A Look at Some of Collierville’s CTE Courses
March 2, 2023
One thing that makes our high school so unique is its wide range of Career and Technical Education programs. In total, Collierville offers a total of 19 programs of study, from marketing to aviation mechanics. Each course provides students with the ability to earn credits for college or qualifications to help them get a job right out of high school. CTE classes pride themselves in preparing students for a world outside of the classroom and a head start in higher education. I spoke to some of our CTE teachers about the courses they teach and why it’s important to them.
Business
Mr. Brooks teaches our Business Communications class, where students learn communicate in different ways depending on the type of business they’re working with. While this is traditionally a freshman level course and doesn’t offer any credits outside of high school, he loves being able to see the students every day and try to be an influence in their lives beyond the classroom.
Introduction to Business, taught by Mr. Taylor, is an SDC course that offers college credit with an end of course exam. Students learn about finances and taking care of a business, whether it’s their own or one they work for. Mr. Taylor enjoys that it gives kids an insight to the real world, where they’ll all be involved in business one way or another.
Teaching
All three Teaching as a Profession classes, or TAP, are taught by Mr. Carey. While it begins with a standard introductory course, students have the ability to gain college credit in the SDC Intro to Education class. Even though it’s one of the most difficult SDC exams to pass, students also have the opportunity to observe classrooms at Sycamore elementary. The final class, Teaching Profession Practicum, is where students get to participate in the classrooms they’ve been observing and practice skills they learned in the previous classes. Mr. Carey’s favorite part of teaching this course is getting to see his students every day.
STEM
Collierville STEM course is available for freshman through senior year – a four-year program. Mr. Gray, one of the two STEM teachers, is able to watch kids grow through the course and loves seeing a light bulb go off when they finally solve a difficult issue. When I visited, they were planning out structures with 3D modeling, a skill the course builds on from STEM I through STEM VI. Students can earn their OSHA-10 as a senior, and if they’re particularly ambitious, they can attempt a Solid Works Certification.
Criminal Justice
There are three classes under Collierville’s law-aligned CTE course. Students can earn several types of college credits in the third Criminal Justice course, and get to both learn about the American legal system as well as practice different aspects of court as a class. Mr. Jacobs loves the creativity and subject matter of how he can teach beyond PowerPoints – why talk about how prosecution and defense when students can research and act it out?
Automotive Maintenance
Students can start the Automotive class as early as sophomore year with a prerequisite course that introduces them to the skills they’d learn the next two years. The kids have something new to learn every day, and there’s always a new project. They have the opportunity to practice basic maintenance on teachers’ cars, as well as earn certifications for several different car companies.
Aviation Mechanics
This course is traditionally an 18-month TCAT class at the Memphis Airport where students gain their A&P license, though our CTE program opens it up to high schoolers. The certifications process is incredibly difficult, but students get to practice all the necessary skills both in theory and hands-on. Mr. Lindsey has over 36 years of aviation experience, with 26 years in aviation with FedEx as a technician, instructor and manager. It’s his passion, and he teaches in hopes to see the same passion in the eyes of students
Health Science
This the Foundational Course or Introductory Course for all the other medical related courses offered at CHS. It is a great introduction to the various medical careers and offers an array of health information and medical related topics. Since Health Science is an introductory course is does not offer a certification. It is a full credit course, however, and is taken prior to other medical courses offered at CHS. Ms. Whitemore-High loves helping students find medical careers that align with their personal strengths as individuals. She also enjoys instilling a health knowledge into her students -“we all have to live in these bodies and knowledge is power!”
Sport & Human Performance
Ms. Streitmatter teaches both Medical Terminology for Sports Professions and Dual Enrollment Sport & Human Performance, though Medical Terminology will be offered online next year. Medical Terminology is a dual class with the University of Memphis that offers 2 credit hours, and Sport & Human Performance is a dual class with U of M that offers 3 credits. These classes are perfect for any students interested in the health science behind sports. Learning medical terminology is a different language, but when you start to understand the formation of medical language, it opens up a whole new world. Sport and Human Performance is Ms. Streitmatter’s ultimate passion. She loves helping students understand the biomechanics of movements related to exercise and sports performance as well as concepts of sports psychology and human motor behavior. The class now also utilizes their new Anatomage table (pictured in the gallery).
Career Success
This course provides students the opportunity to anticipate, plan, and prepare for a focus area of their choice. Throughout the course, students are introduced to the challenges of successfully adapting to the academic, social, and financial demands of postsecondary education and/or training, as well as the academic, social, and extracurricular activities available within CHS. It’s the perfect course for anyone not sure where they want to end up.
