Career and Continuing Education Classes
Sustainable Foods, Farms, and Gardens
So you want to be a beekeeper? | $50
Monday, 5:30pm - 8:00pm, November 6 - November 20, 2017
Thinking about keeping bees? In this information packed three week course, we will review the financial, time, physical, and emotional commitments required. We will then cover where to locate your hives, basic equipment types, and essentials, the various options for obtaining bees, and a timeline for making it all happen.
Beekeeping 101 | $140
Monday, 5:30pm - 8:00pm, March 5 - April 25, 2018
This non-credit course will provide fundamental knowledge about hone bees and apiary management for those interested in beekeeping.
Participants will learn about:
Weather permitting, there will be hands-on apiary lessons each session.
Beekeeping 102 | $140
Monday, 5:30pm - 8:00pm, May 7 - June 25, 2018
This second course in the 3-part series will provide more in-depth knowledge of a honeybee colony. This class will focus on the biology of the honeybee and the colony. Anatomy and the difference between honeybees and other stinging insects will be introduced. The honeybee's role in pollination for themselves and the impact on rest the natural world will be discussed. The bee nest and other components of the hive will be surveyed, providing a deeper understanding of the colony and its interrelated components.
At the end of the course, students will understand:
- What is the difference between pollinators?
- Fundamental differences between toher stinging insects: wasps, hornets, bumble bees, carpenter bees, which are often mistaken for honeybees
- Make-up of the bee nest; Roles of the nurse bees
- Eggs and Larvae
- Why honey and pollen make up part of the bee nest?
- Her role in the hive
- How to evaluate her performance?
- Managing queens for hive production and longevity
- The important roles that these components play in the health of a colony
- The essential work of the honey bee
- What are the benefits to the hive, nature, and humans?
- An overview of common pests and disease
- Controls and treatment options
- Integrated Pest Management
Beekeeping 103 | $140
Tuesday, 5:30pm - 8:00pm, September 12 - October 31, 2017
This last section of the 3-part series in beekeeping will continue to look at life of a honeybee colony. This class will focus on the biology of the colony and how it relates to the environment. We will examine the sociality of the colony as well as the ways that honey bees communicate through their dancing behavior and pheromone production. We will look at how queen bees are raised an mated, along with ow to manipulate this behavior to create more bee colonies. Finally we will look at seasonal management and harvesting honey.
At the end of this course, students will understand:
Native Pollinators and Plants | $140
Thursday, 5:30pm - 7:30pm, September 7 - October 26, 2017
This course will provide information about the species of pollinators native to Michigan and how to garden with them in mind. We will specifically discuss their role in pollination of urban and agricultural environments and how we can adapt plant species selection and garden management to maximize habitat for pollinators. The class will include one field day for insect identification and students will learn how to build their own native bee hotels using recycled and reclaimed materials.
At the end of this course, student will understand:
Mushroom Cultivation Level 1 | $140Wednesday, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, September 6 - October 25, 2017
Area gardeners, farmers, and mushroom lovers are invited to take a new mushroom cultivation class at Kalamazoo Valley's Food Innovation Center (FIC). Mushroom Cultivation: Level 1 is a non-credit course.
Participants will explore mushroom cultivation in different growing environments, indoor and out, maintained at the FIC urban farm. The course will ready the myco-curious for home production of a variety of gourmet mushroom species. and is designed to ready farmers to add mushrooms to their marketable offerings.
Participants will experience a range of discussion and actions crafted to understand basic mushroom biology, good lab and grow room practices, identification of all the common domestic edibles, and a working knowledge of how to fit mushroom production into our lives and farms. Weekly hands-on learning will help overcome the intimidation many of us have with fungi (even the friendly ones). At the end of the course, students will be able to begin home growing oyster, shiitake, maitake, lionsmane, reishi, button mushrooms, and be on their way to trying anything mycelial.
Students will take home successfully incubated projects to fruit in their home environments. Most of the mushrooms grown in class will be available to sample and try out on mycoskeptics at home. This course is also designed as a primer to becoming a certified Michigan Mushroom Identifier and will prepare the student on the basics of biology and identification.
Master Rain Gardener | $45Monday, 5:30pm - 7:30pm, September 25 - October 23, 2017
The first Kalamazoo area Master Rain Gardener course is co-hosted by the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council and Kalamazoo Nature Center in partnership with Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kalamazoo Valley Museum.
An in-depth and in-person class that will teach you everything needed to create a living rain garden at your home or place of work. A rain garden mimics nature by letting rain water soak into the ground. It's a garden bed planted in a shallow depression with plants especially adapted for dry and wet conditions.
The class will lead you through all the phases, from locating and designing to planting and maintaining a beautiful and functional rain garden.
Week 1: Introduction to Rain Gardens
Week 2: Moving Dirt to Move Water and Site Selection Principles
Week 3: How to: Measuring, Planning, Digging, Sculpting
Week 4: Plant Designs: Rain Garden Plant Palette
Week 5: Present Your Plan
Wellness and Fitness
Fitness Center Basics | $756:00am - 8:00pm, September 5 - December 22, 2017
This 15-Week Course includes full access to Kalamazoo Valley's Wellness and Fitness Center(WFC) and Free Weight Room during regularly scheduled hours:
In addition, participants will be able to take advantage of weekly clinics provided by Fitness Center employees. Each weekly clinic, announced by signage in the WFC, will provide detailed instruction on equipment in the WFC. Time will be spent trying out the various programs installed by the manufacturer on each type of machine.
Gentle Yoga | $60Thursday, 10:00am - 11:00am, September 7 - October 12, 2017
In this supportive and fun yoga class you are encouraged to be gentle with your body! Gentle Yoga offers an opportunity to explore your current status and then move beyond that to discover new depths within yourself. Props such as blocks, straps, bolsters, blankets, and chairs are used to modify postures and support you in this gentle paced class. Beginners welcome!
Zumba | $60Monday, 5:30pm - 6:30pm, September 25 - October 30, 2017
Zumba is perfect for anybody and every body! Each class is designed to bring people together to sweat it out. It mixes low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Once the Latin and World rythms take over, you'll see why Zumba Fitness classes are often called exercise in disguise.
Aqua Zumba | $60Thursday, 5:00pm - 6:00pm, September 28 - November 2, 2017
Aqua Zumba blends the Zumba philosophy with water resistance. There is less impact on your joints, so you can really let loose. Water creates a natural resistance, which means every step is more challenging and helps tone muscles.
Career and Personal Development
Spanish for Medical Professionals | $150
Monday, 5:30pm - 7:00pm, September 11 - October 30, 2017
Spanish for the Medical Professional addresses the needs of healthcare professionals with little or no background in the Spanish language. Students develop communicative proficiency in the use of the Spanish language in medical settings with Spanish-speaking patients. The goal of Spanish for the Medical Professional is to make it possible for students to communicate in Spanish with patients whose dominant language is Spanish.
Class time involves considerable practice with pronunciation and verbal stress as well as training the ear to learn to listen to Spanish for meaning. Activities will include role-play, practicing scenarios to include brief conversations, medical interviews, and expanding vocabulary with emphasis on medical terminology encountered in a medical environment with Spanish-speaking patients. There is limited emphasis on grammar and students will learn ways in which to be communicative with only a few basic "conversation starters" as well as giving affirmative and negative commands.
There will also be a focus on developing relationships with Spanish-speaking patients and understanding their cultural values and expectations in efforts to avoid misunderstandings.
By the end of the class, students should be able to communicate in simple Spanish using the cast amount of cognate words, high-frequency vocabulary and conversation starters to have basic conversations in simple terms regarding personal questions as well as questions regarding the patient's health. Students will learn how to give advice and recommendations using short sentences. Students will be given information regarding where to locate a wide variety of resources, such as online resources, apps, books, and more for practice outside the classroom once the class is finished.
Cost is $150 + $25 for a book that is available to purchase the first day of class.
Art and New Media: Ages 12-17
Room 20: 2D Animation | $30
Sunday, 1:30pm - 3:30pm, September 24, 2017
Animation gives the illusion of magic. But honestly, it is art and technology at its best. Come to the Center for New Media and learn the fundamentals of animation using industry standard technology! This is a great opportunity to learn the magic (which is art and technology) of this ever changing medium.
Room 20: Audio Production | $30
Sunday, 1:30pm - 3:30pm, October 8, 2017
Ever wanted to learn how to make your own podcast? Or create music with your computer? This is your chance! Take an Audio Production Workshop at Center for New Media and learn how to tell stories with audio. Audio design is everywhere, on the radio, television, movies, and all of your tech devices. Learn how audio works in all of these mediums and create your own in the end.
Room 20: Video Production | $30
Sunday, 1:30pm - 3:30pm, October 22, 2017
Do you love the screen? Whether it is at the movies or in the palm of your hands? Ever gone to movies and thought, I could make a movie? Well here is your chance to learn the basics of film making. Learn how to shoot and edit a music video at the Center for New Media - Launching your new film career.
Additional Information
For more information about community course offerings at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, contact our Program Coordinator, Melody Woods at 269.353.1290 or email mwoods@kvcc.edu.
To view the full class list and register, visit www.kvcc.edu/trainingschedule.
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