Teaching Philosophy

Graphic Design’s place in history and culture is often overlooked. Its value is under recognized because it blends seamlessly into our everyday, so much so that it’s difficult to realize how we rely on it to navigate our information stream. Graphic Design is a cultural influencer and a vehicle for communication. Good Graphic Design clarifies, inspires and delivers important messages to the public and has the power to sway public opinion. Throughout history it has been a vehicle used to support and advocate for social causes. Advancements in technologies from the mid-to-late 19th century forward have spurred its popularity as a profession, but it’s rise in effectiveness became heightened by the many avant-garde artist movements of the early 20th century. Wit and imaginative intelligence, and an ability to produce work beyond aesthetic separates the good work from the great work. Le Corbusier said “good design is intelligence made visible”.

My courses integrate history, theory, technology, and professional practice’s real world experiences, with a strategic and critical understanding of graphic design’s relevance in media and communication. Classes build technique, design vocabulary, visual literacy and knowledge by linking demonstrations, theoretical readings, and guided exercises that prepare students to succeed in designing solutions for course projects. Using a professional design studio model, students are taught to ideate, the relevance of iterations, receive feedback and rework their designs till a final solution is reached within a project’s deadline. I believe that doing, making, and exploring possibilities opens the mind to seeing and finding the best solution(s).

I strive to make my classroom a relaxed, inclusive and safe space. Critiques, an integral part of the design process, are meant to offer constructive feedback. Students are encouraged to use design language to offer critique. By doing so we remove the personal and remain objective when giving feedback. The ongoing dialogue praises what is good, what is working, and discusses what is not working and why, which offers incite for better solutions. I believe this method leaves students feeling encouraged from the critique, providing inspiration for their next iteration while creating this unique, respectful and safe space.

Teaching students from diverse backgrounds, interests and areas of study, I believe, has made me a better educator. Some of my courses fulfill university’s requirements, but are not necessarily in a student’s major. The levels of technical and design experience, creativity, and interest vary drastically. My teaching pedagogy provides growth opportunities for both advanced students and novices to the field, mixing team and classroom interactions with individual conversations apropos to a student’s level. Watching students find affirmation and/or a more robust insight into how to apply the knowledge is always rewarding.