TEACHING STATEMENT
My mentor once told me that I could never teach my students all they needed to know. He also told me that I could teach (a lot) better. I’ve come to understand that teaching is more than checking boxes. As students change over time, so should I. As an educator and observer, I strive to be mindful in the classroom. I make small changes very often, and try to document how students respond to my lectures, activities, and critiques, through the quarter, and over the years. I work on my listening skills regularly. Students appreciate that investment in them.
It’s critical to meet students where they are and not fall into the trap of deficit thinking. I often share in class that I try to learn new things all the time so that I don't forget what it is like to learn something for the first time. I still find learning is hard but rewarding. I use the analogy of exercise: muscles must break down before rebuilding. But as they rebuild, they strengthen. That is easy to say but like working out in real life, it is hard and takes practice. Our students face many obstacles. Despite this, they also bring cultural wealth to the classroom and to their journey, and it is both my and their responsibility to find ways to use this knowledge and skill effectively.
I worry about my high expectations for students sometimes but I have not yet lowered them. Students rise to my expectations. It's humbling how resilient they are despite the constant anxieties and increased responsibilities they face.There is definitely a need to reaffirm and assure students that they can and should feel a sense of accomplishment and ownership over their work. More importantly, a purpose is needed too. Students want to understand why their work matters and for whom. Contextualizing the design work should not be overlooked. Designers graduate into a world where clients, businesses, and stakeholders are all deeply involved, and their fixation on visuals should give way to curiosity and a desire to make things that matter.
I’ve noticed over time that students have become more familiar with interactive media but less comfortable with them. There is a distrust of new and emerging technology, which is understandable. At the same time, students are expected to use, create, and in our field of work, envision even newer technology. The change of perspective from being an user to a creator is hard to teach. Empathy is a core skill and I also find a combination of both critical and logical thinking skills essential as well.