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Construction Technology
 

Pathway Description

The Construction Technology Program at San Marcos High School offers students the opportunity to explore careers and skills in the Construction industry. This pathway is unique because it allows students the opportunity to gain first hand experience of what skills and knowledge is required in the construction industry. Students take the knowledge learned in the class and apply it through project based learning. We get excited about what we do in the Construction Technology Program because students learn the importance of most of their other core subjects such as math, science and english in a fun environment that feels more like a professional shop than a school classroom. In the shop students are required and guided on how to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. Our classroom space is set up so that students begin working with hand tools and power tools the first month. Learning happens through the projects in the shop as students work together to reach both personal and class goals. Students will learn to use over 15 different power tools including a CNC router and build personal projects that can be taken home. There is a chance to enter projects into an end of the year woodworking show that is open to the public and offers prizes in multiple categories. This pathway offers students the opportunity to advance their core academic knowledge through real world, hands-on learning experiences. Students will engage in projects that will expose them to skills and opportunities that produce a useful product that can be used at home. These skills can be used in the construction industry but also, in the maintenance or repair of their future home. There are many reasons I enjoy teaching this pathway but there are two that stand out. One, this pathway provides an opportunity to develop relationships with students through one on one instructions in project development and completion. Students typically enroll in the pathway multiple times allowing students to expand their knowledge and experience and to hone their skills. This class offers not only the opportunity to develop useful skills and engage in fun project based learning but in a non-traditional way. The goal is to create students that obtain construction skills but also, have the character and personal attributes that will benefit them as they pursue their goals.