RICHARD KASEMSARN has been teaching at Center for Talent Development (CTD) for nine years, teaching a number of courses including Digital Architects, Robotics with Mindstorms and WeDo, Architecture, Rube Goldberg, and Novel Engineering. One of his favorite CTD memories took place in his robotics class because “It was great watching students move past the intimidation of programming to be able to write a simple command that could animate their project. It gave them confidence and excitement wanting to do more. Those are the kind of moments I never tire of seeing.” When asked what he enjoys most about teaching at CTD, Richard said, “sharing ideas with students and seeing them develop new insights and perspectives.”
Outside of CTD, Richard is an architect with his own practice in Chicago. He also teaches at the School of the Art Institute. Richard says receiving his license in architecture was one of his major accomplishments since completing graduate school. In advising CTD students, Richard tells them to “Try different things and don’t be afraid to show your curiosity or excitement for something. When you do, you never know if someone else around you has the same interest and can offer you even more insight to what you’re interested in.”
If I could take one CTD course it would be: One of the programming courses “We are surrounded and engaged by programmable things every day. It would be great to learn more about how codes are written at the most basic level in order to see how they evolve into programs for robots or applications.”
ROBIN O’CONNOR has been with CTD for seven years. Her most recent course was Making Sets: Exploring Multiplication. One of her favorite memories during her tenure with CTD was when her students were studying molecules. She says, “We wore dark clothes to class, and made simple face masks out of paper plates. Our masks became our focal points [and] we acted as if we were actual molecules…We had so much fun that afternoon, plus the lessons we learned on molecular change were everlasting.”
Robin is a retired Illinois teacher and will be teaching dramatic arts part-time at Lake Bluff Elementary School. She has four grown children and an incredibly musical family. Two of her children teach music in schools, one is a lead vocalist in a band, and another plays the electric guitar. In her spare time, Robin loves volunteering “especially when it is directed to help educate today’s children.” She belongs to her village’s Rotary Club, was a Township Trustee for 12 years, and is currently running for Lake County Clerk. When asked what she likes best about teaching at CTD, Robin said, “I truly enjoy finding ways to connect academics to the love of learning. I want my lessons to be engaging and meaningful. It’s important for students to not only remember the lesson, but to be excited about what is next.”
If I could take one CTD course it would be: One of my own! “I have so much fun planning my classes! This would give me information on what I do best, and what meaningful changes would be most fitting to educate my students.”
Center for Talent Development
ctd.northwestern.edu
25
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