Tips from a great teacher: Mike Jakubowski

• Parents, help your children with their math skills. We use math every day in one way or another. My students have said to me, "Mr. J, I did not sign up for a math class." My response: "Yes you did. It's a math class with machines."

• Also for parents: be open to letting your children take an industrial technology class. Our classes are not like what they used to be. We have state-of-the-art equipment that will inspire your children.

• The (industrial technology) students seem to enjoy the hands-on approach. I'm not standing up lecturing, which would've bored me, quite honestly, and makes you lose half the kids. They want to move, they want to touch things, they want to use their hands.

• I can tell when someone's cheating, but instead of embarrassing them in front of the class, I'll pull them aside and make them stay after school, and we'll go over the assignment. The reason (a student) skips through it is usually because he doesn't understand it and doesn't want to look stupid in front of the class.

• I have a kid that I'm trying to convince to become a shop teacher. We're so short on shop teachers statewide and nationwide. Last year, Illinois State University graduated six kids and Eastern Illinois University had two. Those eight kids had 112 job offers before they graduated.

• Teachers, enjoy the time with your students and bring lots of hats. If you teach you'll understand.

- Mike Jakubowski