Hi Mathius!
If I was to get back every penny that I thought was owed back to me due to my own very subjective rather than objective opinion about one educator or another not providing me the proper education necessary to prepare me for immediate "TOP PAY" earnings or a multitude of certifications (Actually these were really qualifications but that's another story!) upon completion of any of the many welding courses I took during my time of learning to get ready to go out their and really start to learn this skill called welding, I'd be a very rich man today!!!
In reality, I'm much richer today than I ever thought possible based on all of the knowledge, experience and wisdom I've accumulated over the years (a total of over 30 years experience welding in one form or another and teaching on and off for about nine years)!!! This does'nt mean that I know everything there is to know about welding - Heck no!!! I'm still learning as I type and not just about welding but also about everything that's good in life because son, you only live once - after that who knows and who really cares!!!
I know that for myself, I've been blessed with a second chance that most people will never have in their lives and you cannot put a price on that!!!
All that training helped a little but, I learned more being out there in the fields, yes - I mean more than one when I type FIELDS!!!
Son, there is so much to learn out there and never enough time to learn all of it!!!
Most IMPORTANT of all, do yourself a very big favor by stopping your personal indifference with your current instructor... I mean, work with him instead of trying to disapprove of his methods. Do'nt be so hard on yourself in trying to get this all at once!!! You'll get it when you get it and not a moment sooner!!!
Correct me if I'm mistaken here but, you mentioned that it seems that your instructor has had you "run this test now about a billion times it seems" well did'nt it ever occur to you that it was'nt really whether he was ready but rather whether or not you were ready to be taught how to run it in two passes and subsequently ready to be given "official " plates for the "official" test??? Think about it Mathius!!!
Great Welders (Weldor means singular in Kings English and welder(s) when applied to humans is more often used in a both singular or plural sense when used as grammatical terms in the good young U.S. of A!!!)
exhibit an extraordinary amount of patience and since you are in the process of learning son, start now in developing some patience towards others that might not always be of your liking!!!
I'll end this conversation with you by stating the fact that too often
(I am guilty of this myself) when we try to learn something that we want to be really good at so much, we often find ourselves disappointed when we acually start learning that something by reacting as to why it took so long for us to learn whatever it is we're learning and your example would be one of the many different reactions such as putting blame on the provider of learning, meaning the instructor then, as time goes by as slowly or as in my case - as fast as it does, we tend to look at it from a different perspective and often a much more forgiving one at that... I'll give you an example that I'm sure some of my fellow instructors would concurr; More that once has a former student or students have come back to visit the school where they learned and confessed to the current class being taught at that time that they did'nt really like me as an instructor so much because I did'nt go along with their opinions as they would've liked while they were here learning!!!
They also emphasized that back then - they did'nt think that they were being properly taught by me only to reevaluate their experience later on as they gained practical work experience and confidence in their skill level by admitting that they were too quick to judge me and feeling alot of guilt in their audacity to even think that they had the right to judge me for my methods of teaching!!! In fact, they readily admitted to the current class that they heard my voice over and over in their heads as they were confronted with a variety of different situations out in the real fields!!! Most important of all was the fact that they tried their best to explain to the current class that some of my methods will at first be looked upon by them to be very frustrating and unreasonable at first! However, you'll be greatful later on that our instructor taught you that way!!! I was really touched by their message to the current class because all I ever wanted to achieve when I teach is to instruct my students how to learn whatever it was or is that I'm teaching them and there was the confirmation I needed to hear from who else but - my former students that I had achieved just that with them!!!
Mathius! I'm sure that you are a good natured person so, I implore you to look back at what you've already written here and revisit what you said about; "He keeps finding miniscule problems that prevent me from getting a test sent in for 3 classes now." Look at that statement and honestly ask yourself; "Were my first set of plates as good as the next set etc., etc.???" If you're honest with yourself, you'll agree that in fact your instructor did teach you something about practice, patience, discontiuities and defects. He also helped in improving your weld quality and consistency!!! Oh yeah!!! The instructor did teach you something relevant and worth alot more than what you payed for only you do not realize it YET!!! Relax son, you'll have plenty of time to learn what you need to get ahead in life!!! Just remember not to forget to breathe every once in awhile!!! Okay?
I wish you the best in all of your endevours!!!
Respectfully,
SSBN727 Run Silent... Run Deep!!!
P.S. I'm Back!!! I had to run silent for awhile there so as not to blow off too much steam because man - my reactor was running at 120% and now it's back to a normal 80%!!! Miss me much??? I did'nt think so!!!