Teaching Philosophy

 Teaching design does not lend itself to a “one-size fits all” approach. While the basic principles of design remain constant, each student is motivated by and identifies with these ideals differently. The challenge of a design instructor is to promote problem solving and to groom students to become critical thinkers by presenting them with open-ended assignments that allow them to arrive at the same destination via several avenues; this allows every student to have the opportunity to arrive at their conclusions in their own way and creative endeavors. When creating assignments I balance the needs of students with the outcomes of the course by giving them a foundation to work from without constraining their creative freedom.

Allowing students the freedom to tailor their learning is oftentimes an unfamiliar experience. When students are presented with creative freedom, they may be unsure how to begin. Sitting down individually with students presents the opportunity to pinpoint what motivates them and to use this to help them succeed in the classroom and to develop their own design aesthetic. By continuing to consciously relate with students, an instructor can be aware of a student’s strengths and weaknesses. I try to assess strengths and weaknesses early on by informally observing students work in class and formally when they turn in completed work. Oftentimes students are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and other times they are not. I strive to make students comfortable in the classroom by acknowledging both areas and allowing them to be conscious in their creative choices and to discourage them from falling into bad design habits that contribute to their creative and conceptual weaknesses. 

As a student of design the ability to constantly seek knowledge is key, as the technology and culture of design is constantly evolving. I continuously encourage my students to look outside of the classroom and observe what other creative professionals are doing by visiting portfolio and agency sites, following designers and organizations on social media outlets, and reading magazines and books related to the field. Additionally, I introduce them to new technologies and new software upgrades and improvements and encourage them to review outside training and resources to be exposed to other techniques and processes. 

During their education prior to college, students are oftentimes taught to be short-term learners. Once they enter college, this idea of lifelong and extensive learning comes as a shock to some. The goal is to conjure up the lifelong learner in students and to encourage exploration of design outside of the classroom. Requiring students to keep a design journal and sketchbook gives them an informal way to log these discoveries and explorations. By encouraging students to reference their own world, they can explore personal and cultural ideals throughout their design work. The best design students are both thinkers and doers. Placing a strong emphasis on concept and thought before execution of design work is key and it is important that students learn to do this outside of class as well. 

Encouraging student designers to be conscious of professionalism and standard practices is important, as they will eventually become independent working creative professionals. By presenting students with assignments that simulate a client-driven atmosphere, this introduces students to thinking about designing for clients and prepares them for the environment that a creative professional will encounter. Placing a strong focus on time management and meeting deadlines in the classroom is crucial to design instruction.

Students should be made aware that talented designers are abundant and that simply being a good designer is just the initial step. The challenge in relating all of these ideals to students is to have them realize that everything is relative; good design aesthetic, work ethic, and professionalism. By creating students that become excited about design and continue to seek knowledge, this serves as a constant reminder and inspiration for both a teacher and creative professional.