Reimagining design
CMS teachers lead the way on new CTE curriculum
Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools are taking the lead in revising North Carolina’s interior design
curriculum.
The interior design program is part of CTE’s Family and Consumer
Sciences Education, which includes areas such as culinary arts and clothing
design. There are four levels of design courses that prepare students
for internships, work and college. Robert Pinkston, professional learning
community lead for the program, said interior design is very competitive and
a college degree is required to practice it. He said most students who finish
the program will be almost a year ahead when they get to college and will be
fully capable of doing professional-quality work.
Representatives from five districts were on the curriculum redesign
team, including Pinkston, a CTE teacher at William Amos Hough High. He
said the team worked collectively and individually for about six months on
the revision. He said the N.C. Department of Public Instruction reviews all
courses and interior design was last revised in 2005.
The revision is for the first level