Teaching Style & Strategies
Technology is often stressful for a creative person. I try my best to make my classroom
a relaxed environment and be as patient as possible. This is not always easy and often find
the need to take deep breaths! Students
usually call me by my first name and I try to make them feel comfortable enough to ask and encourage many questions.
I am happy to repeat lessons or demonstartions they may not clearly understand as much of the material is difficult and highly
technical.
Depending upon the time of day, I discovered the attention span of the students can
be short and find it sometimes helpful to deliver 3-4 mini lectures of about 20 minutes each and then have them go and
apply what they have learned instead of providing one, long lecture and demonstration. I walk around the classroom and
view their work in progress on screen and spend one-on-one time with them. This not only inhibits the natural inclination
for students to check their emails or send IM’s during my class, but provides the opportunity to personally discuss their ideas, critique their work and address any questions or technical
difficulties they may be having on an individual basis.
I further engage the students into the projects
by bringing inspiration into the classroom via the web and encourage them to use the resources available in digital libraries
and online fashion forecasting services. Design concepts and color stories are developed to promote a clear focus on what
they will be designing and who they are designing for, with specific target markets in mind before projects are begun. They
are responsible for completing three creative project presentations per course, which account for 50% of their grade.
30% of the grade is based on technical ability and understanding of the computer concepts and 20% based on class participation,
which includes in-class presentations of their projects. I believe it is important for the designers to be able to verbally speak about their
inspiration, describe ideas and pattern work. Peer critiques have proven to be a wonderful way to engage the entire class
in the evaluation process and provides an aditional learning esperience of speaking in front of a group.
Because of the creative customer I serve, I do believe in providing flexibility in
project scope and often extend deadlines. I gauge each class a bit differently, according to the rhythm of the class and level
of understanding of the materials presented. I discovered over the years, that affording students a bit of “breathing
space” when needed their work is far better-quality and the learning outcome more productive. At the end of a semester, deadlines create stress no matter what, but they seem to gain a better understanding
of the concepts and have gained the ability apply what they have learned to generate the design work more quickly in the long-run.
Teaching Effectiveness
Towards the end of each semester, I take student evaluations whether required or not. Feedback is important for me to personally evaluate my teaching effectiveness. Although
there is always room for improvement, my evaluations over the past few years have all been well above the college average.
Earlier in my teaching career, I found students felt highly negative about the computer. It was a threat, and they did
not understand why a creative person would need one. I believe they saw me as a BIG ugly monster that represented this computer
thing that they had to use. Some of my evaluations were average and one in particular class that I rember, rated me below.
I don't think it was warranted and that was then. I have grown as an instructor and believe the students have also.
I've had several peer observations over my teaching career at FIT and they have
all been excellent.
It is highly
rewarding to see my current effectiveness as a teacher proven in the countless number
of students who I have helped place in jobs or have secured jobs, doing exactly what I have taught them. In this fast-paced business, many students learn
more out of the sheer necessity to get the job done quickly. Through my guidance, I have held build their foundation.
Further evidence of student learning outcomes can
be found in viewing some of the art created in my textile and surface design gallery. Please be sure to visit the
"Student Work" section of this website.
Teaching improvement activities
It is a challenge to stay on top of the fashion trends as
well as keep up with the fast pace of changing technology. It is a constant learning process. Therefore, I find it absolutely
necessary to regularly participate in trade shows, attend lectures at technology conferences as well as attend fashion forecast
presentations.
In an effort to further enrich my own learning
experience and with the goal to ultimately obtain my Master of Arts degree, I have been enrolled at Empire State College since 2002. Through this study, I have completed courses at the New Horizons Computer Learning Center and attended workshops
in Adobe Illustrator at the CEPA gallery, completed an Educational Planning course, taken courses in Writing Poetry, Business
Management, and Advanced Drawing and Painting.
A difficult hurdle for me has been to
fulfill the foreign language component. I have tried to study Spanish in a class setting but found it frustrating. Recently,
I purchased the Advantage Language CD set and hope to make a breakthrough with this interactive learning tool!
In addition, I am participating in this
on-line E-Portfolio class through the SUNY Learning Network through which I have discovered many new ways to improve my teaching
experience and have further realized some of the challenges faced in the on-line learning environment.
Most of my early computer training was self taught and I have personally continued
advanced self-study throughout my career, most currently with the latest version of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and In Design
CS2 with assistance from Total Training videos. I regularly attend annual user group meetings for industry-specific software
such as Nedgraphic’s, Lectra and Colour Matters as well as non-proprietary such as the Adobe user group conference.
In order for me to inspire creativity within
my students, I myself need other creative outlets outside of technology. To further satisfy this need, broaden my own horizons
and keep the creative juices flowing within me in the traditional form, I
have also taken classes at FIT in Hand Painting on Silk, attended decorative art and painting on glass workshops at the Paintnpost studio and have continued to study pen and ink techniques with Mary Owens, a nationally
known decorative artist.
Further Activities undertaken
to improve teaching include making recommendations for software and hardware
upgrades, assisting the Textile/Surface Design Department at FIT with Curriculum updates and new course development. These
changes are necessary to provide our students the opportunity for up to date industry methods and to better prepare them for
the job market.
In consultation with
the Center for Excellence in Teaching, we have provided for faculty to faculty (F2F) workshops for the entire school of Art and Design,
In 2000, helped to establish
the first computer lab specifically for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies by securing industry- specific
software donations worth millions of dollars and wrote CAD seminar programs, which has developed into a thriving business
for the college. Most recently, I have assisted in creating a certificate program in Design and Product Development through
the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Future Teaching goals
Although I am proud of
my past successes, I will continue to strive into the future. Technology dictates this. I am committed to further expand my
horizons and the boundaries of the walls of the FIT buildings, by preparing to deliver my courses
online. Currently at FIT, we serve a global marketplace and have a cultural mix of students in all age groups from all over
the world. It is only presently possible to teach those who can physically attend my face to face classes. I am in the process
of creating the SD224 class for delivery via the world-wide web. This is an opportunity to reach a broader audience. It is
planned to be ready and go live in spring 2007, if all is approved by
the appropriate committees on a timely basis.
