Topic for your mini course: Descriptive overall goal.
ANALYZE How do you know there is a need for your course?
Cite English Heritage Study Anecdotal evidence check labor stats Get a quote from Mike Kassman, Director of Safety, International Masonry Institute- MA from Goucher's Master's in Historic Preservation Program
What types of learning you seek to achieve?
Remember/Understand/Awareness of/Analysis of/ and Evaluation of interest in careers in historic preservation-particularly in the building trades but also conservation science, engineering, architecture. Awareness and evaluation of post secondary learning opportunities: colleges, technical schools and colleges, nonprofits, and apprenticeships. Analyze or Evaluate programs of further study for themselves. Create a strategy for further learning- Students will develop a Personal Learning Enviroment and skills to seek out further contacts in person . What prerequisite knowledge will be needed? Students or adults should have completed the 7th grade. Basic familiarity with Windows and navigating websites will be needed. Who is your learner and what are her needs. This program will serve learners from Grades 8-12 and adults who are seeking either a first career or career change. The program will serve guidance counselors and teachers seeking to advise students who express an interest in working with historic buildings. The course may be presented to one student or a group of students. DESIGN Performance Objectives Action statements (align with types of learning)Task Analysis - break down your objectives into smaller tasks or steps and consider the best order.Assessment - How will you know if your learner has met your objectives (Formative or summative assessments)What big and small theories will you draw fromStrategies - What activities will learners engage in...How will you make it available (wiki, moodle, google docs)
Task Analysis Students will view 3-4 videos of craftspeople descrbing their work. Students will explore websites from recognized leaders in the field- organizational, individual, and governmental. Students will explore websites to learn about higher education opportunities. Students may intereact with me through email to ask questions and reflect on their exploration. Students may post images of buildings that interest them and describe why they like them.
Objective 1- ability to cite career options- Carpentry; Masonry; Plastering; Contractor; Decorative Painter; Specialized Roofer, Slate; Conservator; Preservation Consultant, Preservation Architect; Preservation Engineer I will select 3-4 craftspeople from the list below for interviews can be done in person or via skype- no more than 4 minutes for each. Voice thread is another option as well Interview Contractors Paul Wyncoop, Breadloaf Construction and Dana Ennis, Ennis Construction - short video on job sites. Interview Douglas Gest in his workshop- hand tools- preservation carpentry Use video clips of Sally from August workshop on Wooden Window Repair. You Tube: Interview Mike Smith, David Flaharty or Rory Brennan for plaster Interview MaryLou Davis for conservation of decorative finishes Interview Gerard Leone and son-in-law for slate roofing. Interview Simeon Warren at American College of the Building Arts Janet Kane- engineer and specialist in historic timber framing Lisa Sasser- preservation architect Andy Roeper PTN Steve Spaulding- Mather preservation high school in NYC- possibly interview a student Kate Ottavino- Brooklyn Preservation High School Dorothy or Sarah at NPS HPTC One of the NPS maintenance workers in the PAST Program Timber Framers Guild apprenticeship program Mike Kassman- IMI
objective 2- help learner to monitor field so that she/he can continue to consider this as a career option Make recommendations for creating a Personal Learning Environment for historic preservation- have provision for students to contribute to this when they find a new source and to post information and images about historic preservation and traditional building.
objective 3- know how to find higher learning programs: List websites, blogs, discussion forums Contact me through { form} for job shadowing and other opportunities.
DEVELOP; Instructional strategy Gather your media and resources Draft your activitiesBuild out first unit or twoMake frequent adjustments
"The networked student follows a constructivist approach to learning. He or she constructs knowledge based on experiences and social interactions (Jonassen et al., 2003) Constructivism encourages 'greater partcipation by students in the appropriation of scholarly knowledge." (Larochelle et al., 1998) as cited by Drexler. My goal is to develop a scaffold for learning about careers in historic preservation and traditional building trades. I hope to simulate an environment that treats the learner like a professional, in an age appropriate way, to guide her/his investigation of career options.
IMPLEMENT Test the first unit or two on us EVALUATE Feedback from classmatesAssess the direction you are going and as a result finish course. Self Evaluation Reflection Need to design assements. Formative and Summative for students and in this case for the website itself. Formative for students
Numbers of students who email, blog, ask questions, and want to speak to some of the craftspeople featured.
Student interest in suggested study topics. Summative for the course
Plan a three month trial of the website; distribute to guidance counselors and building trades teachers in Vermont and Sugar River Tech in Claremont and ask for feedback Summative for the students
Numbers of students who take the course and make a decision one way or the other will be a summative
evaluation of the course. Completing the course will be some measure of engagement and learning and knowledge. Suggestion from Mary and Stephanie: Incorporate videos of work in progress and photographs for sharing maybe through a flicker account. Could illustrate before and after images and illustrations of what building crafts people do...
The Draft of the Course follows:
An Introduction to Preservation and Traditional Building Craft Careers
Anonymous - "It's not good because it's old, it's old because it's good."
Audience: Students in grades 8 through 12 who are exploring careers in the building trades.
Introduction
Do you like to work with your hands? Do you like to fix things? Have you visited historic buildings and felt at home there? Do they inspire curiosity in you? Do they feel like places where you might like work? Have you worked with people who care for old buildings and enjoyed them? Take a few minutes to write on a blank piece of paper or on a blank document in your computer or tablet about old buildings and what they mean to you. Do you have a favorite old building? Maybe you would like to write a few sentences about.
This course is designed to help young people learn about the specific skills that are needed to repair, restore,and preserve historic buildings or to work in traditional ways to build new buildings.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, the construction industry began to use different processes and materials than those used for thousands of years previously. This change brought about significant changes in the ways in which builders were trained. No longer were trades passed on from father to son and the importace of unions and their systems of apprenticeship declined. Hand skills were valued less in favor of speed, cheaper materials and less labor intensity. The work became more about installation of previously fabricated (pre-fab) materials than the craftsmanship of creating custom materials for installation. Nevertheless, preservation trades people are very well paid for their skill; this work is a good way to make a living, but young people are not often introduced to the field because these specialized trades are not generally understood by guidance counselors or a priority for instruction by building trades teachers at the secondary level. The latter condition is because there are so many skills necessary to be taught about basic construction in trade high schools. This course is designed to provide self-study for career exploration for the student who is interested in old buildings already or students who are exploring careers in the trades in general. The impetus for this course is the concern by aging members of the preservation trades building community who are having difficulty finding young people to pursue careers in the building trades, crafts, and arts that support both historic preservation of buildings and traditionally inspired new construction with traditional materials.
Historic Preservation Tradespeople maintain and preserve historic buildings like Aspet, the home of American Sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. This property is managed by the US National Park Service.
Photo: Judy L. Hayward
click on photo for caption
Instructional Goal:
This course will introduce students in grades 8-12 and adults to careers in historic preservation and traditional building craft. After completing this course the learner will be able to determine whether specializing in this area would be of interest to him or her.
After completing this course and when career planning, the learner will be able to list 5 careers for trades and crafts people that support the preservation and maintenance of historic buildings or construction of new, traditionally inspired buildings.
After completing this course and when career planning, the learner will design a personal learning environment with three on-line resources to aid their further study of this field.
After completing this course and when career planning, the learner will be able to locate at least five colleges, apprenticeships, or other means of entry into this craft work.
Part 1 of the Lesson- 45-50 minutes
Your goal is to answer two questions: What types of skills does it take to repair an old building or build a new buildings that look like and old buildings? Are you interested in learning more about this type of work as a possible career?
For thousands of years buildings were only built or designed by materials that came from the earth. For example, buildings were made from earth, stone, natural cement, bricks or tiles made from clay, wrought or cast iron, wood, mortar and plaster from sand mixed with lime or gypsum, glass from sand, paint from earthen pigments mixed with linseed oil or other naturally occurring substances and even grasses for thatched roofs. {Insert links to Wikipedia} The use of synthetic or heavily refined materials began during the industrial revolution and began to dominate building by the mid- twentieth century. Today, instruction in building of buildings is taught differently. If you want to repair or maintain historic buildings or build new buildings in traditional ways, you need to be familiar with historic building trades. Part one will introduce you to building trades people and how they make a living from working with with traditional building materials. An important part of historic preservation is maintenance of buildings.Careers in maintenance emphasize general repair knowledge and keeping a building in good condition. If you love to "fix" things, this career can be personally and financially rewarding.
Video and voice threads with selected building craftspeople
Watch the following video about Wooden window repair to follow a trade process from start to finish. 17 minutes
Watch the following video from John Canning Studios - 9minutes
Watch the following video from Speweik Preservation- 5 minutes
Watch the following video with Michael Smith, Plasterer- {x minutes}
Please take six (6) minutes to reflect on what you have viewed on either a piece of paper or on a blank page on your computer. Please copy and paste or type your post into the {form} Use the following questions as a guide for your reflection or for further exploration.
Is this field of interest to you?
Would you like to know more?
Which crafts or trades seemed of more or greater interest and why?
Is anyone in your family employed in building construction? Do members of your family enjoy do-it-yourself projects (DIY)? Have you helped on a family repair or remodeling project? What did you like about it? What didn't you like?
Would you like to contact any of the craftspeople profiled? If so, please let us know by posting a comment here {Insert link}
What would you like to ask craftspeople about their work?
Would you like to leave a comment below to share your thoughts publicly? { Insert system for doing this} If you have a blog and want us to read it, please send us the the link.
Feel free to upload a photo of a favorite historic or existing building and tell us why you think it is important and what you like about it. (Insert system for doing this} Flickr Historic Preservation Images
Plaster repair workshop conducted by the Preservation Education Institute at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia
Part 2 of the Lesson- 40-45 minutes
In this unit, the exerices help the learner to monitor field so that she/he can continue to consider this as a career option.The following system makesrecommendations for creating a Personal Learning Environment for historic preservat and encourages the learner to add sources she/he finds.
You have finished the career exploration unit 1 and now you'd like to learn more. The following are some suggestions for creating a personal learning environment (PLE) to stay up-to-date on the world of historic preservation and traditional building practice.The PLE is based on the concept of a networked student developed by Wendy Drexler.
Contacts Make a list of local contacts with whom you can discuss a potential career in the field including but not limited to the following: Building Trade Teachers Guidance Counselors Local Builders and Craftspeople
International Opportunities (beyond US and Canada) Note: this part of the website is under construction. ( UNESCO, ICOMOS, The Getty, Global Heritage Fund; World Monuments Fund, Aga Kahn Foundation, English Heritage, Historic Scotland, guild opportunities, and more will be added later.)
Your Personal Network Parents/Grandparents/Other Family Parents of Friends
Developing a personal RSS Feed for this topic. Your email account should have a file folder for RSS Feeds. You can begin to explore websites and if you would like to follow updates from them, add them to your RSS Folder. Social bookmarking sites such as www.diigo.com or www.delicious.com will allow you to keep track of articles and publications or videos that are of interest to you.
Here are some common tags and hash tags for this topic; use them to explore twitter accounts, for example: #builtheritage #savingplaces #historicpreservation #historic bridges {create graphic for this}
General Resources The National Park Service has many resources for historic preservation in the United States: www.nps.gov/nr/preservation_link.htm
High Schools that specialize in historic preservation include but are not limited to the following: Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design in Brooklyn, NY Mather High School for Building Arts and Craftsmanship in New York City. www.Matherhsnyc.org
{School in Penn.}
Synchronous Communications There are a number of opportunities for live, in person exploration on this topic. Local historic preservation or historical societies offer lectures. There are old-house fairs or trade shows that will give you a broad overview of the business of historic preservation or traditionally inspired new construction. Local museums often feature demonstrations by traditional craftspeople.
Information Management
Reading Resources
Here are some suggestions to start a Bibliography for independent reading. Please feel free to cut and paste this and add your own sources.
Garvin, James A Building History of Early New England, Hanover, NH: University Press of New England
Condit, American Building
McAlester, Virginia and John, A Field Guide to American Houses
Salvadori, Mario, The Art of Construction- Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers & Architects
Chicago, Chicago Review Press, 1990
Periodicals Preservation published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation Clem Labine’s Period Homes, Active Interest Media Clem Labine’s Traditional Building, Active Interest Media Old House Journal, Active Interest Media
There is so much information on the Internet. How do you evaluate the information you review. Here are some tips. 1. Ask adults to help you evaluate the resources. Your teachers, guidance counselors, and family are good sources for help. 2. You should see cross referencing for reputable sites- you will keep finding that leaders in the field will come up regularly in searches not only on-line but in print and in person. 3. Ask for references from current or former students. 4. The nonprofits listed on this website can help you find experts in the field.
If you find sources that are not listed and you think they would help others interested in exploring careers in the preservation and traditional building trades, please email us at histwininc@valley.net
Students from North Bennet Street School repair a corn crib.
Belmont Technical College Preservation Students at work on a corn crib.
Objective 3 - Helping the student prepare for further education in the field. 45-50 minutes
During high school, studying the following subjects will give you a good background for this field. Contemplate why each subject area might be helpful and write some notes about it. You may decide to speak with your teachers abour your interest and ask their advice and guidance for relating your learning to the topic of historic preservation. They might be able to assign you to do course related work on this topic such as papers or book reviews that support learning the curriculum they are teaching. There is no one single path to work in this field. Using time in high-school to explore many subjects will prepare you for further study whether it is hands-on or in the classroom.
American History Geography English- reading, writing, and research Fine Arts such as drawing and painting Humanties Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology, Environmental Science Sustainability or "Green" topics Mathematics Geometry Set Design for Theater Building Trades Summer Camps or Field Schools in building construction, historic preservation or architecture Physical Education- A career in the building trades can be hard on one's body. Learn now how to stay in good shape to minimize injuries and prolong your career.
What are the ways in which you might pursue this field as a career? We are listing SOME of the programs of study available, but not all. This is not an endorsement for any listed program and if we did not include a program it is because we have limited space or may not know about it. There may be excellent programs not listed on this site. Part of the goal here is to encourage you to find other resouces not listed. The following are some but not all options to explore:
Working for someone already in the field Skills needed: entry level training provided by high school building trades curriculum, a resume, basic power tool and hand tool operation, and safety awareness. Tools: your own tool box, safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toed boots, and a hard hat. Transportation: a reliable ride or a reliable vehicle. Attitude: Willing to learn and work for entry level wages; good observation skills, and ability to follow directions. Desire to protect historic building materials; attention to detail; and workman-like conduct: you need an aptitude for cleanliness of work site, promptness, and responsiviness.
Undertaking an internship during a "gap year" or during summer vacation- age restrictions and state labor laws may apply. Youth Conservation Corps in Vermont- www.vycc.org Student Conservation Association (SCA) based in Charlestown, NH- www.thesca.org Many museums offer field schools in historic preservation or archeology.
Finding an apprenticeship Typically these are four-year programs offered by trade unions in the fields of carpentry, masonry, and plaster, and other fields. {Insert links to Union websites.}
See the Timberframer's Guild apprenticeship program noted below under training options by nonprofits.
Such programs will offer rigorous training in a traditional apprenticeship environment. They offer strong networks of employers, mentors and peers if you complete the apprenticeship successfully. It may be necessary to move to find a program. It takes considerable time before you will be working on historic buildings.
Attending a Technical College, College, or University
Visit National Council for Preservation Education or the Preservenet website for a comprehensive list of educational resources in preservation trades education, undergraduate, and graduate programs in historic preservation. www.ncpe.us/
Preserve Net www.preservenet.cornell.edu Technical Schools and Colleges that specialize in two year preservation programs include but are not limited to the following: North Bennet Street School- Boston, MA www.nbs.edu Belmont Technical College- St. Clairsville, OH www.belmontcollege.edu/BPR Delgado Community College- New Orleans, LA www.dcc.edu Algonquin College- Canada- www3.algonquincollege.com/perth/masonry-heritage-and-traditional
Attending educational programs offered by nonprofits Many of these programs are suited for people already working in the building trades and serve the purpose of continuing education for adults but they may youth programs as well .
Preservation Education Institute, part of Historic Windsor, in Windsor, Vermont offers a 10 courses and a certificate in preservation skills and technology. Optional College tranfer credit program is available. www.preservationworks.org This group is the host of this career exploration network.
Other nonprofits with training programs for adults in historic preservation trades or related skills include but are not limited to the following:
Government National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center in Frederick, MD www,nps.gov/training/hptc www.historicvermont.org is the website for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
University or College programs that specialize in historic preservation and have a strong emphasis on building craft include but are not limited to the following:
Roger Williams University- Historic Preservation Program- four year and four year plus one year leading to a master's degree www.rwu.edu
American College of the Building Arts- first four year college dedicated to historic preservation and traditional building skills, Charleston, SC www,buildingartscollege.us
Boston Architectural Center- www.bac.edu
Savannah College of Art and Design. www.scad.edu
University or College Programs in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management
This section is under construction.
Seek out programs with historic preservation programs.
Graduate Study- post bachelor's degree
This section is under construction.
The University of Vermont- www.uvm.edu/~histpres
Programs in classical architecture are relevant to this area of study including:
University of Miami, Notre Dame University, and the University of Denver
Spend 6 minutes writing your strategy for seeking a job or pursuing higher education in this field and submit it for review and comment {Insert Link for course evaluation}
Questions for Course evaluation- 5- 10 minutes
1. What did you like most about the Preservation Trades Career Exploration Course?
2. Has this been a helpful exercise? If so, why? If not, why?
3. Are the preservation trades of interest to you? Why or why not?
4. Please make suggestions to improve this course as a resource for students.
Post Preservation Trades Career Exploration Course Activities
Schedule a monthly google hangout for live questions. Best time of day and day of the week to schedule? Noon? After school? This should be no longer than a school period, say 30-45 minutes to allow for setup and reflection. Invite leaders in the field to participate. Archive the google hangouts so that students can review previous broadcasts. Students can participate as individuals or as an entire class or study group.
You can use the guide to explore your own home, a public building such as your town hall or a church or theater. Be sure to introduce yourself to whomever is in charge and ask permission before exploring. It is a good idea to only explore homes of people you know and be sure to secure their permission.
Write or blog about what you have discovered.
Asking for help Continue to discuss your career plans with your teachers and guidance counselors. There are school to work experiences and job shadowing activities that they may be able to help you locate.
It's a good idea to ask a parent or grandparent for help in accompanying you to visit historic sites. Here are some suggested activities for further exploration:
Ask your parents or grandparents if you can visit some historic sites during family vacations. You may want to contact the site ahead of time to see if the director of maintenance or facilites or any of the tradespeople who work on staff would be willing to talk to you or show your a project in progress behind the scenes. Don't be shy. People love to talk about their work and they love to help young people explore careers.
Ask your parents or grandparents to take you and some friends to events sponsored by preservation organizations such as house tours, garden tours, lectures, and volunteer work days where you might get to do some work on an historic building.
If you are girl or boy scout, find out if you can earn a merit badge by working on a local historic preservation project. Ask your scout master for help in identifying a project and local contacts. By all means feel free to email us or send photos of any projects you undertake. Let us know if it is okay to post them on our website, our Flickr account, or Facebook or elsewhere. We want to celebrate your career exploration but respect your privacy as well.
Good Luck with your career exploration! Thank you for taking this course.
This website has been produced by Judy L. Hayward, Executive Director of Historic Windsor, Inc., and the Preservation Education Institute in Windsor, Vermont. It was developed as part of requirements for a course at the Marlboro College Graduate School, titled Educational Technology. Ms. Hayward wishes to thank professor Jane Wilde and her classmates in the Fall 2013 session of MAT 610 for their help in developing this course. To make suggestions, please email histwininc@valley.net or call 802 674-6752 or write to PO Box 1777 Windsor, Vermont 05089 www.preservationworks.org {Insert counter}
ANALYZE
How do you know there is a need for your course?
Cite English Heritage Study
Anecdotal evidence
check labor stats
Get a quote from Mike Kassman, Director of Safety, International Masonry Institute- MA from Goucher's Master's in Historic Preservation Program
What types of learning you seek to achieve?
Remember/Understand/Awareness of/Analysis of/ and Evaluation of interest in careers in historic preservation-particularly in the building trades but also conservation science, engineering, architecture. Awareness and evaluation of post secondary learning opportunities: colleges, technical schools and colleges, nonprofits, and apprenticeships.
Analyze or Evaluate programs of further study for themselves.
Create a strategy for further learning-
Students will develop a Personal Learning Enviroment and skills to seek out further contacts in person .
What prerequisite knowledge will be needed?
Students or adults should have completed the 7th grade.
Basic familiarity with Windows and navigating websites will be needed.
Who is your learner and what are her needs.
This program will serve learners from Grades 8-12 and adults who are seeking either a first career or career change.
The program will serve guidance counselors and teachers seeking to advise students who express an interest in working with historic buildings. The course may be presented to one student or a group of students.
DESIGN
Performance Objectives Action statements (align with types of learning)Task Analysis - break down your objectives into smaller tasks or steps and consider the best order.Assessment - How will you know if your learner has met your objectives (Formative or summative assessments)What big and small theories will you draw fromStrategies - What activities will learners engage in...How will you make it available (wiki, moodle, google docs)
Task Analysis
Students will view 3-4 videos of craftspeople descrbing their work.
Students will explore websites from recognized leaders in the field- organizational, individual, and governmental.
Students will explore websites to learn about higher education opportunities.
Students may intereact with me through email to ask questions and reflect on their exploration.
Students may post images of buildings that interest them and describe why they like them.
Objective 1- ability to cite career options- Carpentry; Masonry; Plastering; Contractor; Decorative Painter; Specialized Roofer, Slate; Conservator; Preservation Consultant, Preservation Architect; Preservation Engineer I will select 3-4 craftspeople from the list below for interviews can be done in person or via skype- no more than 4 minutes for each. Voice thread is another option as well
Interview Contractors Paul Wyncoop, Breadloaf Construction and Dana Ennis, Ennis Construction - short video on job sites.
Interview Douglas Gest in his workshop- hand tools- preservation carpentry
Use video clips of Sally from August workshop on Wooden Window Repair. You Tube:
Interview Mike Smith, David Flaharty or Rory Brennan for plaster
Interview MaryLou Davis for conservation of decorative finishes
Interview Gerard Leone and son-in-law for slate roofing.
Interview Simeon Warren at American College of the Building Arts
Janet Kane- engineer and specialist in historic timber framing
Lisa Sasser- preservation architect
Andy Roeper PTN
Steve Spaulding- Mather preservation high school in NYC- possibly interview a student
Kate Ottavino- Brooklyn Preservation High School
Dorothy or Sarah at NPS HPTC
One of the NPS maintenance workers in the PAST Program
Timber Framers Guild apprenticeship program
Mike Kassman- IMI
objective 2- help learner to monitor field so that she/he can continue to consider this as a career option
Make recommendations for creating a Personal Learning Environment for historic preservation- have provision for students to contribute to this when they find a new source and to post information and images about historic preservation and traditional building.
objective 3- know how to find higher learning programs:
List websites, blogs, discussion forums
Contact me through { form} for job shadowing and other opportunities.
DEVELOP;
Instructional strategy
Gather your media and resources Draft your activitiesBuild out first unit or twoMake frequent adjustments
"The networked student follows a constructivist approach to learning. He or she constructs knowledge based on experiences and social interactions (Jonassen et al., 2003) Constructivism encourages 'greater partcipation by students in the appropriation of scholarly knowledge." (Larochelle et al., 1998) as cited by Drexler. My goal is to develop a scaffold for learning about careers in historic preservation and traditional building trades. I hope to simulate an environment that treats the learner like a professional, in an age appropriate way, to guide her/his investigation of career options.
IMPLEMENT
Test the first unit or two on us
EVALUATE
Feedback from classmatesAssess the direction you are going and as a result finish course.
Self Evaluation
Reflection
Need to design assements.
Formative and Summative for students and in this case for the website itself.
Formative for students
Numbers of students who email, blog, ask questions, and want to speak to some of the craftspeople featured.
Student interest in suggested study topics.
Summative for the course
Plan a three month trial of the website; distribute to guidance counselors and building trades teachers in Vermont and Sugar River Tech in Claremont and ask for feedback
Summative for the students
Numbers of students who take the course and make a decision one way or the other will be a summative
evaluation of the course. Completing the course will be some measure of engagement and learning and knowledge.
Suggestion from Mary and Stephanie: Incorporate videos of work in progress and photographs for sharing maybe through a flicker account. Could illustrate before and after images and illustrations of what building crafts people do...
The Draft of the Course follows:
An Introduction to Preservation and Traditional Building Craft Careers
Anonymous - "It's not good because it's old, it's old because it's good."
Audience: Students in grades 8 through 12 who are exploring careers in the building trades.
Introduction
Do you like to work with your hands? Do you like to fix things? Have you visited historic buildings and felt at home there? Do they inspire curiosity in you? Do they feel like places where you might like work? Have you worked with people who care for old buildings and enjoyed them? Take a few minutes to write on a blank piece of paper or on a blank document in your computer or tablet about old buildings and what they mean to you. Do you have a favorite old building? Maybe you would like to write a few sentences about.
This course is designed to help young people learn about the specific skills that are needed to repair, restore,and preserve historic buildings or to work in traditional ways to build new buildings.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, the construction industry began to use different processes and materials than those used for thousands of years previously. This change brought about significant changes in the ways in which builders were trained. No longer were trades passed on from father to son and the importace of unions and their systems of apprenticeship declined. Hand skills were valued less in favor of speed, cheaper materials and less labor intensity. The work became more about installation of previously fabricated (pre-fab) materials than the craftsmanship of creating custom materials for installation. Nevertheless, preservation trades people are very well paid for their skill; this work is a good way to make a living, but young people are not often introduced to the field because these specialized trades are not generally understood by guidance counselors or a priority for instruction by building trades teachers at the secondary level. The latter condition is because there are so many skills necessary to be taught about basic construction in trade high schools. This course is designed to provide self-study for career exploration for the student who is interested in old buildings already or students who are exploring careers in the trades in general. The impetus for this course is the concern by aging members of the preservation trades building community who are having difficulty finding young people to pursue careers in the building trades, crafts, and arts that support both historic preservation of buildings and traditionally inspired new construction with traditional materials.
click on photo for caption
Instructional Goal:
This course will introduce students in grades 8-12 and adults to careers in historic preservation and traditional building craft. After completing this course the learner will be able to determine whether specializing in this area would be of interest to him or her.
Part 1 of the Lesson- 45-50 minutes
Your goal is to answer two questions: What types of skills does it take to repair an old building or build a new buildings that look like and old buildings? Are you interested in learning more about this type of work as a possible career?
For thousands of years buildings were only built or designed by materials that came from the earth. For example, buildings were made from earth, stone, natural cement, bricks or tiles made from clay, wrought or cast iron, wood, mortar and plaster from sand mixed with lime or gypsum, glass from sand, paint from earthen pigments mixed with linseed oil or other naturally occurring substances and even grasses for thatched roofs. {Insert links to Wikipedia} The use of synthetic or heavily refined materials began during the industrial revolution and began to dominate building by the mid- twentieth century. Today, instruction in building of buildings is taught differently. If you want to repair or maintain historic buildings or build new buildings in traditional ways, you need to be familiar with historic building trades. Part one will introduce you to building trades people and how they make a living from working with with traditional building materials. An important part of historic preservation is maintenance of buildings.Careers in maintenance emphasize general repair knowledge and keeping a building in good condition. If you love to "fix" things, this career can be personally and financially rewarding.
Video and voice threads with selected building craftspeople
Watch the following video about Wooden window repair to follow a trade process from start to finish. 17 minutes
Watch the following video from John Canning Studios - 9minutes
Watch the following video from Speweik Preservation- 5 minutes
Watch the following video with Michael Smith, Plasterer- {x minutes}
Please take six (6) minutes to reflect on what you have viewed on either a piece of paper or on a blank page on your computer. Please copy and paste or type your post into the {form} Use the following questions as a guide for your reflection or for further exploration.
Is this field of interest to you?
Would you like to know more?
Which crafts or trades seemed of more or greater interest and why?
Is anyone in your family employed in building construction? Do members of your family enjoy do-it-yourself projects (DIY)? Have you helped on a family repair or remodeling project? What did you like about it? What didn't you like?
Would you like to contact any of the craftspeople profiled? If so, please let us know by posting a comment here {Insert link}
What would you like to ask craftspeople about their work?
Would you like to leave a comment below to share your thoughts publicly? { Insert system for doing this} If you have a blog and want us to read it, please send us the the link.
Feel free to upload a photo of a favorite historic or existing building and tell us why you think it is important and what you like about it. (Insert system for doing this} Flickr Historic Preservation Images
Part 2 of the Lesson- 40-45 minutes
In this unit, the exerices help the learner to monitor field so that she/he can continue to consider this as a career option.The following system makesrecommendations for creating a Personal Learning Environment for historic preservat and encourages the learner to add sources she/he finds.
You have finished the career exploration unit 1 and now you'd like to learn more. The following are some suggestions for creating a personal learning environment (PLE) to stay up-to-date on the world of historic preservation and traditional building practice.The PLE is based on the concept of a networked student developed by Wendy Drexler.
Contacts
Make a list of local contacts with whom you can discuss a potential career in the field including but not limited to the following:
Building Trade Teachers
Guidance Counselors
Local Builders and Craftspeople
The following are on-line resources to explore:
US and Canadian, Regional, State, Local Preservation Groups
Historic Windsor/Preservation Education Institute www.preservationworks.org
Preservation Trust of Vermont www.ptvermont.org
NH Preservation Alliance www.nhpreservation.org
Historic New England www.historicnewengland.org
Preservation Trades Network www.ptn.org
Timber Framers Guild www.tfguild.org
National Trust for Historic Preservation www.preservationnation.org
Association for Preservation Technology www.apti.org
Institute for Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA) www.classicist.org
The Campbell Center www.campbellcenter.org
Parks Canada www.pc.gc.ca
Heritage Canada www.heritagecanada.org
National Council for Preservation Education www.ncpe.us/
International Opportunities (beyond US and Canada)
Note: this part of the website is under construction. ( UNESCO, ICOMOS, The Getty, Global Heritage Fund; World Monuments Fund, Aga Kahn Foundation, English Heritage, Historic Scotland, guild opportunities, and more will be added later.)
Your Personal Network
Parents/Grandparents/Other Family
Parents of Friends
Developing a personal RSS Feed for this topic.
Your email account should have a file folder for RSS Feeds. You can begin to explore websites and if you would like to follow updates from them, add them to your RSS Folder.
Social bookmarking sites such as www.diigo.com or www.delicious.com
will allow you to keep track of articles and publications or videos that are of interest to you.
Here are examples of some blog:
http://blog.preservationnation.org
http://traditional-building.com/Rudy_Christian/
http://blog.preservationnation.org
Here are some common tags and hash tags for this topic; use them to explore twitter accounts, for example:
#builtheritage
#savingplaces
#historicpreservation
#historic bridges
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General Resources
The National Park Service has many resources for historic preservation in the United States:
www.nps.gov/nr/preservation_link.htm
High Schools that specialize in historic preservation include but are not limited to the following:
Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design in Brooklyn, NY
Mather High School for Building Arts and Craftsmanship in New York City. www.Matherhsnyc.org
{School in Penn.}
Synchronous Communications
There are a number of opportunities for live, in person exploration on this topic. Local historic preservation or historical societies offer lectures. There are old-house fairs or trade shows that will give you a broad overview of the business of historic preservation or traditionally inspired new construction. Local museums often feature demonstrations by traditional craftspeople.
Information Management
Reading Resources
Here are some suggestions to start a Bibliography for independent reading. Please feel free to cut and paste this and add your own sources.
Garvin, James A Building History of Early New England, Hanover, NH: University Press of New England
Condit, American Building
McAlester, Virginia and John, A Field Guide to American Houses
Salvadori, Mario, The Art of Construction- Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers & Architects
Chicago, Chicago Review Press, 1990
Periodicals
Preservation published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Clem Labine’s Period Homes, Active Interest Media
Clem Labine’s Traditional Building, Active Interest Media
Old House Journal, Active Interest Media
There is so much information on the Internet. How do you evaluate the information you review. Here are some tips.
1. Ask adults to help you evaluate the resources. Your teachers, guidance counselors, and family are good sources for help.
2. You should see cross referencing for reputable sites- you will keep finding that leaders in the field will come up regularly in searches not only on-line but in print and in person.
3. Ask for references from current or former students.
4. The nonprofits listed on this website can help you find experts in the field.
If you find sources that are not listed and you think they would help others interested in exploring careers in the preservation and traditional building trades, please email us at histwininc@valley.net
Objective 3 - Helping the student prepare for further education in the field. 45-50 minutes
During high school, studying the following subjects will give you a good background for this field. Contemplate why each subject area might be helpful and write some notes about it. You may decide to speak with your teachers abour your interest and ask their advice and guidance for relating your learning to the topic of historic preservation. They might be able to assign you to do course related work on this topic such as papers or book reviews that support learning the curriculum they are teaching. There is no one single path to work in this field. Using time in high-school to explore many subjects will prepare you for further study whether it is hands-on or in the classroom.
American History
Geography
English- reading, writing, and research
Fine Arts such as drawing and painting
Humanties
Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology, Environmental Science
Sustainability or "Green" topics
Mathematics
Geometry
Set Design for Theater
Building Trades
Summer Camps or Field Schools in building construction, historic preservation or architecture
Physical Education- A career in the building trades can be hard on one's body. Learn now how to stay in good shape to minimize injuries and prolong your career.
What are the ways in which you might pursue this field as a career? We are listing SOME of the programs of study available, but not all. This is not an endorsement for any listed program and if we did not include a program it is because we have limited space or may not know about it. There may be excellent programs not listed on this site. Part of the goal here is to encourage you to find other resouces not listed. The following are some but not all options to explore:
Working for someone already in the field
Skills needed: entry level training provided by high school building trades curriculum, a resume, basic power tool and hand tool operation, and safety awareness.
Tools: your own tool box, safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toed boots, and a hard hat.
Transportation: a reliable ride or a reliable vehicle.
Attitude: Willing to learn and work for entry level wages; good observation skills, and ability to follow directions. Desire to protect historic building materials; attention to detail; and workman-like conduct: you need an aptitude for cleanliness of work site, promptness, and responsiviness.
Undertaking an internship during a "gap year" or during summer vacation- age restrictions and state labor laws may apply.
Youth Conservation Corps in Vermont- www.vycc.org
Student Conservation Association (SCA) based in Charlestown, NH- www.thesca.org
Many museums offer field schools in historic preservation or archeology.
Finding an apprenticeship
Typically these are four-year programs offered by trade unions in the fields of carpentry, masonry, and plaster, and other fields. {Insert links to Union websites.}
See the Timberframer's Guild apprenticeship program noted below under training options by nonprofits.
Such programs will offer rigorous training in a traditional apprenticeship environment. They offer strong networks of employers, mentors and peers if you complete the apprenticeship successfully. It may be necessary to move to find a program. It takes considerable time before you will be working on historic buildings.
Attending a Technical College, College, or University
Visit National Council for Preservation Education or the Preservenet website for a comprehensive list of educational resources in preservation trades education, undergraduate, and graduate programs in historic preservation. www.ncpe.us/
Preserve Net www.preservenet.cornell.edu
Technical Schools and Colleges that specialize in two year preservation programs include but are not limited to the following:
North Bennet Street School- Boston, MA www.nbs.edu
Belmont Technical College- St. Clairsville, OH www.belmontcollege.edu/BPR
Delgado Community College- New Orleans, LA www.dcc.edu
Algonquin College- Canada- www3.algonquincollege.com/perth/masonry-heritage-and-traditional
College of the Redwoods- California- www.redwoods.edu
The Willowbank School of the Restoration Arts- www.willowbank.ca
Attending educational programs offered by nonprofits
Many of these programs are suited for people already working in the building trades and serve the purpose of continuing education for adults but they may youth programs as well .
Preservation Education Institute, part of Historic Windsor, in Windsor, Vermont offers a 10 courses and a certificate in preservation skills and technology. Optional College tranfer credit program is available. www.preservationworks.org This group is the host of this career exploration network.
Other nonprofits with training programs for adults in historic preservation trades or related skills include but are not limited to the following:
Preservation Trades Network www.ptn.org
Dry Stone Conservancy www.drystone.org
Timberframers Guild apprenticeship Program www.tfguild.org
Institute for Classical Architecture and Art www.classicist.org
The National Building Museum www.nbm.org
Government
National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center in Frederick, MD www,nps.gov/training/hptc
www.historicvermont.org is the website for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
University or College programs that specialize in historic preservation and have a strong emphasis on building craft include but are not limited to the following:
Roger Williams University- Historic Preservation Program- four year and four year plus one year leading to a master's degree www.rwu.edu
American College of the Building Arts- first four year college dedicated to historic preservation and traditional building skills, Charleston, SC www,buildingartscollege.us
Boston Architectural Center- www.bac.edu
Savannah College of Art and Design. www.scad.edu
University or College Programs in Architecture, Engineering or Construction Management
This section is under construction.
Seek out programs with historic preservation programs.
Graduate Study- post bachelor's degree
This section is under construction.
The University of Vermont- www.uvm.edu/~histpres
Programs in classical architecture are relevant to this area of study including:
University of Miami, Notre Dame University, and the University of Denver
Spend 6 minutes writing your strategy for seeking a job or pursuing higher education in this field and submit it for review and comment {Insert Link for course evaluation}
Questions for Course evaluation- 5- 10 minutes
1. What did you like most about the Preservation Trades Career Exploration Course?
2. Has this been a helpful exercise? If so, why? If not, why?
3. Are the preservation trades of interest to you? Why or why not?
4. Please make suggestions to improve this course as a resource for students.
Post Preservation Trades Career Exploration Course Activities
Schedule a monthly google hangout for live questions. Best time of day and day of the week to schedule? Noon? After school? This should be no longer than a school period, say 30-45 minutes to allow for setup and reflection. Invite leaders in the field to participate. Archive the google hangouts so that students can review previous broadcasts. Students can participate as individuals or as an entire class or study group.
Exploring Historic Buildings
You can explore the exteriors of buildings by simply taking a walk in an historic neighborhood. Follow this link to download a free publication about Identifying Architectural Character
http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/17-architectural-character.htm
You can use the guide to explore your own home, a public building such as your town hall or a church or theater. Be sure to introduce yourself to whomever is in charge and ask permission before exploring. It is a good idea to only explore homes of people you know and be sure to secure their permission.
Write or blog about what you have discovered.
Asking for help
Continue to discuss your career plans with your teachers and guidance counselors. There are school to work experiences and job shadowing activities that they may be able to help you locate.
It's a good idea to ask a parent or grandparent for help in accompanying you to visit historic sites. Here are some suggested activities for further exploration:
Ask your parents or grandparents if you can visit some historic sites during family vacations. You may want to contact the site ahead of time to see if the director of maintenance or facilites or any of the tradespeople who work on staff would be willing to talk to you or show your a project in progress behind the scenes. Don't be shy. People love to talk about their work and they love to help young people explore careers.
Ask your parents or grandparents to take you and some friends to events sponsored by preservation organizations such as house tours, garden tours, lectures, and volunteer work days where you might get to do some work on an historic building.
If you are girl or boy scout, find out if you can earn a merit badge by working on a local historic preservation project. Ask your scout master for help in identifying a project and local contacts.
By all means feel free to email us or send photos of any projects you undertake. Let us know if it is okay to post them on our website, our Flickr account, or Facebook or elsewhere. We want to celebrate your career exploration but respect your privacy as well.
Good Luck with your career exploration! Thank you for taking this course.
This website has been produced by Judy L. Hayward, Executive Director of Historic Windsor, Inc., and the Preservation Education Institute in Windsor, Vermont. It was developed as part of requirements for a course at the Marlboro College Graduate School, titled Educational Technology. Ms. Hayward wishes to thank professor Jane Wilde and her classmates in the Fall 2013 session of MAT 610 for their help in developing this course. To make suggestions, please email histwininc@valley.net or call 802 674-6752 or write to PO Box 1777 Windsor, Vermont 05089 www.preservationworks.org {Insert counter}