Teaching Philosophy
Their starting point doesn’t matter; what matters is how much they’ve grown when they leave my instruction. My students acquire basic foundational skills and knowledge in design. More importantly, they become comfortable sharing ideas in critique or brainstorming settings, presenting their ideas to stakeholders, and thinking on their feet. Most importantly, they learn to embrace trying, hard work, and the possibility of failure.
How do I accomplish this?
By building rapport with my students, I establish relationships of trust, mutual respect, and interest. This extends to their families as well, as I regularly update them on their child’s progress. We are all part of the same team.
Setting clear boundaries is also an important part of my approach. We are one team, one cohort, one big design family, and we support each other’s work. I ensure my students understand this by practicing the “love sandwich” method when giving critiques: a positive critique, followed by an improvement critique, and ending on another positive critique.
The information I learn about my students through rapport building is integrated into my lesson planning. I create projects that will engage them and meet state standards, resulting in an exciting and engaged classroom.
My teaching philosophy is simple: meet my students where they are, accept them for who they are, and craft projects that will excite and engage them in learning. This builds their confidence and paves the way for their success.
It’s difficult to learn from those we dislike, and it’s hard to like those who don’t take the time to understand us as individuals.
I apply this understanding in my teaching. I make an effort to get to know my students, their interests, and how these factors affect their learning.
I design projects that cater to students’ learning needs and interests while also meeting state standards. I set high expectations from the beginning.
I’ve structured courses to scaffold students’ learning and engage them in the craft of design.
I prioritize designing instruction that is both culturally responsive and relevant. This means that I incorporate aspects of my students’ cultures and experiences into the curriculum, ensuring that the material resonates with them on a personal level. I go beyond the traditional academic sphere, pushing my students to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. This helps them develop valuable problem-solving skills and prepares them for challenges they might encounter beyond the classroom.
Recognizing the diverse abilities of my students, I understand that each individual learns at their own pace and has unique strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, I provide a range of supports and scaffolding to accommodate these differences. journey.