• Intro to Welding

    Course Syllabus

     

    Instructor – Michael A. Saenz

    Email: msaenz@bishopisd.net

     

    This course is available to all students at Bishop High School. Certification in this course is a prerequisite for entry into the more advanced construction related courses offered at BHS.

     

    Through this class, the National Consortium for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Core Certification is available to students. This certification is industry recognized and, as stated above, is also a prerequisite for certification in more advanced courses offered at Bishop High School.

     

    Those courses are as follows:

    Welding

    Advanced Welding

     

    The NCCER Core Curriculum Covers:

     Basic Safety

     Introduction to Construction Math

     Introduction to Hand Tools,

     Introduction to Power Tools

     Introduction to Construction Drawings

     Basic Rigging

     Basic Communication Skills

     Basic Employability Skills

     Introduction to Materials Handling

     

    85.5 hours are required for completion. Certification requires successful completion of all practical labs and a score of 70% or higher on ALL written exams. Please note that it is possible to pass and receive credit in this class without receiving certification. Students who pass but do not earn certification cannot advance to the other construction related classes listed above.

     

    Grading criteria:

     Daily work/participation 40%

     Tests 30%

     Quizzes 15%

     Projects 15%

     

    Total 100%

    Guidelines for Success:

    This course was designed by professionals in the construction industry and contains information that those individuals felt is necessary to be safe and successful in the construction industry. It is the same curriculum that is taught to adults who are trying to improve employability by achieving construction trade certifications. The course is not easy and requires real effort on the part of students to achieve certification. The following tips will help ensure success.

    Come prepared – always have pencil/pen and a spiral notebook. This course also includes time in the shop handling, cutting, and welding metal. During shop time, students must have closed toe shoes or boots, long pants that are not made of synthetic materials (non-frayed jeans work great), and a long sleeve 100% cotton shirt that can be worn over another shirt when welding. Commercially available welding shirts are great but not required. The clothes can be old as long as they are in good shape. Frayed jeans and cotton shirts are a fire hazard. Second hand stores such as Goodwill are a good place to get shop clothes for minimum expense. Shop clothes WILL get dirty and damaged. Cotton is used since it does not easily catch fire and when it does burns slowly enough that it can be put out before the student gets injured. Synthetic materials melt and burn rapidly and can cause severe injury to the skin. The teacher will give advanced notice of shop days so that students can be prepared. Late in the year, almost every day will be a shop day.

    If at first you don’t succeed, try again. I allow up to two retests on module exams so that the required 70% for certification can be achieved. Study for retests happens outside of class time and the test itself must be scheduled with the teacher for before or after school. Upon request, students can sign out a copy of the chapter to take home for study.

    Listen carefully in class and take notes. Listening and note taking are valuable skills whether you are going to college, technical school, or straight to work. Listening and note taking are the most reliable indicators of who will do well in this course.

     

    Classroom/Shop Rules:

     Classroom

    o Be attentive during instruction and on task during group activities

    o Be respectful of other students and their property

    o Be seated when entering the classroom and stay in your seat until released by the teacher.

     Shop

    o No horseplay

    o Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the shop. Safety glasses must be worn 100% of the time

    o Follow all safety rules associated with tools and equipment in the shop

    o Clean up and return tools to the tool room 8 minutes before the bell rings

    o All classroom rules (except being seated) apply to the shop as well

     

     

    How to reach me:

    I look forward to working with both parents and students this year. I can be contacted by email at msaenz@bishopisd.net. I am also available to students, by appointment, for help, tutorials, makeup tests, and retests after school. I can also meet with students before school if it is coordinated in advance.

     

    Best Regards,

    Mr. Saenz