Whether mentoring staff, guiding clients, or shaping community understanding of design, architects are teachers. Yet few architects are trained in how to teach.
This interactive workshop will introduce proven classroom strategies, adapted from five years of high school teaching and architectural practice, to strengthen communication, leadership, and collaboration. Join us to practice lesson planning, scaffolding, and engagement techniques through hands-on activities and role-play. You'll leave with immediately applicable tools to clarify complex ideas, support professional growth in your teams, and reframe your role as both designer and educator.
Learning Objectives
- Learn how to apply lesson-planning frameworks to organize and deliver project presentations, ensuring clear, effective communication of complex design ideas to clients and stakeholders.
- Discover how to adapt scaffolding and feedback strategies from education to mentoring emerging professionals, supporting their growth while improving collaboration and productivity within project teams.
- Explore how to use classroom engagement techniques—e.g., questioning, storytelling, and visuals—to enhance communication, foster stronger stakeholder relationships, and encourage more active participation in the design process.
- Reflect on the dual role of architects as designers and educators, and identify at least one teaching strategy to implement immediately in professional practice.