During the first nine weeks of school for the 2020-21 academic year, Beaver County Career & Technology students attended their elected programs online, regardless if they were a new or returning student. Students, parents, and other educators have asked, “How did you teach career and technical education virtually?” Thankfully, here at BCCTC, our teachers, professionals from their own respective industries, are creative and came up with some incredible ways for their students to get engaged with a virtual learning platform for CTE. However now, during the second marking period, when permissible by the district, some of our students are back in the building. Let’s find out how it’s going…
Our next ‘Featured Teacher’ from BCCTC is Mrs. Dolores Mason, Cosmetology II & III Instructor and an Advisor for NTHS or National Technical Honor Society. Since our Cosmetology program is State approved curriculum, Mrs. Mason worked hard to make sure that the time her students spent online, counted towards their required hours. For those who are unaware, any Cosmetology student must attain 1250 hours of theory and hands-on instruction in order to be eligible to take the State Board exam.
Prior to the first nine weeks, she attended two workshop meetings to help make a list of standards that could be met on a virtual platform. She said, “For the first nine weeks of school, our theory coverage standards were provided from the PA State Board of Cosmetology as many hours are set with students working on practical applications, as well as theory. Due to COVID, we lost valuable face to face instruction. Theory learning standards were set with the cooperation of instructors and state officials from across the state prior to the start of the year. Once the list of theory subject standards was listed, I chose ‘Infection Control, On The Job’ and ‘Principles of Hair Design’. These chapters that we follow in the Milady Standard Cosmetology book allowed students to process questions and ideas of what laws that follow OSHA and FDA.”
Many students like Mrs. Mason, love the “hands on approach to learning” especially if the plan is to work in a service industry. But being subject to having to learn computer skills as well, so that there would be the records for the hours to be given for completed theory work… Mrs. Mason comments, “I am proud of MANY students that have stepped up and really applied themselves learning how to apply those important computer skills as well.”
Some of the Cosmetology II & III students have aspirations of working in or owning their own salon. So, Mrs. Mason took the students on a virtual field trip to her own salon that is attached to her home where she continues to work part-time. They were told what they needed to expect when working in a salon and maybe things they should consider if they choose to own a salon of their own someday.
Besides instructing students to remain flexible because of the inconsistencies with COVID 19, the classes they had online about principles of hairstyling gave students insight of what to look for when cutting and styling hair. Students were excited to know that when they returned to school that they would begin immediately into hair cutting using mannequins first, before cutting the hair of a client. Students will be able to exercise the concepts of cutting angles in the hair and styling it too. Students are issued a mannequin in which they will execute the haircuts that they learn about… the 0, 45, 90 and 180-degree angle styles. Sounds a little like geometry, doesn’t it? That’s because it is using an application of geometry in real life.
Mrs. Mason says, “I am looking forward to the excitement and satisfaction students experience when they actually cut and style their mannequins to the directions provided and achieve the desired style, here at the CTC. Gearing up for the next virtual learning experience we will have online, students will use old mannequin heads so that we can review bones, nerves, muscles and practice massage and facial techniques when we go back to virtual learning.”
Welcome back Cosmetology II & III students! It is so good to see you at your chairs in the CTC’s salon!