The show, this first term of 2024 will probably have a different feel to it because quite unexplainably I have been awarded the Queensland Cooper Hewitt fellowship and am spending 12 weeks working at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. My aim is to create an introductory program to design teaching that will compliment the ITD teacher pathway program which is offering a pathway for teachers of other areas to come across to our side.
Today, I’m speaking with Kirsten McNally and Nadia Kim who are two of the educators at Cooper Hewitt and primarily work with teenagers in different programs across the museum. One of their programs is called the hive, A year long program to which students from the New York area apply. From over 300 applications 12 are chosen or in this case they just couldn’t choose, and the number went to 13. Now one of the exciting things is that these kids are from low socio-economic families, so instead of just being accepted to the program they are interned, which means they get paid something like a part time job wage. Many would have had to choose part time work instead of the program if this wasn’t the case. Two passionate young ladies doing great work what a great conversation and just to set the scene, this was recorded in the library of Andrew Carnegie’s mansion – which is now the museum – overlooking central park.
Thank you, Kirsten thank you Nadia, I had a great time!
About the Bridge Building Podcast
“This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.”
So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”
About the Podcast Host
Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.
Over To You
If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them.
Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com
Music by:
Viola Pink
My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.