INFI in K-12 Education

Tyrkon Lawson

Tyrkon Lawson

Joined
Oct 31, 2003
Messages
8,583
With this being the end of the year, the last instructional day in fact, most of my students are either out practicing their promotion ceremony or still at home in bed. I have just a few knuckle heads showing up each period because school is better than home.

Anyway, I am thinking of fun ways to bring some more life into the content I teach. I already do tons of labs and now we have laptops for the kids to do research and on-line virtual labs. BUT... What about INFI? I was thinking that once I start teaching properties of matter in my chemistry section I could show some of the various vids/clips we have all seen of INFI being beaten on. Especially Noss's tests. As well as vid/clips of other knives that perhaps didn't do as well in the toughness area. I could talk about how certain variables, such as heat treat,steel type, edge geometry, etc..., have a huge effect on a tools performance.

Sorry guys. Just thinking out loud here. :oI am used to a torrent of students and it's just too quiet right now. And I have had coffee.
 
Guess they won't have any money left, (once the infiction kicks in), to buy cigarettes.:o Good idea!!:D
 
Youre a brave man. I dont know where in socal you are, but to introduce anything related to knives will take a lot of trust in your students and their parrents, cause in LA, it seems like it would be a matter of hours before someone would tell their parrents who would see it as an oppurtunity to sue.

I was just having a conversation with a colleague who's going on weekend backpacking trip with his son and their boy scout troop where theyre not allowed to bring anything other than a SAK ever as a troop rule. He quoted someone who said "anything bigger than a swiss army knife is really just a weapon."

I bring that up because if thats the boy scouts position, I can only imagine what someone could construe your knife vids to be!

I for one would have loved to have seen a teacher like you showing some properties of infi!
 
sirahren said:
Youre a brave man. I dont know where in socal you are, but to introduce anything related to knives will take a lot of trust in your students and their parrents, cause in LA, it seems like it would be a matter of hours before someone would tell their parrents who would see it as an oppurtunity to sue.

I was just having a conversation with a colleague who's going on weekend backpacking trip with his son and their boy scout troop where theyre not allowed to bring anything other than a SAK ever as a troop rule. He quoted someone who said "anything bigger than a swiss army knife is really just a weapon."

I bring that up because if thats the boy scouts position, I can only imagine what someone could construe your knife vids to be!

I for one would have loved to have seen a teacher like you showing some properties of infi!
Click to expand...

Very good point. The main thing would be to keep referring to knives as "tools". They are simple machines after all. Also, it would be a "real world" application of the science they learn. Content based "ie. properties of matter". Just a short lesson amongst a huge array of other lessons. And of course it would all have to be vids and pics. No live INFI anywhere near campus or Morimotom would have to give me a ride down town. :p

But again, you bring up a great point about being careful. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
Great idea Tyrkon! :thumbup:

As they keep telling us in Ed. class; if you can align it, you can teach it! :thumbup::D:thumbup:

I don't think they realize the potential of that statement though :eek: My last students found a way to turn cotton balls, rubber bands, and straws into a blowgun.
 
That pic floating around of Andrew with the MOAB was taken when he was either a senior in HS or had just graduated...
 
That sounds like a cool idea, and we're always more fun with things we like....or in this case are insanely obsessed with! :D that would be a cool twist on school. ALL kids like destruction :p....which makes us BIG KIDS? Haha. I don't think there would be any problems there....but then again, when I was in middle school one of my teachers used to play us the Beatles backwards and tell us of the hidden messages and reflect on crazy drug experiences back in his european traveling days and how a supposed "friend" that was giving him shelter for the night near a train station in Sweden and tried to drug him and violate his booty.....so MAYBE I'm just a little out of touch :p
 
A couple years back, when I was teaching on a fly-in reserve in northern Ontario, I took my kids out on canoe and camping trips. They all learned about khukuris, and I let the kids borrow my little Howling Rat to clean the geese and ducks that they shot.

For a real curveball, one of the teachers brought his .22, and taught all of the kids how to shoot.

Today was also the last day of school. I had my custom ringed razel in my pocket for splitting open hot dog buns.

TC
 
Do it, TL!! Some of the nicest people are knife people and your idea will be educational. As a Kid, I would have been really interested---Shocker!!
 
Sounds like a cool idea! My only concern is that it would freak the kids out. Those tests are pretty insane! Maybe you could get all of us in a class! That would work way better! :D
 
Ty, I could see you teaching some great lessons on metal properties and chemical ractions, heat-treating, etc... I think it'd be great. The kids love it when we talk about the things we're obviously passionate about. My 6th period this year had this thing where they would subtly try to engage me in conversations about hip hop and music in general, hoping I would get carried away and spend the entire period playing them songs and breaking down lyrics. Little knuckleheads.

If Jerry would make a multi-tool out of INFI, I'd be in great shape because my principal has allowed me to carry my Leatherman Charge on campus the past two years. :thumbup:

Hear that Jerry? Right after you release the Folder get to work on an INFI leatherman. We can call it the NukeTool! :thumbup::D
 
The INFI-Tool, is on the Drawing Board!! Right next to a bottle of Scotch!!
 
Good luck TL! I like the way you're going with this. I work in a school district so PC:barf:, that the image of a knife on apparel would get you sent home.:rolleyes:
I would love to see more intelligent attitudes prevail about edged tools. As much as I loved Scouting, BSA's adoption of paranoid rhetoric and regulations regarding outdoor tools is why I am no longer willing to be a Charter Rep for them.
Be careful, but have some fun. Promoting intelligence is your job, you might as well include one of your passions.:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top