What's New on the PRR Panhandle 2.0?

[rogruth]

You have shown above and at other times that you still use knowledge from your profession.
I had nearly 70 years involved with music, mostly teaching, and do nothing in the teaching field now.
There have been so many changes in teaching I would no longer be able to teach.

[chuck]

There have been so many changes in teaching I would no longer be able to teach.

Wrong!!!! You actually know/understand how to teach. This is something that has fallen by the wayside over the past 70 years. What is now being peddled as "teaching" is more like "training". When you actually teach someone you are trying to give them the ultimate gift of how to learn, aka how to process information such that you absorb not only the facts but the process itself.

When you "train" someone it's all about the facts. Training is the fastest way to impart information but it has little to do with how to build on it, certainly not by yourself. We have "teachers" that are basically training kids to take tests that are solely used to evaluate the teachers ability to train. The statistics (now called "metrics") are used to figure out who gets more money or promoted or fired/passed over. This is EVERYONE"S fault. The parents who treat their kids like pets (dog obedience school), the "teachers" that have sold out/bought into this ridiculous system, the administrators that push it because it's easier on them (push those metrics!) and finally the politicians that peddle this crap around.

Real teaching is hard, time consuming, and expensive. It involves ALL of the stakeholders involvement to succeed and no one seems to be interested in investing any of that. It's much easier to complain and point fingers.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

[rogruth]

Chuck,
I agree with you but I wouldn't be kept as part of a faculty today because I would have trouble "training" my students.
I was a band director/instrumental music teacher that even though I had to get a large group to work together as one
thought that those in the group also needed to learn how to think as individuals. IMHO it wasn't easy and I was not
always to accomplish that with every student. However we also always had FUN in some way, learned about music
and how to live at least a semi productive life.

I do not think that I could teach today.

[chuck]

I do not think that I could teach today.

Probably correct but not because of any deficiencies on your part. World has changed and not necessarily for the better.

[robert.]

How will they teach wind instruments now? What about the split release lever on those instruments?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

There have been so many changes in teaching I would no longer be able to teach.

Wrong!!!! You actually know/understand how to teach. This is something that has fallen by the wayside over the past 70 years. What is now being peddled as "teaching" is more like "training". When you actually teach someone you are trying to give them the ultimate gift of how to learn, aka how to process information such that you absorb not only the facts but the process itself.

When you "train" someone it's all about the facts. Training is the fastest way to impart information but it has little to do with how to build on it, certainly not by yourself. We have "teachers" that are basically training kids to take tests that are solely used to evaluate the teachers ability to train. The statistics (now called "metrics") are used to figure out who gets more money or promoted or fired/passed over. This is EVERYONE"S fault. The parents who treat their kids like pets (dog obedience school), the "teachers" that have sold out/bought into this ridiculous system, the administrators that push it because it's easier on them (push those metrics!) and finally the politicians that peddle this crap around.

Real teaching is hard, time consuming, and expensive. It involves ALL of the stakeholders involvement to succeed and no one seems to be interested in investing any of that. It's much easier to complain and point fingers.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

No, no, no! You're spot on!!!

[G3750]

There have been so many changes in teaching I would no longer be able to teach.

Wrong!!!! You actually know/understand how to teach. This is something that has fallen by the wayside over the past 70 years. What is now being peddled as "teaching" is more like "training". When you actually teach someone you are trying to give them the ultimate gift of how to learn, aka how to process information such that you absorb not only the facts but the process itself.

When you "train" someone it's all about the facts. Training is the fastest way to impart information but it has little to do with how to build on it, certainly not by yourself. We have "teachers" that are basically training kids to take tests that are solely used to evaluate the teachers ability to train. The statistics (now called "metrics") are used to figure out who gets more money or promoted or fired/passed over. This is EVERYONE"S fault. The parents who treat their kids like pets (dog obedience school), the "teachers" that have sold out/bought into this ridiculous system, the administrators that push it because it's easier on them (push those metrics!) and finally the politicians that peddle this crap around.

Real teaching is hard, time consuming, and expensive. It involves ALL of the stakeholders involvement to succeed and no one seems to be interested in investing any of that. It's much easier to complain and point fingers.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

No, no, no! You're spot on!!!

Agreed!!!!

Real teaching IS hard. This past year as an adjunct professor of computer science has reinforced that. Getting students to look past the "is it on the test?" mentality and understand why something is important or thinking about how to solve a problem matters is not easy. But is is important and gratifying (when it happens).

George

[G3750]

Updated 6/15/2020:

While work continues on the scenery in the Ohio River valley and on the bridge, some electrical work has also been conducted ("nyuk, nyuk, nyuk").

Awhile ago, I acquired a second 12V DC power supply. Today I re-arranged some of the other supplies and mounted them all vertically so as to get more air flowing around them. I also decided that I will move all the 3VDC "wall warts" to remote power strips located at the ends of the layout. These will power street lights (my lighted telephone poles) and traffic signals.

George

[healey36]

What is new on the Panhandle? When's the article with photos coming out?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

When's the article with photos coming out?

Godot is working on the final delivery.......

[rogruth]

Waiting. Patiently.

[G3750]

Sorry guys. I know it's hard to believe, but I have been working on the Panhandle. Unfortunately, life tends to get in the way.

I am chasing the final segment of the article. I cannot speak for the higher power that will ultimately decide when the article(s) appear.

As soon as I get the final segment done, I plan to pursue other segments of the layout that can be described in detail.

George

[healey36]

Looking forward to it.

[G3750]

Updated 7/10/2020:

After reviewing the track plan, I have decided to change the Steubenville area in these ways:

• Moving Market Street (actually sliding it) 6" to the west.
• Moving the eastern end of 4th street (where it crosses the mainline) farther east by about 12".
• Adding an O72 RH turnout just east of the wye and creating a 72" long passenger train siding. This will just accommodate the 4-car Spirit of St. Louis (the Panhandle's most famous passenger train).
• Making the retaining wall behind (north of) the passenger siding taller to help slope the scenery up to the backdrop. The area will get trees and some HO houses for forced perspective.
• Adding a 11 degree RH turnout and spur (engine pocket) just east of the station to accommodate a switcher and possibly a reefer

Here's a look at the proposed area:
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0BJtdOXmGGFaON

This is also my first shared iCloud album!!

George

[J. S. Bach]

Looks good to me, I like the changes.