October 8, 2010

By: Kim R. from New York, NY
Comments: 37

Posted By: Kim Robledo-Diga
On: 8/20/2007 4:20:54 PM

Cooper-Hewitt hosted 40 K-12 teachers from New Orleans at its A City of Neighborhoods (CON) professional development training. Participating teachers ranged from various subject areas such as math, science, language arts, social studies, art and technology to name a few. A City of Neighborhoods is a community-based design education and advocacy program for youth, educators, designers, and civic leaders. Its mission is to foster civic engagement, recognizing the right of all citizens, especially young people, to be involved in the design of their neighborhoods. The program applies design education to a neighborhood context, providing access to primary resources (architecture, streetscapes, maps, and historic and cultural materials) in order to explore a neighborhood's past, analyze its present, and plan for its future. This conversation area is meant for SDI participants to continue conversations, share ideas and resources with fellow participants. This area also invites all teachers who have interest in teaching their students about their neighborhood/community through the lens of design. In addition to teachers participating in this conversation area, Cooper-Hewitt has invited experts in the field of teaching design thinking, professional designers, and educators to join the conversation.

Posted By: Keith Lewis
On: 8/23/2007 4:25:07 PM

Hi there, I would like to thank you once again for a smashing summer workshop in New York. This new school year will be the year of enlightenment. Can you think of a better time to introduce a design curriculum to New Orleans? This is going to be fun, and for some of my students, therapeutic. I'll try to keep you abreast of the lessons. I will be rolling out my design project in the next few weeks. See you soon Kim! Keith P.S. This site could use spell-check ; ) I posted on the wrong site....... my bad.

Posted By: Delease Nevels
On: 8/24/2007 6:53:05 AM

Posted by Delease Nevels Thanks to Cooper-Hewitt and its staff for an interesting but detailed summer workshop for one week from June 25-29. The experts in their field of design knowledge were truly amazing. Thanks to all of you. Will get the design project going soon. A city of Neighborhoods will benefit and arouse most of the students interest.

Posted By: Barbara Nikoomanesh
On: 8/24/2007 2:35:40 PM

We did the Treasure Hunters lesson, listed on this site, with our students last week. It is a great beginning of the year activity that introduces students to map concepts, vocabulary and reinforces communication skills. This also helps our students get oriented to the school campus and each other.

Posted By: Beverly Cook
On: 8/26/2007 6:35:53 PM

Talk about inspired! I read Annna's book and the City of Neighborhoods Guide on the plane ride home and decided then and there to create an entire Design course for my Art III class. As I was "designing" the curriculum, my NAEA quarterly came in the mail and bam, there was an article on the need and impact of design education in art rooms across America. Coincidence? I think not! It's going very well so far - we're doing an overview developmental workbook on the 4 areas of design. I've been buying up some very unique water bottles for next week's activity!

Posted By: Delease Nevels
On: 8/27/2007 6:52:31 PM

Beverly I am glad that you were inspired by Anna's book and about the City of Neighborhoods Guide. You should have been in New York for the week of June 25, 2007. Keep the excitement going.

Posted By: Debbie Babin
On: 8/31/2007 4:21:07 PM

Thank you Beverly for bringing up the comment critiquing the City of Neighborhoods Guide - I forgot it was in my Cooper-Hewitt bag and was very interested in reading it.

Posted By: Kelly McCartney
On: 9/10/2007 9:38:03 PM

I am also glad that the book was mentioned!!! I can't wait to read it! I am looking froward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!!! Take care! Kelly

Posted By: Natashia James
On: 9/24/2007 2:48:48 PM

Hello everyone, I would like to thank Kim and the entire Cooper-Hewitt staff for the exceptional workshop on design this past summer. I really felt the staff knew alot about "Southern Hospitality" you all done a fantastic job with hosting this event! I look forward to the next visits and new inspiring ideas! I think my students will love engaging in these design activities this year. Thanks, Natashia

Posted By: Elizabeth Fletcher
On: 10/2/2007 12:22:19 AM

Hi everyone. It was nice seeing so many of you again. It brought back some great summer memories and a few trying ones. (Some of you know what I mean.) The best part for me was that it opened me up to a new way of seeing everyday items. The institute and the staff inspired me to change my plan of attack when it comes to lesson planning.

Posted By: Delease Nevels
On: 10/16/2007 6:51:02 PM

Hello everyone, Glad to be online again. Kim was it great seeing all of you September 27 & 28th. I look forward to new ideas with my students. Thanks again. Nevels

Posted By: Cynthia Eaton
On: 10/23/2007 7:28:03 PM

WOW! The legacy of Design for the Other 90% has been a profound one for me; it has irrevocably changes my understanding of poverty in this country. The link and legacy of design and problem-solving ( my new expanded understanding of design) to New Orleans is profound. I would love to see the outcomes of the September work. Kudos Kim and Cooper-Hewitt!

Posted By: Delease Nevels
On: 3/6/2008 9:55:22 PM

Kim, As always it is great to see you and others. Do students after awhile get over anxious about trying to complete projects? Well, my group is coming along but seems to be moving slower than normal to me. They are doing so much preparation for their (I-leap) test next week. So I gave them a break but will start up again the following week in March.

Posted By: Frances Brown
On: 4/4/2008 9:46:18 AM

To keep my students from being over anxious and bored with their projects, I have set aside Friday as the day for working on this exercise. It seems to be working well and the students are showing great progress.

Posted By: kathleen aacosta
On: 4/14/2008 1:37:29 PM

Our students would work on the project all the time if we let them. They have nothing else to do. Some of our students worked on the floor part of the project at night. kathie acosta

Posted By: Jacqueline Taylor
On: 5/18/2008 4:58:55 PM

Our students attended the Design Fair in New Orleans on May 6th. They were very impressed with all of the speakers, projects and other students that they encountered. From that visit, we were invited by an architectural firm to view a project that is being worked on locally. The students remain excited about their roles in the project. We displayed their project boards in the main hall on campus upon our return. Students shared their findings with others! Jacqueline Taylor, John Dibert School, New Orleans, LA

Posted By: Mercedes Kuehner
On: 11/27/2009 1:31:41 PM

I just wanted to see if everyone's experience was a great as mine. We were in San Antonio for our training and aside from the sweltering heat, we had a blast. Mei, Kim and all the presenters were very interesting. The only issue I had was that we learned so much in one week that retaining all the infomation and applying it in the classroom was a challenge. This website was a good way to re-educate. Thank you for the opportunity.

Posted By: Sarah Rooney
On: 11/29/2009 11:48:33 AM

I agree Mercedes! We did learn so much that the idea of applying it in the classroom was a bit overwhelming. I'm glad that I was able to come back to this site so I could review the basics. The heat was sweltering (especially being 7 months pregnant), but totally worth the trip, since I was able to apply the design process to many of lessons early in the year, and will continue to do so when I return from maternity leave.

Posted By: Gwynne Richards
On: 11/29/2009 1:24:40 PM

I wanted to second Mercedes comment, but Sarah, you got to it first! I was also in San Antonio with Mercedes and Sarah and agree that it was incredibly rewarding and incredibly hot...but Chicago had been unusually cool so I welcomed the heat! The personnel from Cooper-Hewitt were clearly experts in teaching the design process and have given my colleagues and me the kind of information and support that educators yearn for in professional development. I also want to personally thank Kim and Mei for arranging for our students to hear Charles Harrison speak about his 30 plus years designing for Sears. Again, it is a pleasure to be working with an organization that is dedicated to supporting those they trained. Gwynne Richards

Posted By: erica gaeta-castori
On: 11/29/2009 3:56:21 PM

Thanks Kim and staff for a wonderful experience this past summer! Not only did I learn how to incorporate the design-process into my lesson planning, but I also learned how to really work with a team of wonderful educators. I will always look back at my experince with joy. I cannot wait to book another trip to New Orleans. What a great place!

Posted By: Debbie Taylor
On: 11/30/2009 11:12:47 PM

I had a great time as well!! I will always remember this experience as well as the people that I met in New Orleans. New Orleans is a most enchanting place and I do hope to revisit it. My heart goes out to the people of the Lower Ninth Ward. Visiting the LNW during the week of CON was a very transformative event for me personally. That week was amazing to say the least.