Survival Guide
for Architects:
You
have lots of really good company
First
and foremost: You're not going into this by yourself. You are now
part of an enormous network of people who are ready to help, support
and advise you. Most immediate are your team members -- your design
colleague and the classroom teacher. Take advantage of these people:
share the work; trade tasks.
It is
the teacher's job to guide you in your plans, to help you assess the
kids' responses, and to maintain classroom order. If things get out
of hand -- the kids are too noisy or everyone seems confused or whatever
-- turn to the teacher for help.
(By the way, if the kids are noisy because they're excited, that's good!)
Use
Us
You also
have full and constant access to the AIE staff and Resource Center,
a little room crammed with projects, activities, books, charts, maps,
slides, kits, samples of building materials and endless other "stuff"
collected and made by the hundreds of people who have gone before
you. (Your ideas will eventually be part of this collection.)
We'll
help you adjust and adapt these raw materials to give concrete form
to your ideas. Our job is not to usurp your authority or control your
planning, but to help you do what you want to do. We help you work
out your project outline and weekly plans by tipping you as to what's
too much, what's too abstract and what might go faster than you expected.
We like to do this -- (our job is to support your work in the classroom)
-- and you can call us whenever you want.
One of
our staff will come into your classroom during the eight weeks. (Don't
worry, we'll tell you when we're coming.) This visit is called an
"observation," but it's really more of a chance for us to jump in
and help out in any way you want.
We'll
work with individual kids or hand out the scissors. We've all been
in all kinds of classrooms and are not coming to spy on you. If you're
having any trouble on that day, remember that we're on your side.
We'll also have an interim meeting with you and your design partner
mid-way through the eight weeks to help you assess the sessions and
make any readjustments you think are called for.
Next
Step: Be Yourself!
