nature with years of experience and knowledge, can only help produce great results for school age kids in an ever changing world.  I'm proud to introduce a system where shop teachers and other specialists can build a better tomorrow for the kids who enjoy the “hands on” experience of building and making.

This web site is coming together thanks to people like you.  Soon I'll have things in a more organized manner, but want to show you the preliminaries which can be seen at depieri.ca
Please come back often, I truly appreciate everyone's support and the input you have given me to date.

Thanks very much to all,
Dave