Good Question: How will tech education work?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — We have received a Good Question about certain classes this semester.

Dudley asked News10NBC’s Brennan Somers: As a retired technology education teacher, I am wondering how districts are teaching tech ed classes this fall? What about BOCES programs where districts send students for one class a day such as automotive or carpentry?

That’s an important topic and one that had to be addressed to help students who spend part of their week getting real job training so they can be ready to enter the trade field.

Somers heard from teachers at the Eastern Monroe Career Center.

Some of their students learn cosmetology, welding, and other trades. Those classes aren’t canceled for the fall, they are just different.

Students will go through a hybrid model. Some days they will be at home doing classwork while other days will be with BOCES where the real world training goes on. They had some experience doing this when schools shut down in the spring and even sent some supplies home at that point.

"They would have an assignment for the day, watch us do a demonstration, set their computers or phones up and watch us,” Cosmetology teacher Amber Caimano said. “In turn, we could watch them back and tell them correct positioning, what they had to change, what was good so we were really allowed to see that as close as you could be to them without being in the classroom."

School officials say they are still working with the state regarding guidance for hours students need to hit to get their licensing for real jobs.

In cases such as cosmetology, what they are doing at home part of the week will count.