Working in an urban high school has many challenges. My first computer graphics class was no exception. The computers were old PCs and the software was a pared-down version of a program that had failed to meet standards of the graphic design industry. My class contained a mix of special education students and youths with a reputation for disrupting classrooms.
A former graphic designer myself, I had returned to the classroom with a dream of teaching skills to urban art students that they actually could use to get jobs. The program would be cancelled if things did not go well this semester.
It was time for an experiment. I spent the summer creating problems of increasing complexity that these students could read and tackle at their own pace. At first the students were perplexed. They had never been taught this way before. They weren’t sure it would work.
Privately, I wasn’t sure either but I explained that real graphic designers have to think and manage time for themselves. They also have to look up instructions for ways to do new things with their software.
“This is the last whole-group lecture I plan to give you,” I said. “Once we establish some basics, you will move at your own pace.”
One of the reputed troublemakers blurted out, “What if you run out of modules? What if I finish the course before the semester ends?”
“I won’t run out,” I promised, hoping I could keep that promise. “If you finish Computer Graphics I, you can move on to Computer Graphics II.” He looked dubious, but nodded.
Learning to manage one’s own time fruitfully is hard. We had some rough spots. I had to patrol diligently, not only to troubleshoot when someone didn’t understand a direction, but also to ensure no one strayed to websites the school had forbidden.
One of my special education students couldn’t read well enough to follow the instructions in the modules. I made voice recordings for him. His mastery and confidence improved dramatically. Eventually he said, “I think I can do it without the recordings now.” He continued to perform well.
He told me later that seeing the words while listening to me read them helped him. And because he wanted to learn these skills, he finally had a personal reason to read.
He finished all the work I’d designed for this class, three weeks before the end of the semester—before many of the other students. What a proud moment!
One student who started the class did not complete all of the assignments. She had fairly profound disabilities, but worked conscientiously every day, and fully deserved her passing grade.
Everyone else finished. Most quickly signed up for the next session of computer graphics. Word-of-mouth swelled Computer Graphics I to two sections. The program was saved.
The “troublemaker” who’d spoken up the first day did finish early—by the end of first quarter. As I had promised, we went on to Computer Graphics II material. It turns out, his main “trouble” was that he was very intelligent and bored in most of his classes.
Sure, it was challenging to produce new modules before he devoured them—but this student helped me achieve my dream goal. He went on to work in the printing industry.
Gephardt teaches private art classes in Kansas.
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