[bksvol-discuss] Re: question

  • From: Sarah Van Oosterwijck <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 10 May 2010 12:03:20 -0500

Both home economics--what a stupid name--and shop effectively teach us practical math. You should know how to manipulate fractions after taking either of these classes, at least here in the U.S. I doubt that was the purpose, though, so they aren't interchangeable.


I think I was really fortunate to have had both, because I went to the Minnesota State Academy for the Blind. Even in the 90's the local school district still had the policy you wrote about. Girls took home economics and boys took shop unless someone fought about it, which I also found totally ridiculous. They also only got one of these classes in high school, but I had both for many years. I had shop when I was in grade school, and even though I wasn't allowed to use the power saw, I was able to make some simple things with the non-power tools. I was allowed to use the drill press. I was so short I had to stand on something to reach it. *grin*
By junior high I was allowed to use all the tools in the shop.

Home economics was pretty useful, but they should have taught us to make more food that was good for us and not so many desserts. Sure I learned how to measure and use an oven, but I still couldn't figure out what to eat. That is why we need cook books. Did I mention that I don't like to cook?

I also learned how to kind of use a sewing machine, but still have issues with how to find patterns. I tried to get my knowledge of sewing up to something that would do me some good a year or two ago. I started scanning one book about it, but got too frustrated. Those messed up fractions and a lot of pictures and charts strike again. I did get one tip from the book. I'll share it since that book is unlikely to ever make it on to bookshare, at least not with my help. The person suggested putting a wide rubber band on the sowing machine as a guide for the edge of the fabric where the seem should be. I did that and it works very well. It's neat when there are suggestions that actually work for a blind person in a book written for sighted people. I'm still wondering how people manage to sew their fingers, but suspect it happens to people who don't use the pressure foot or any caution.

Sarah Van Oosterwijck

http://curiousnetentity.com


On 5/10/2010 9:54 AM, Roger Loran Bailey wrote:
Interestingly enough, when I was in junior high school home economics was required for females and shop class was required for males. I don't think I ever heard that it was prohibited for a female to take shop or for a male to take home economics, but I am pretty sure that it was effectively prohibited. That is, if someone asked to take the other class it would have at least caused a good deal of consternation among both the teachers and the administrators. At the time I fulfilled my requirement by taking the shop class despite the fact that I had virtually no interest in it. I also had no interest in the home economics class either, but I do remember that the whole set-up struck me as grossly unjust. Both classes really did teach some useful skills and yet half the population was being tracked away from skills that they might need in the future. The usefulness of the skills taught in shop class were a lot more limited than those taught in home economics class, but the ones taught in the home economics class were highly useful to anyone in life. I am fortunate that I, like most men, learned the home economic skills that were needed on my own as the need arose -- well, I still can hardly sew a stitch -- but that purposeful tracking of students on the basis of sex by institutions was despicable then and insofar as it is still going on I still think it is despicable. In truth, though, I now don't know much at all about primary through secondary school curriculum, but I really hope some lessons have been learned and I do congratulate the women's movement for teaching so many of the lessons that society at large has learned in recent decades.


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----- Original Message ----- From: "Valerie Maples" <vlmaples@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 4:55 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: question


Yikes! That's what I get for not checking my speech recognition. Home equity as was supposed to be home ec was required.

Valerie


On May 10, 2010, at 3:42 AM, Valerie Maples wrote:

If cookbooks aren't educational, then you've got me! Home at quiz required when I was in school, and even though I know it is no longer required, it certainly is both educational and helpful toward independence. I don't think it should be limited to just the basics, I think children need the opportunity to explore in areas even if it's to expose them to the world of gourmet foods and ingredients.

Then again I did grow up with a gourmet chef, so maybe my judgment is slightly different.

Valerie


On May 8, 2010, at 6:30 AM, Jamie Yates, CPhT wrote:

Probably you are right, Judy, although I was thinking there are lots of teen cookbooks. I have one here at home now that I am going to scan although every time I go to my scanning shelf I keep moving it to the bottom of the pile.

I like cookbooks and I like to cook even though I don't do it very often, and I think a good cookbook is essential to everybody whether or not they can see. People have to eat right? I can't cook very well without a good recipe and I should think good directions are even more important if you can't see (but maybe not, maybe it's just me that needs good directions).

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