Schools Use Suites In Many Ways

Cross-curricular by design, Suites can be implemented in nearly any high school setting to teach students everything from math, science, technology, and engineering to soft skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication. Regardless how the curriculum is implemented, it’s a unique addition to any course, offering an effective way to engage students, deliver knowledge, and pose real-world challenges.

Implementation Strategies

• Career Academies
• Supplemental Math
• Applied Learning Center
• Technology Systems
• Biotechnology Academies
• Health Sciences Academies
• Business Applications
• Supplemental Science
• Engineering Academies

At Brewbaker Technology Magnet School, Suites are more than just a freshman-level introductory course. They offer hands-on experiences formerly found only in real businesses and industries, and they prepare students for the career paths they choose to pursue in Grades 10-12.

“I want each of them to take from my class the tools needed to succeed the next three years in high school,” says Steve Ballard, who has taught Suites curriculum as a required freshman course at the Montgomery, Alabama, school for five years. “I want them to realize they have to start in their freshman year to take high school seriously and do their best in school.”

Brewbaker’s Suites lab introduces multiple careers through its variety of Suites, which include AgriBiotechnology, Digital Manufacturing, Communications, and Free Enterprise. After completing a nine-week stint in each Suite, students then decide which career academy they want to explore in the remainder of their time at Brewbaker: Information Technology, E-Commerce, Engineering, Medical, Building Science, or Graphics Design.

“My goal is to prepare students for the real world by showing them what’s out there, and the Suites do exactly that,” Ballard said. “Students have to rely on each other when they prepare and give their presentations. They don’t get to choose their partners or select Suite captains. They have to make the best of all situations, which is what happens in business. They have to meet a challenge while working together. It’s critical thinking and going to the next level with problem solving.”

The terms DNA, microscope, and end effector might not register with a high school student who merely reads them in a book. But put them in the context of computer-based, multimedia curriculum where students get to see them in action and experience them in a hands-on manner, and suddenly biotechnology and science take on a whole new meaning, perhaps planting a seed for a biomedical career down the road.

That’s the hope at Seminole Ridge High School in Palm Beach County, Florida, where a Suites lab featuring the AgriBiotechnology, Forensic Science, Intelligent Systems, and Genetics Suites is turning students on to science and related fields.

“We visited another school using the Suites, and I was impressed with how much the students enjoyed it and how much they had learned,” said Facilitator Lyn Slygh. “I liked the interactive approach as opposed to students being passive learners.”

Instead of just reading about the fingerprinting process, students pull on their gloves and dust for fingerprints. Instead of just reading about DNA rings, students build models of them.

While biotechnology and health science are common credits for Suites labs in Florida, different combinations of Suites can be composed to meet nearly any school’s needs. Regardless which credit option is selected, students in all Suites labs benefit by learning real-world skills not available in traditional core classes.

“The lack of soft skills is what most employers complain about regarding students coming out of high school,” Slygh said. “The ability to apply what is learned is advantageous and more beneficial than just learning something and seeing no point to it.”

Among the early adopters of technology standards, Texas education officials outlined a detailed list of content requirements in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Technology Systems is a high school course in which Texas students receive their required Technology Applications credit, and Suites proved to be a perfect fit by enabling students to acquire knowledge and solve problems related to hardware, software, and computer-based projects.

Lewisville Independent School District quickly recognized the Suites’ ability to meet TEKS standards and implemented programs at all five high schools. Students complete Aerospace Rocketry, Communications, Digital Manufacturing, and Intelligent Systems Suites over the course of one year and receive graduation credit for Technology Applications.

“We want to expose students to a variety of technologies using the modular approach and computer-based technology,” says Lewisville ISD Career and Technical Education Director Brad Killingsworth. “Research shows that there is a higher level of comprehension and retention with applied learning versus textbook and lecture.”

United South High School in Laredo, Texas, got on board early as well. The school’s Academy of Global Business and Advanced Technology requires all freshmen to complete the full-year Suites course, which goes beyond the nuts and bolts of technology, according to United ISD’s CTE Director Alicia Carrillo.

“I like many things about the program, but in particular I like the atmosphere of teamwork and collegiality that is created by the environment,” says Carrillo. “I also like to see the excitement in the students and the creativity that is evidenced through the products they create.”