One of the best parts of teaching is having the freedom to design our own courses. Of course, we need to teach within certain parameters such as departmental, state, or national core standards, but within these structures there is also a great amount of flexibility. We can shape our courses to suit our individual students’ needs and interests, while honoring our own areas of expertise. This can also be one of the most intimidating parts of being a new teacher or professor, so let’s jump in to some ways to make your curriculum designing period fruitful and even enjoyable. My tips below are specifically for college Art professors, but they can apply to any teacher in any setting. So sit down with a cup of your favorite cozy beverage and let’s work on your curriculum!

• Start with your students. Who is in your classroom, and what are their interests, reasons for being in school, and objectives for the course? Survey students on Day 1 and get to know them right away, so that you can shape the semester according to what you think would work best for this particular group. That sounds like a lot of work, right? It doesn’t have to be. This leads me to my next point…

• Keep the curriculum open. You don’t have to have it all figured out by the first class. You do need to have a rough sketch, though, and your general plans for the semester should be outlined on your syllabus and course site by the first class meeting so that everything is clear for students. We don’t want surprises mid-semester where the course turns into something students were not expecting. Keep a rough outline, with a clear sense of where you are headed. The main learning objectives will not change, but the way you reach them might. For example, maybe you write in your syllabus that you are spending 3 sessions of your 2D Design class on monochrome painting. Within those 3 sessions, you can have a variety of learning experiences, and you don’t have to spell them out from Day 1 (in fact, it might be overwhelming for students if you do, and it might also stifle your creativity and make you more rigid if you think you have to stick to a plan you wrote before you even knew this group of students). Maybe you learn from the class surveys that a large number of your students are interested in fashion, so you decide to design a brief lecture and activity about monochrome in fashion history to pique their interest. Leave room in your syllabus for flexible solutions like these.

• Look to your own interests and expertise. Your students are in college to learn from professionals in their field of study, and art professors have such varied experiences and areas of expertise. Be sure to bring your own creative sensibilities and processes into the classroom so your students can learn from you in an authentic way. One of the best parts of art school from a student’s perspective is seeing how a real artist interacts with the world and makes their art. No one else makes art like you do, so your students can learn a great deal from having a glimpse into your work. Are you a figurative painter teaching a 3D Design class? Design a project in your syllabus that would allow you to make connections so your students can understand how weight, gravity, light and line play a role in your 2D and 3D works, so they can begin to make their own connections to what they do outside of your class.

• Ask for student input through surveys. Multiple times throughout the semester, survey your students and collect data on their interests and preferences, so that you can start taking notes on any changes you want to make to next semester’s curriculum.

These tips will help you shape a curriculum that is open-ended enough to make room for your students’ perspectives and experiences while also making sure you cover everything required of you. Tell me about your curriculum updates below, and feel free to ask any questions. I would be happy to review your curriculum if you would like feedback.