There has been an interesting discussion on the Woodworking Teacher website in which a new poster asked the question,

What can I major in to become a woodshop teacher other than technology education?

The various replies present an interesting anecdotal overview of what is happening to the education of the hand in American schools. It doesn't look good, and those in the academic community don't seem to notice the problem.

In the meantime, it looks as though the end of the Bush presidency will bring the end of the "No Child Left Behind" Act. None of the presidential candidates from either party is willing to pick up the stupid thing. This legislation placed emphasis on accountability over creativity, pushed standardized testing to dominate education and marginalized the teaching profession. The end of NCLB may leave the door open for a return of the hands. Keep your fingers crossed.