Studio D

School of Innovation and Design at Westwood High School

A New School of Thought
Less Push, More Pull Less Talk, More Action Less Following, More Leading Less Boredom, More Engagement Less Consumption, More Production Less Dependence, More Empowerment

Less Isolation, More Collaboration

Less Standardization, More Customization
Our mission is to empower students to think differently, take risks, innovate, and collaborate on real and relevant challenges.

Our Beliefs
1. Learning occurs best by doing. Our students deserve to learn in an environment that treats them as producers, not just consumers. 2. Students are leaders, designers, and innovators. Our students have dynamic and diverse talents and school should serve as a platform to explore those. 3. The boundary between the school and the public must be eroded. Our students are entitled to rigorous and meaningful learning experiences that foster powerful collaborations among professionals, business leaders, and community stakeholders.

People dont buy what you do; they buy why you do it. Simon Sinek

Our Approach to Learning GRASSROOTS

the essential foundation and source
It is absolutely imperative that students collaborate in a learning atmosphere that is bottom-up, not top-down. Meaningful learning begins with an authentic and organic challenge that inspires inquiry, and it is our duty as teachers to help cultivate action with our students toward real solutions. The challenges and problems our students face are genuine, and it is precisely that characteristic that serves as our foundation to all learning.

We only think when we are confronted with problems. John Dewey

Our Approach to Learning

GALVANIZED
aroused to awareness and action
Make no mistake about it. We are an organization of action. Students that choose to learn with us do not sit around and deliberate solutions for countless hours. The problems we are facing need immediate attention, and people are waiting. That is not to say that the learning process is rushed. However, it is to serve as a clear distinction that we are characterized by a culture that builds to think and builds to learn.

It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things. Leonardo da Vinci

Our Approach to Learning GLOBAL

comprehensive
To put it simply, we think and act beyond ourselves. Our learning is not confined by the walls of the schoolhouse, and the local and global community serves as our classroom. By approaching challenges through a global and inclusive point of view, students are able to bring multiple perspectives into the design process. It is this type of viewpoint toward learning that encourages powerful collaborations among students and outside experts.

I want to put a ding in the universe. Steve Jobs

Our Design Process

Gather Glean Generate Gauge GO!

What do I need to know?

What is my focus?

What are the possible solutions? Brainstorm Illustrate Diagram Design Sketch Integrate Select

How do I build and test my ideas? Create Critique Compare Measure Evaluate Revise Conclude

No more questions! Time to GO! Plan Evolve Fabricate Develop Execute Build Document

Understand Define Investigate Observe Prepare Interview Empathize

Capture Share Present Interpret Synthesize Relate Categorize

Our five-stage design process sends students through a variety of experiences that allow them to acquire and demonstrate a multitude of skills. The process serves as a grounding force for teachers who are looking for a structured way to guide students through design challenges. Additionally, the design process is a great way for students to develop a creative mindset that they can apply to any problem. To put it simply, the process is the lifeblood of any problem-solving endeavor.

Nuts & Bolts

Studio D offers a variety of advantages for students:
Rigor: Not only is our curriculum college preparatory and aligned with state standards, it is also made relevant with its connection to realworld issues and needs. The curriculum allows students to think and work as professionals do, and their work is shared beyond the classroom. High Expectations: We are THE school of high quality student work. We believe that all students should always be held to the highest of expectations. Along with high curriculum standards, students design quality work that is subject to careful review, including critique, revision, and high-stakes presentations. Creativity: Every challenge is firmly grounded in a design process that is used by many of the most innovative companies in the world, including IDEO, GE, and Apple. In short, the work our students tackle mirrors the work of real-world professionals.

Things We Like
taking action! critique & feedback sketching & prototyping testing & experimentation presentations & storytelling revision & successful failures original ideas & brainstorming

Inspirations
A few organizations and people that inspire and challenge our way of thinking:
Ron Berger
Sir Ken Robinson

The Buck Institute for Education Yong Zhao

Seth Godin

The Stanford Institute of Design

Who We Are
We are a diverse collection of teachers and design enthusiasts that share a desire to challenge the status quo in the public education system.
Eric White Lead Teacher, Design-Based Learning Foundations of Innovation and Design ewhite@richland2.org Amanda Barfield Language Arts Teacher CP/Honors English abarfield@richland2.org Kendra Whitney Science Teacher CP/Honors Environmental Science kwhitney@richland2.org Keith West Social Studies Teacher CP/Honors World Geography kwest@richland2.org

More dialogue, less monologue.