Samantha Barbour
  • Home
  • About
    • RESEARCH
    • Contact
  • Portfolio
    • SOCIAL DESIGN
    • Graphic Design
    • Illustration
    • 3D Modeling
    • Photography
    • Video
  • Student Work
    • LSUS
    • ISU
    • DMACC >
      • COMMUNICATION DESIGN 2
      • INTRO TO VISUAL COMMUNICATION
      • DESKTOP PUBLISHING
      • ILLUSTRATOR
    • In the Classroom
  • Blog

Teaching graphic design studios

9/22/2015

Comments

 
I am so proud to be teaching such a wonderful group of students this semester. I appreciate their honesty in telling me they need help understanding the process.  Over all I am extremely proud of the work they are producing and I am looking forward to the rest of the semester teaching them. 

Our first project is working on a cube/packaging project.  It was the purpose of this project to teach the students a multitude of things.  They learn a combination of beginning typographic skills, illustrator skills, sketching, design principles, working with templates and they learn to print things that are going to be made 3D. They learn how to tests colors and how to work with patterns. 

I did not create this project, but the some of the students have mentioned to me that they wish the projects would be more exciting.  I am doing my best to make this as transferable as possible.  I have asked the students to be honest with me about how they feel the class is going.  They mentioned that they hope the projects get more exciting but that they are proud of their class and their instructor because they appreciate that they can come to me with their questions.   My students said they feel that way because they believe that I am honest with them. They like that I am real with them about why they are learning and the importance of understanding what the project is teaching them.  

Before the students told me this, I felt proud because I felt my students respected me.  What they told me last night concreted this.  It is my hope that I can continue to inspire them to ask questions and look for answers. 

The first project is due tomorrow.  It feels like christmas.  My first class, with my first projects to grade. The students may be feeling dread, but I am feeling ultimate excitement.  The other reason for my excitement is I will finally have student examples for my portfolio.  My entire class has given me permission to use the work they create in the classroom in my portfolio, which means I can finally start applying for jobs.  

I actually sent my first letter of interest to a position in London last week.  I have not heard back from the university yet.  The position I showed interest in would be for when their new Master's program begins.  Fingers crossed for me.  It would be amazing to teach abroad for a few years and to be involved in the creation of a new program. 

This blog post has gotten a little off track.  I wanted to mention I will be posting examples of my student's work on the blog post soon. I will also be adding images to the new section of my website directly created for student work. 

The images you see in the slide show above are of the students the first wall critique and their sketches on the wall.  The third image is from this week when I combined my studio with another instructor's studio while she was away.  It was empowering being in charge of a greater number of students. I love being here at Iowa State University.  I even felt a twinge of pain when I realized that I only have these students for so long and then they move on.  Then I remembered I get to start a new adventure next semester with a new set of students. There is something empowering about by not knowing what is happening after school. That knowing I have a huge adventure ahead of me.  Now I am off to start this fantastic journey of an amazing life. 

Comments
    Become a Patron!

    Archives

    April 2020
    December 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All
    Professional Experience
    School Projects
    University Of East London
    Workshops

    RSS Feed