After working with PAGE Teacher Academy and the Schlecty Center, I see design qualities everywhere.  When I find myself really excited about my work, when my students or colleagues complain about work, when I wonder why others work a certain way, I now find myself asking what quality of the work that person must find appealing or repulsive.  My early understandings of engagement and design led me to seek out excitement in learning, probably because excitement is a design quality that I myself enjoy.  I have come to understand that for others, sometimes organization of knowledge and clear product standards can be just as compelling qualities of work, and that for me to be effective, I will sometimes have to put aside my wild desires for novelty and passion for content for the sake of student engagement and achievement. 

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As my understanding of engagement and design qualities have matured, I have made a concerted effort to remove myself from the role of instructor, and move towards a role as facilitator, in which students develop and create meaning in a way that is relevant to them, and which meets curricular focus.  While much of my own instruction in teaching prepared me to be in instructor, stepping away from that role to allow students autonomy of work and choice has improved the level of trust and respect in my classroom.  Students understand that in learning, we are all equal and able, and they trust that I am committed to their learning because I have designed choices for them. 

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​I have always believed that affirmation and protection from risk in learning is a key piece to developing a healthy work environment for my students.  They need to know, from me and from their peers, that their effort is worthwhile and full of worth.  I think teachers also seek out that environment in their work - an environment in which their hard work is supported in a way that will produce results and that those results are valuable to themselves and those whose opinion matters to them.