Skill sets improving for St. M


BY TREVOR BUSCH insight magazine


uch more than the stereo- typical “home ec”an older generation may have experi- enced,Career and


Technology Studies (CTS) at Taber’s St. Mary School is preparing learners for career paths that may not always have existed in the past. “As a student when I attended St.


Mary's over 20 years ago I remember Home Ec here to be a combination of both Foods as well as Sewing,“ said Carolyn Siemens, a teacher at St.Mary’s involved in the CTS pro- gram for the past two years.“Now we teach Foods and there is also a


Fashion curriculum.Recently in our junior high program I did offer apron making to get the kids using a sewing machine.”


Siemens sees students from both gen-


ders interested in the courses on offer, which may be a change from what was wit- nessed a few decades ago in Holy Spirit Catholic School Division.


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Drive Through 587-494-9902 12 - insight magazine march 2019


dents for the CTS program. In junior high this year we offered Foods for our 7/8 students as well,and I had the apron making for students in Grades 6-8. Here at St.Mary's I have both genders taking our high school Foods classes and they all seem interested.” A whole plethora of courses — now referred to as modules — are available for almost any student inter- est. “There are close to 50 modules that students can


take in both Foods and Fashion and each module has a specific set of outcomes which students need to meet to complete the module,”said Siemens.“Each module consists of theory as well a practical compo- nent which students prepare with specific foods or items.There is a focus on safety and sanitation in each module as well. Most modules allow students a lot of room for individuality as they are able to chose what they cook within the prescribed parameters of their module.” Instruction in a more limited fashion starts early for


St.Mary students, according to Siemens. “Elementary doesn't have any programming like this that I am aware of, although I do know that they have a morning breakfast program and they do teach about nutrition.” Teaching financial skills for young people is often emphasized,and the courses offered at St.Mary’s incorporate elements of this vein of instruction.


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