I rushed through yesterday's blog post, and while finally finishing the porch project today I got a couple more good ideas of construction <--> education analogies.
ANALOGY #1:
Sometimes we must apply our best efforts on imperfect material.
This doorway is just impossible. The only way to make a proper floor would have been to rip all these boards, and probably re-adjust the entire door frame. However I don't have that kind of time or experience, so this just has to work out that best way that I can manage.
It's like some units that are just weaker than others; I have fewer primary sources, less-exciting video lessons, and the objectives are abstract. But I can't ditch this unit because it's a crucial building block for others. (One example is the Articles of Confederation period, which helps the Constitution's development & debate make much more sense.)
Sometimes we must apply our best efforts on imperfect material.
This doorway is just impossible. The only way to make a proper floor would have been to rip all these boards, and probably re-adjust the entire door frame. However I don't have that kind of time or experience, so this just has to work out that best way that I can manage.
It's like some units that are just weaker than others; I have fewer primary sources, less-exciting video lessons, and the objectives are abstract. But I can't ditch this unit because it's a crucial building block for others. (One example is the Articles of Confederation period, which helps the Constitution's development & debate make much more sense.)
^^^^^^ Look at the slant on that floor!! The cabinet in the background really shows the angle of slope.
It wasn't really a problem for tiling, but it is for the door since I raised the floor level: now it rubs against the floor on the knob side when opened, but there's a 1/2-inch gap on that side when closed! That's why I had to tack this felt strip on the threshold.
It wasn't really a problem for tiling, but it is for the door since I raised the floor level: now it rubs against the floor on the knob side when opened, but there's a 1/2-inch gap on that side when closed! That's why I had to tack this felt strip on the threshold.
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Now you're looking upward at a rafter ... see how crooked this thing is?!? I don't even think it's actually supporting the structure at all....
And below you see a pair of grim realities: the ugly electrical socket on a floor bulge, and the dryer duct that protrudes a few inches into the porch while curving downward to the basement. That box came with the house; I can't take credit for this fine craftsmanship.
And below you see a pair of grim realities: the ugly electrical socket on a floor bulge, and the dryer duct that protrudes a few inches into the porch while curving downward to the basement. That box came with the house; I can't take credit for this fine craftsmanship.
ANALOGY #2
The rafter, socket, and duct box represent the structural realities we sometimes have to teach around: an early-release in the middle of the week, a surprise snow day, the wi-fi glitching for who knows how long. It's not pretty, but our creative solutions are beautiful in their own way. I kinda like that brown box, and the piece of trim sneaking underneath the dryer duct....
I expect to look back on this blog entry sometime during the winter, when the current muggy weather is replaced by face-freezing chill. I hope the porch is still in good shape, and that I'm taking these lessons to heart while planning lessons for a pockmarked calendar of snowstorms and assemblies....
The rafter, socket, and duct box represent the structural realities we sometimes have to teach around: an early-release in the middle of the week, a surprise snow day, the wi-fi glitching for who knows how long. It's not pretty, but our creative solutions are beautiful in their own way. I kinda like that brown box, and the piece of trim sneaking underneath the dryer duct....
I expect to look back on this blog entry sometime during the winter, when the current muggy weather is replaced by face-freezing chill. I hope the porch is still in good shape, and that I'm taking these lessons to heart while planning lessons for a pockmarked calendar of snowstorms and assemblies....
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