Ready, teach, Design=
We're currently beta testing Ready, Teach, Design=. If you're one of our testers, please log in with your account. If you're not a tester, you'll have limited access but please do take a look around, and fill out this form if you'd like to receive updates about the program's open access launch in early 2023.
Ready, Teach, Design= is comprehensive in its design. Both classroom educators and aspiring design mentors are given a new lens on how safe spaces are designed; how relationships with students can be re-cast; and how to present design that is culturally relevant and aware. It’s a fresh, creative, innovative approach for engaging middle and high school age youth in a completely different way.
The development of this kit was led by D×D program partner, Project Osmosis, a nonprofit organization that has been introducing design to historically excluded youth, while nurturing their creative confidence and talents, for over 20 years.
Start with modules to help you prepare
Explore activities you can use with youth
Explore the Curriculum Kit
Included in this kit are materials designed for you and for the students you work with. It's full of resources, video content, step-by-step instructions, and really, everything you will need.
Foundational Modules
2 hours of content designed for you
Get the context and insight you need to prepare to bring design to students. To help set the stage for your lessons, you'll get tips and helpful guidance for how to think about Mentor and Mentee Relationships, Designing Safe Spaces for students, Decolonizing Design, and more.
Student Activities
1-hour lessons you can bring to students
Bring the magic of design to life for the youth with our turnkey lessons you can use. We'll share the lesson plans, materials you will need, and our tips for facilitation. All you need are the students.
Additional Resources
Support materials your can view at any time.
Get more information about key concepts, activities, and information we share throughout the curriculum kit. We'll connect you to articles, videos, podcasts and more that help you go deeper with your students.
How to get started
As a classroom educator
Step 1: Prepare yourself
Whether you’re brand new to the world of design or have some strong design chops, we'll introduce you to the preparation and basic concepts you'll need to successfully guide your students.
Step 2: Start with your students
Jump in whenever you're ready with lessons you can use in your classroom. We'll bring the details, you bring the fun. And more lessons will be added after we complete the beta test.
Step 3: Spread the word
Help us build design community with other youth by sharing this page with other middle and high school educators.
As a design mentor
Step 1: Prepare yourself
We know you know design. Use our foundational lessons to help inform how you show up for those you mentor and set an inclusive, productive, and considered environment for the education you will facilitate with students.
Step 2: Engage your community
We’ve got everything you need to know to help build the right group of mentors, advisors, and most importantly students.
Step 3: Start with your mentees
Jump in whenever you're ready with lessons you can use with the students you mentor. We've got everything you need to start and, of course, you can substitute projects of your own.
Step 4: Spread the word
Help us build design community with other youth by sharing this page with other aspiring design mentors.
Foundational Modules
All the things you need as a design mentor or classroom educator to prepare for your sessions with youth.
Module 1
Mentor & Mentee Relationships
How do you cultivate trust and create a meaningful and impactful mentoring relationship with your aspiring youth or young designer? In any mentorship scenario, the mentor brings knowledge, experience, and support to the relationship to benefit the mentee. Additionally, the mentor has much to gain from the relationship, including access to a young person’s perspective.
In this module, we examine three models of mentoring: one-to-one, group, and virtual, as well as the benefits and challenges of each.
Note: This toolkit refers to a person who works with youth as a mentor, whether they are a classroom educator or aspiring design mentor.
Module 2
Designing Safe Spaces
How do you create equitable, safe spaces so youth can reach their full potential without fear of being judged on their social identity, race, religion, gender, sexuality, or ability? The learning objectives for this module will focus on creating safe, equitable experiences and lifelong, meaningful connections for youth.
Module 3
Decolonizing Design
How can we decenter Western and Eurocentric standards of design so that all cultural backgrounds are at the forefront of innovation? By acknowledging what indigenous and historically marginalized designers and design practices can teach us, we give power to the most vulnerable. The learning objectives for this element will dive deeper into ways to honor the work and contributions of historically marginalized and indigenous design cultures and designers in their program curricula.
Module 4
Design Education in Action
How might we engage and inspire youth creative confidence and build on their unique curiosities and interests? In this module, we will look at engagement strategies to inspire youth with age-appropriate customizable exercises and activities.
Youth Activities
Create a Single-sheet Triorama
Make a Zine!
Join the waitlist
Excited to get access to Ready, Teach, Design= materials? Add your name to the waitlist, and we'll notify you when we launch open access.
