[TheForge] homeschooling blacksmiths

Tue Jan 14 16:37:01 2003

Joe 8 and Martha 12 have been playing
with cold metal from the time that they
could hold a tool and have an idea as to
what they wanted to make. Martha started
to hit hot metal around 9 or so and
Joseph is my designated fire starter in
the coal forge and is trying now to make
a sword ( what else would a 8 yr. old
boy make?)  Martha 12 has just made her
first forge weld. So I guess you can say
I let them have at it. 

That being said, I am not earning my
living doing this so I can afford the
time to  do safety drills and oversee
what is going on. When I pick up some
new trick or skill, it has been the see
one, do one, teach one model. 

From the home schooling angle it is an
ideal environment for math, chemistry
and physics. Martha and I have made
several trips to pick up equipment or
visit fellow smiths. These have been
full blown geography, geology,  history
and civics workshops. She has also
developed fair map reading skills in the
process.

I think that you will like the home
schooling environment here in Wisconsin.

Mike Graf, Milwaukee

Fiorini & Skiles wrote:
> 
> (here is the on topic part)
> So far 3 homeschooling blacksmith families all on one relatively small
> listserv.  That's interesting.  I suppose we make 4, even though our kids
> are not yet at school age.
> 
> So at what age, and how, do you homeschooling blacksmiths keep your kids
> around when you are doing blacksmithing work?  Are they in your shop at all,
> part of the time, none of the time?  How do you incorporate your
> blacksmithing into the homeschooling?
> 
> (the rest is a bit off topic)
> Do your kids ever drive you bonkers?
> 
> Our house is on the market and we'll be moving across the river to Wisconsin
> when it sells.  When we move, I'm going to join the regional homeschooling
> group, an inclusive one.  Our son is only 3, but I seem to be teaching him
> all the time anyway, in one way or another.
> 
> I'm pretty bad with names.  Are any of you that replied the blacksmith
> homeschooling family that we know from northern Wisconsin?
> -Kirsten
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "GHS" <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 11:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] homeschooling blacksmiths was new web page
> 
> > We do also.
> >
> > Mike Graf
> >
> > Fiorini & Skiles wrote:
> > >
> > > I just emailed Andy off list about homeschooling with questions.  Are
> there
> > > any other theforge families who homeschool?
> > > -Kirsten
> 
> > > >
> > >
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