What unique methods can I use to find a graphic/web designer who is also a good teacher?
May 14, 2006 3:52 PM
What unique methods can I use to find a graphic/web designer who is also a good teacher?
I'm a director of a design program at a university outside of Boston and I'm having a hard time finding quality instructors. I've gone the usual route of monster.com and craigslist, what unconventional approaches can I take in order to find good instructors?
I'm a director of a design program at a university outside of Boston and I'm having a hard time finding quality instructors. I've gone the usual route of monster.com and craigslist, what unconventional approaches can I take in order to find good instructors?
jeremias - email me.
posted by jivadravya at 4:33 PM on May 14, 2006
posted by jivadravya at 4:33 PM on May 14, 2006
I'm a design instructor. In addition to teaching at a school, I often speak at major conferences (i.e MacWorld or NAB). Many other teachers speak at these conferences. They tend to be really good teachers. Keep an eye on these conferences and specifically at the people who speak year after year. Sometimes a speaker will be invited to speak one year, and if he turns out to be bad, he won't be invited back a second year. Which is why you should look for returning speakers.
Also, I STRONGLY urge you too look for good teachers who have an interest in design -- not good designers who are willing to consider teaching. If a teacher isn't a great designer, you can help him get the training he needs to get better. He may never be a great designer, but that's not important. What important is that he knows how to communicate design concepts clearly, and that he has great classroom/people skills. And those things are really hard (maybe impossible) to teach.
My background is teaching -- not design. But I had an interest in design. I originally taught MS Office apps, and after a few years, I got bored doing that. On a whim, I applied for a job at a design school. In the interview, the interviewer told me frankly that I didn't have the design-world experience he was looking for, but that he was really impressed with my teaching skills (I had plonked down a huge pile of positive evaluations on his desk). He thought for a minute and then said, "I can give you a Photoshop book and say 'go learn that', but I can't teach you to be a good teacher." And he hired me on the spot.
I've been working for him for years now, and I continue to get great evals. I am now considered a design expert and have published several books on design-related topics. As someone with a passion for teaching, I know the importance of knowing what I teach, so -- even though it's not my background -- I keep current in the field. I now even take on freelance design jobs. But if you ask me what I am, I'll say "teacher" not "designer."
Sorry to toot my own horn. I'm not trying to impress you with my skills (nor am I interested in moving to Boston). My point is that I've seen many great designers fail as teachers, because they aren't passionate about the classroom.
Back to your specific question: in addition to checking out conferences, talk to everyone you know who has taken a design class (go to online design forums to "talk" to people there, too). Ask them for the names of teachers they loved. The best judge of a good teacher is a former student.
If you have the funds, take a bunch of classes yourself. When you find a good teacher, make him an offer.
Write to professional designers and ask them about teachers who really meant something to them when they were students.
Sign up for an account on lynda.com and watch their training videos. If one of them really impressed you, email the instructor.
posted by grumblebee at 4:57 PM on May 14, 2006
Also, I STRONGLY urge you too look for good teachers who have an interest in design -- not good designers who are willing to consider teaching. If a teacher isn't a great designer, you can help him get the training he needs to get better. He may never be a great designer, but that's not important. What important is that he knows how to communicate design concepts clearly, and that he has great classroom/people skills. And those things are really hard (maybe impossible) to teach.
My background is teaching -- not design. But I had an interest in design. I originally taught MS Office apps, and after a few years, I got bored doing that. On a whim, I applied for a job at a design school. In the interview, the interviewer told me frankly that I didn't have the design-world experience he was looking for, but that he was really impressed with my teaching skills (I had plonked down a huge pile of positive evaluations on his desk). He thought for a minute and then said, "I can give you a Photoshop book and say 'go learn that', but I can't teach you to be a good teacher." And he hired me on the spot.
I've been working for him for years now, and I continue to get great evals. I am now considered a design expert and have published several books on design-related topics. As someone with a passion for teaching, I know the importance of knowing what I teach, so -- even though it's not my background -- I keep current in the field. I now even take on freelance design jobs. But if you ask me what I am, I'll say "teacher" not "designer."
Sorry to toot my own horn. I'm not trying to impress you with my skills (nor am I interested in moving to Boston). My point is that I've seen many great designers fail as teachers, because they aren't passionate about the classroom.
Back to your specific question: in addition to checking out conferences, talk to everyone you know who has taken a design class (go to online design forums to "talk" to people there, too). Ask them for the names of teachers they loved. The best judge of a good teacher is a former student.
If you have the funds, take a bunch of classes yourself. When you find a good teacher, make him an offer.
Write to professional designers and ask them about teachers who really meant something to them when they were students.
Sign up for an account on lynda.com and watch their training videos. If one of them really impressed you, email the instructor.
posted by grumblebee at 4:57 PM on May 14, 2006
heh. you sound like my doppleganger grumblebee, someday when I'm in your neck of the woods or if you come to Boston we should get together.
Those are good pieces of advice, thanks. Any forums in particular that you recommend? ( I can think of typophile and speak up offhand.)
posted by jeremias at 5:23 PM on May 14, 2006
Those are good pieces of advice, thanks. Any forums in particular that you recommend? ( I can think of typophile and speak up offhand.)
posted by jeremias at 5:23 PM on May 14, 2006
(I travel to Boston from time-to-time. Next time I do, I'll let you know. It would be fun to get together and talk shop.) I don't know if I can help you with forums, because my subject is film/video design (i.e. Motion Graphics). But if you're looking in that direction, check out creativecow.net.
posted by grumblebee at 5:29 PM on May 14, 2006
posted by grumblebee at 5:29 PM on May 14, 2006
Why not try contacting instructors at local and nearby community colleges? These people are obviously interested in teaching and, if they've been there for a while, they must be good at it. My graphic design instructor from university was a freelancer who also taught at three or four community colleges.
posted by acoutu at 6:40 PM on May 14, 2006
posted by acoutu at 6:40 PM on May 14, 2006
I teach similar things up in Central Vermont, adult ed classes in tech topics (word, email, photoshop, web design) I'd also suggest looking in the places that people like me teach: local community colleges (as acoutu says) and local vocational schools that may have adult education programs. I'm thinking like Nashoba Tech or Middlesex Community College might be good places in your neck of the woods, depending where you are actually located.
The teachers in the adult ad program at the voc. high school where I work are really passionate about topics and yet willing to take time out of their evenings to try to get these topics across to a wide range of adult students. It has a different vibe to it than normal college teahcing and yet the people I work with are really sort of amazing for the most part. Some of them, of course, are your average unemployables, but you can sort of tell who is who by talking to the adult ed coordinator or whomever fills that role.
posted by jessamyn at 6:58 PM on May 14, 2006
The teachers in the adult ad program at the voc. high school where I work are really passionate about topics and yet willing to take time out of their evenings to try to get these topics across to a wide range of adult students. It has a different vibe to it than normal college teahcing and yet the people I work with are really sort of amazing for the most part. Some of them, of course, are your average unemployables, but you can sort of tell who is who by talking to the adult ed coordinator or whomever fills that role.
posted by jessamyn at 6:58 PM on May 14, 2006
I'd follow up on what grumblebee said. I'd look for teachers with a knack for design before I went the other way. Troll through the website of local community colleges and see whether faculty pages exist. If so, do a little "resume" review, and approach those folks you think might have the juice you're looking for.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:07 PM on May 14, 2006
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:07 PM on May 14, 2006
Two years ago I spoke at METC (ok, so the link doesn't go to the METC site, but the site of the group that hosts it, based in St. Louis). You could have met me, and I might have been a great addition to your facility. That said, I'm sure there are many other such conferences. Contact the Education department of your university, or the nearest University that has an Education department. They'll be able to point you @ some conferences... Read through the presentations, find the artsy ones, and contact the speakers directly.
Also, it's been my experience that Flash Designers are usually VERY talented when it comes to Designing, and there are several Flash conferences you might want to peek through...
Flash in the Can
Flash Forward
Flash Belt (Coming up in June!)
These are ones I have experience with, but there are many more....
posted by hatsix at 9:25 PM on May 14, 2006
Also, it's been my experience that Flash Designers are usually VERY talented when it comes to Designing, and there are several Flash conferences you might want to peek through...
Flash in the Can
Flash Forward
Flash Belt (Coming up in June!)
These are ones I have experience with, but there are many more....
posted by hatsix at 9:25 PM on May 14, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by scottreynen at 4:21 PM on May 14, 2006