In tro d u c tio n
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elements explore just what it means to think like a designer when solving a particular pedagogical problem or classroom conundrum. Redesigning for K–2: We use Doug’s experience and expertise as a classroom teacher to inform this book. However, that experience only includes teaching grades 3–6. We know some things in a K–2 classroom don’t translate directly to a grades 3–5 one. In these elements, Doug uses his knowledge to help those who teach younger students, but with the understanding that this advice, while within his expertise, lies outside his personal experience.
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Reflection questions: At the end of each chapter, reflection prompts invite you to think about who you are as a teacher, reflect on what Doug offers through his experiences, and imagine the classroom you want to design for yourself and your students.
Part 2, “Becoming a Design-Minded Teacher,” specifies successful and unsuccessful design projects using Doug’s classroom as the setting for anecdotal observation. This part focuses on the nitty-gritty, minute-by-minute details of what being a design-minded teacher means. Some examples include a review of why borrowing and sharing each other’s design plans is a good thing and how people can find inspiration in other’s work. We start by offering some specific designs in chapter 8 (page 119). Teachers can implement the projects in this chapter directly into the classroom. Or, based on an individual classroom and context, they can break Doug’s plans down for parts and use what works best for them and their classroom. Chapter 9 (page 153) is all about assessment in the design-minded classroom, from teacher evaluation to grades. We even explore how to reconcile design-minded teaching with large-scale, state-mandated tests. Then, in chapter 10 (page 171), we consider the role of cure-alls, the concept of buy-in, and trust. In this chapter, we lean fully into failure by candidly exploring the ways a teacher, class, and school can struggle to stay in a design-minded headspace. We aim to be transparent and avoid any implications of ease; design mindedness won’t solve all of a classroom’s woes. This part offers ways to mitigate the struggles and supply a common language supporting lasting relationships and learning habits. It includes recommendations on how to engage wary students and even warier adults and explores how to evaluate projects created via the design process by reviewing grading and state tests. We end the book by addressing common questions about how this process can be slow and untraditional and again highlighting why we believe it’s all worth it.
A N o t e A b o u t C it a t io n P r a c t ic e s Every author surely sits down with the best of intentions when writing their manuscript. From the start, we intended to ensure the cited research includes a diverse and rich collection of voices from inside and outside the classroom. Our good intentions, though,
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