January 3, 2009

By: Theresa F. from New Orleans, LA
Comments: 6

Hi Theresa, I attended the CoN workshop in New Orleans, June 2008. My colleague and I drove through the ninth ward and were truly moved by the extent of this tragedy. I am curious to see if you were able to run with your idea. I am a guidance counselor at Northwestern Middle School in Connecticut. I might be able to gather some students and their families to join in this idea if you are still considering it. Please e-mail me at:[email protected]. Thanks, Bruce

Posted By: Theresa Ferrer
On: 12/12/2008 5:10:50 PM

I teach design to youth in the neighborhoods of New Orleans that are still rebuilding as a result of storm damage from hurricane Katrina 3 years ago. The families of these youth are making important design decisions everyday as they rebuild their homes and business. Construction and design terms penetrate their every-day conversations as they determine how their living and work spaces will be space-planned, fabricated, and decorated. Next semester I will provide 1-day workshops for these busy families to help them embrace the design process as they take this journey together. The youth I work with are starved for contact with folks from other cities. Is there anyone out there that would be interested in coordinating and delivering the same workshop on the same day in your city so our families can present their designs to each other via web cam at the end of the workshop?

Posted By: Karen Lennan
On: 12/15/2008 9:21:16 AM

Could you tell me more about the specifics of this one day workshop on design? What are you planning? What are your thoughts as you wish to venture to do a web cam with another classroom...what do you want to come of it? I am really curious, as I am sure others are. Thanks, Karen Lennan

Posted By: Theresa Ferrer
On: 12/15/2008 11:46:19 AM

Hi Karen, thanks for responding. Each workshop would be a single day because that's all our families can commit. It would be on a Saturday so the whole family can attend. I am willing to work with 5 families at each workshop. I am targeting families of middle school students. The day will be structured in the following way: Introductions and Ice Breaker... 30min. Intro to Design -- Lesson 1 (What is design?)... 30-45min. Intro to Design -- Lesson 2 (What is GOOD design?)... 30-45min. LUNCH BREAK... 30 min. Intro to Design -- Lesson 3 (The Design Process)... 30-45min. Home design project -- A project chosen by each family to design one space in or around their home... 1 hr AFTERNOON SNACK... 15 min. Presentation -- Each family has 5 min. to present their design to the other families in the workshop (both locally and in another city via webcam)... 1 hr I have power point presentations for the 3 design lessons. They are currently being considered for approval to be published on this website. They have notes on each slide with suggestions for how you might deliver the lessons. I'll offer the workshop for free and I will find a sponsor to fund lunch (probably a local building supply company or a contracting firm). The webcam set-up is easier than it sounds. You would need to download Skype (which is free) onto a computer with a webcam and internet access. That computer will need to be connected to a projector. We would do a test run one day ahead of time to make sure we're all set. What do you think?

Posted By: Karen Lennan
On: 12/15/2008 3:21:53 PM

Thanks for corresponding. My schedule would not allow me to do it on a Saturday, and I work with High School families. What do you want from the interaction on the other side of the web cam? I am just curious as I am still not envisioning the benefit of the webcam during the lesson? I wish you luck! Karen Lennan

Posted By: Theresa Ferrer
On: 12/15/2008 5:21:38 PM

As I said, these students are in some of the hardest hit areas of New Orleans and are starved for contact with youth in other cities. Many of them had never travelled to another city before they were forced to evacuate for hurricane Katrina. It was a great experience for them to have that exposure and they want more. I’d like to answer that request by coordinating the timing of this generic design workshop with families in another city. The benefit is to share the same workshop regardless of the geographical divide and appreciate the variety that is produced by the alternate perspectives. They will present to each other through the webcam and provide feedback about what they are seeing. Thanks for being curious about it. If you know of anyone from your school or another who would be willing to offer a single Saturday workshop, please send them my way: [email protected]

Posted By: Karen Lennan
On: 12/16/2008 10:20:33 AM

Dear Theresa, did you check out all the people responding to teaching architectural design using sketch up on Google? You should check out the conversation as you might want to incorporate google sketch up in your design workshop plus there might be people there who would want to share the experience on the web cam with you! Karen Lennan

Posted By: Bruce Miller
On: 1/3/2009 11:51:24 AM

Hi Theresa, I attended the CoN workshop in New Orleans, June 2008. My colleague and I drove through the ninth ward and were truly moved by the extent of this tragedy. I am curious to see if you were able to run with your idea. I am a guidance counselor at Northwestern Middle School in Connecticut. I might be able to gather some students and their families to join in this idea if you are still considering it. Please e-mail me at:[email protected]. Thanks, Bruce