As someone who is passionate about design, teaching is the activity where that passion is
most present. When I teach, I finish my classes exhausted and energized at the same
time, tirelessly campaigning that a creative career is one of the most exciting career paths of our present time. Our culture has had an awakening in recent years of the importance of design and copy and how well-designed products and branding can help influence our lifestyles.

When I approach a course I want students to feel not only professionally informed, but
also personally changed by their own unique participation. In my view, teaching is not
entirely composed of instructing or imparting information, but it’s also about sparking
transformative learning, empowering students to take responsibility for their learning,
inspiring courage to grow intellectually, cultivating curiosity, providing opportunities,
uplifting the spirit, and igniting action.

From my experiences with both teaching and design, I can conclude that they are quite
similar and both involve planning and orchestrating to serve the end user. Design is the
synthesis of the “content” and the “form” it is given. Teaching is much the same: how do I
present content in a structured and comprehensible manner with variety, intensity, and
interaction.

As an educator, I see my role as primarily threefold: 1) preparing students with the skills
necessary for success in the field; 2) showing students how to go beyond the basics,
enabling them to think creatively and originally in the application of said knowledge and
skills; and 3) stressing to students the importance of becoming life-long learners, to
continue to seek knowledge long after they leave the classroom. Within this context, I
have five main goals for my students. I explore these below, along with proposed
methods and examples for attaining said goals.

1. EXPLORATION OF PROCESS: First and foremost, I teach my students that creating is not
about making things “pretty.” Design is really a problem-solving activity with “appropriateness”
as the ultimate gauge of success, as every solution must be unique to its problem. I emphasize
the process as: 1) problem definition; 2) research; 3) conceptualization;
4) visualization/form-giving; 5) testing; and 6) implementation. This process is a rational
way to demystify what to do while still recognizing creative expression. It creates focus for
the student as well as manageable chunks to build a unique and enlightening solution. Through
this process, students are required to go beyond their initial idea, which is usually based on an
initial reaction or a preconception. The solution may be valid, but is it the best solution? By adapting this methodology, students increase their aptitude for critical thinking and
problem solving.

2. A STRONG FOUNDATION: I believe it is important to help my students develop a solid
foundation. This framework includes aspects such as media, strategy, composition,
design elements, typography, history, and an expanded visual vocabulary.
Unfortunately, too few students have a strong foundation to call upon. This information
helps students in a variety of ways by understanding styles and movements of the past
and to think critically about their own work. When a solid foundation merges with
educated problem-solving and decision-making, students will experience a versatile
classroom dedicated to fostering each student’s full learning potential. In instilling this
foundation, I believe critiques are an integral part of this process with students giving and
receiving feedback from their instructors and peers. These sessions are not inquisitions,
but rather tools for the designer to ask questions and gain critical insight into how others
perceive their work. A good student must have the ability to analyze not only his or her
own work, but those of others too.

3. FIELD AWARENESS: As an educator, it is my responsibility to instill in my students a
respect for and understanding of the field as well as their influence on that field. My
students gain an awareness of the business and industry, including deadlines,
production, and client relations. Rather than simply watching students experiment with
techniques, I strive to align students with the working world and encourage them to
begin to think and act like professionals. I believe that a design education, at a
minimum, requires student understanding of the field in practice. This understanding is
usually gained through the development of projects within the curriculum that work with
real-world clients and take them through the design process from conception to
production, and finally to presentation to the client. Additionally, practicing professionals
are regularly invited to speak to my class to share their experience and advice.

4. COMPUTER & TECHNOLOGY EFFICIENCY: Students need to master the specific
technology and software skills to operate effectively. Design should always begin with
concept, but concepts must be efficiently executed to be effective. This mandates a
proficiency in the tools used to create final products, such as the Adobe Creative Suite.
However, students must realize that the computer is not capable of creating good
design—it is merely a tool. The lesson then is how to make the computer work for the
designer, not the other way around. Without the intervention of human intelligence and
talent, the computer is just an expensive toy. Thus at the outset, it is always my goal to
position the tool as merely a step toward proficiency.

5. THE DESIGNER’S ROLE: Students should at a minimum be exposed to the concept of
the designer’s role in society as an agent for change. From a holistic standpoint, I feel it is
vital that students understand their responsibility to use that power well. Historical
examples are continually cited in my class, and students are given the opportunity to
choose a cause or organization for which to create a piece of visual communication.
Combining the social world with personal experiences allows each learner to produce
work that is exciting for the student, personally and professionally. In this environment,
students develop an analytical understanding of the design world in which they live,
aiding their professional growth as experts in the field.

From a purely instructional standpoint, I believe a teacher must possess the ability to
communicate using a combination of approaches because individuals learn and
respond differently. Therefore, a teacher needs to be far more than a content provider
but an expert at delivery and utilizing all available resources to teach something that is
distinctive, useful, and somehow memorable. In this model, the instructor must possess
the ability to perform, produce, and inspire the audience, perhaps supplementing
traditional lectures with samples, games, videos, web reference, group discussions, etc.
From this position, I’m not a big supporter of the three-hour lecture, unless boring my
students is a goal. I believe the role of the instructor is to provide a pathway to
achievement that is logical and meaningful.

In terms of delivery, an important part of my role is to “set the scene” for learning by
providing the right environment inside and outside the classroom. Is the classroom
atmosphere relaxed? Is participation encouraged? I, the instructor, must set the
classroom tone in everything from my syllabus to the way I present myself. Ultimately, I
must convey that I am not only knowledgeable, but also approachable.

When discussing personal qualities that are key to teacher effectiveness, I believe
patience, open-mindedness, organization, strong character, and the ability to manage is
inherently important to instruction at the college level. Additionally, teaching is not
limited to the classroom. Professors should make themselves accessible to students
outside of class, as mentoring is a crucial part of the teacher/student relationship that
takes place in one-on-one advising sessions. My students understand that I genuinely
care about them as individuals and have a vested interest in their education.

As with anyone involved in education, student or teacher, a personal growth plan should
always be included. One never develops socially, intellectually, or academically without
consistently learning new things and striving to further oneself. Because teaching must
remain flexible and open to reflection and revision, I have continuously updated course
material over the years, providing professional preparation that will serve students well.
Furthermore, years of firsthand experience informs my teaching, and I grow through my
practice. Working as an active professional helps me keep my finger on the pulse of the
industry. The field constantly changes, and in order to teach others I must continue to
learn and grow, staying aware of these changes and communicating them with the
students. My experience as a professional has thus always been aligned with my
classroom.

Educators must constantly reevaluate the ways in which they teach; they also must
accommodate diverse learners. Ultimately, diversity is an essential element in a healthy
classroom, and I celebrate the differences among my students and honor their individual
strengths and individual needs. I try to point out each of their abilities, give them a sense
of pride in relationship to the others, and focus on the idea that the classroom is a place
where students can share ideas and learn from each other.

In closing, I am a living example that becoming an effective teacher takes time,
commitment, and exploration. I still remember vividly how unprepared I was for my very
first class. I entered the room with the course book held firmly in my trembling hand,
proceeding to spend the next hour reading face down from the text. It has been a
treasured learning experience for me ever since, constantly perfecting my approach
and methodology. As I reflect back fifteen years later, the personal connections I have
made with students stand out as the reward, with the greatest payoff being when a
student finds success in the field. It is that moment that I can acknowledge my positive
influence in their journey. Their success is the major factor in what inspires me to teach.