As a result, the school has invested nearly $20,000, and allocated a proportion of one teacher’s schedule, to reinstate the program, remodeling the art classroom so that it can share space with the woodshop. The class will be offered as a high school elective beginning in January.
Meanwhile, middle schoolers have already started building imaginative wood crafts. "It's fun because I’m learning new things that I have never done before,” said 7th grader Charlotte Vander. The teaching technique would be described as project-based learning, which entails a series of challenging tasks in which students can use a library of resources to create their own projects.
Mr. Chiang has had many experiences that have prepared him to teach this course. He worked for years with his friend's father, a builder. Then he started his own custom furniture company. Also, he has previously taught woodshop classes for children. "Almost everybody can pick something they enjoy in woodshop," he said.