The Woods Manufacturing curriculum provides an opportunity for CTE educators across the country to transform their classrooms and serve their students and industry partners in a new way. This approach, called the Mattson Way, permeates every aspect of how students learn, from the way academic skills are integrated into CTE content to the use of volunteers and industry representatives in daily classroom activities.

The program offers a career training path that enables graduates to be nationally certified in the use of woodworking machines, manufacturing equipment, software, and production skills. Students work toward earning a Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA) Certification Passport, which equates to a national certification credential. This means students can operate woodworking machinery and apply lean manufacturing principles in any kind of secondary wood or other manufacturing setting.

Program founder Dean Mattson describes it this way: “We are producing high school students who are taught the necessary principles of life. They are placed in real-life manufacturing scenarios where they are forced to think critically. And we try to model for them how to be gracious human beings. They are ready for the job market or the university.”

When Dean Mattson created his Woods Manufacturing program, he based it on four elements that together create a safe zone for students in the classroom. He believes that students are more likely to be successful when they feel safe and welcome. When the learning is meaningful to them; when they recognize and are rewarded for progress; and when they see the connections between their current classroom behaviors and the expectations of a future employer.

The four elements are:

• Professionalism – Students learn to function in a workplace environment
• Achievement – Students are challenged and see their learning progress
• Relevance – Students recognize how the classroom activities are relevant to their present learning and their future careers
• Connection – Students feel respected by one another and by the teaching staff

The Woods Manufacturing courses are each one term or semester in length (approximately 53-63 instructional hours).

The introductory course, entitled Cabinet Manufacturing I (CAB 1) is generally offered to start at the freshman level, with the capstone courses (CAB 7 and 8) culminating in senior year.

Currently, curriculum is only available for Cabinetmaking 1 and 2 – additional coursework will be available in the next year. Each course is focused around a Mattson-designed project such as a cabinet or table.

As students gain skills and knowledge they may take on class projects building a commercial cabinet piece for local customers; for example, in CAB 4 Peyton students build a receptionist desk for the new MiLL National Training Center.

While a project-centered approach is not unique to the Woods Manufacturing program, it nevertheless represents a shift in CTE teaching models. Many high school woodshop courses begin with a set of skills to be taught (e.g., add and subtract measurements, identify types of clamps, explain how to use a jig) and create small projects through which students can learn and develop those skills (e.g., birdhouse, toolbox, sign). Mattson turns that model on its head by building the entire course around the creation of a complex piece of furniture or cabinetry. All the skills and equipment uses are designed around how they are used in the construction of that workpiece.

While there are foundational skills modules in the lower-level courses like Safety, Measurement, and Drawing Basics, the rest of the modules are either focused on steps towards building the workpiece (e.g., Manufacturing the Legs, Parts Layout, Assembling the Drawer) or becoming certified on a piece of woodworking equipment. The advanced-level courses (CAB 5-8) continue to build job-based skills while teaching students how to work as a production team. Starting in CAB 4, students fill the roles that are present in a modern-day cabinet manufacturing company.

Each course curriculum is divided into three types of modules: Instructor, Building, and Equipment. Typical files contained in each type of module include:

Instructor Module

• Table of Contents
• Week by Week Guide
• Outcomes and Assessment Summary
• Glossary

Building Modules

• 7 to 12 modules built around a step or concept in the building process
• Examples: Plywood Basics, Assembly and Sanding, Manufacturing the Door
• Each module includes comprehensive Lesson Plan with Day-by-Day activities

Equipment Modules

• 6-9 modules, each focused on a specific piece of woodworking equipment
• Examples: Table Saw, Drill Press, Multi-Router, Sanders
• Each module includes comprehensive Lesson Plan with Day-by- Day activities
• Skills quiz and Competency Checklist are provided for certification process

Each module is laid out in the same way, regardless of whether it is focused on Building or Equipment Certification activities. Components include:

Day by Day breakout

• Each module is divided into one-hour “classes.” This helps an instructor gauge approximately how many class periods are needed to devote to mastery of the objectives.

Objectives

• Outcomes being targeted in the daily activities.

WCA Standards

• Woodwork Career Alliance standards are identified as benchmarks, most often in the Equipment modules.

Description

• Each module has a general description of the purpose and a focus for each day.

Instructor Resources

• Provides relevant content for the lesson.

Equipment Needed

• Lists the major equipment needed for activities.

Materials Needed

• Lists the supplies and handouts needed for activities.

Activities

• A step-by- step description of each activity, including some suggested teaching strategies and discussion questions.

Organizers

• Some students struggle to take notes in a journal. Organizers provide a structured way to capture information.

General Handouts

• These are for both student and instructor reference.

Answer Keys

• All Organizers and quizzes include Answer Keys.