Use of Images

Images I use for this presentation and others are taken from various sources, among these are SCAD's Digital Image Database via Jen Library's web page, Flickr.net and more specifically for my presentation in Ancient Greece I used a web site from the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies and The University of Minnesota [http://cnes.cla.umn.edu/courses/archaeology/index.html]
that proves to be very helpful.

In order to control the timing for my presentation [knowing that I have only 20 mins] I used 10 slides with various images in that relates to one topic for example plan, facade, and render from the Villa of Good Fortune in Olynthus. In order to guide myself and to benefit the students, in addition to the hidden notes in the computer, I included some basic notes about the images [name, date, place].

Claudia

Lost in Translation

 Having study in Puerto Rico I though, for instance, that it would be difficult to understand and remember the definitions of architectural terms. However, after almost two years of being in the states, and now at the end of my masters, the opposite happened. Talking to my teaching internship supervisor, Jorge Lizardi, I realized that most of the terms I remember are in English and I can’t remember how are in Spanish, so, I ended giving him the definition in Spanish and he giving me the name of what I am trying to tell. Weird!

Claudia

20 minutes

Yesterday I had the opportunity for the first time to teach part of the lecture in class.  It was the last 20 minutes and after waiting for weeks it was finally my turn. At first I felt nervous, being in front of a auditorium with 36 students looking at me, waiting for what I had to say [teach]. However, after I began talking I realized that I knew what I was talking about and I became calm. I talked about the Hippodamus system, the Greek house, and the importance of mosaics in the domestic architecture in Greece. Thanks to what Prof. Celeste taught me in my Ancient Art and Architecture class I was able to not only lecture the students but also answer to their questions.

Claudia

Teaching

It’s been four weeks since I started my internship, today students have their first test. A month ago I was excited as today, I wanted to be a University professor and I still want to. Is something about knowing things and be able to communicate it to students, to guide them through a path they have chosen without detaching them from their final goal.  

Claudia 

New Curriculum

The School of Architecture of the University of Puerto Rico is changing their history curriculum. This because they have a new dean, and the NAAB accreditation board suggested some changes. I don’t know the story well, since I did not graduate from this school, but the rumor was it that history classes were taught in obsolete ways. Students were starting their first history classes late in their careers and they graduated not knowing much about modern, post- modern or contemporary architecture. As for that they now have six different courses beginning in the first semester, going from general architectural history, Ancient to Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque etc., up to Frank Gehry.

On the other hand, the NAAB Accreditation board suggested that non-western approaches were included in classes or/and specific curses were included in the curriculum.

Here I come, as my interest since the beginning of my MFA in SCAD had been non-western topics and more specifically Islamic architecture; this is a great opportunity for my formation, and also for their new curriculum. Not only because I am soon to become an Architectural History scholar, but because my personal interests fit within their new curriculum.

Claudia

Architectural History for Architect Students

As I mentioned in the previous blog I am an intern in the School of Architecture of the University of Puerto Rico. Different to how SCAD departments are organized, in Universities in Puerto Rico do a formal Architectural History Department doesn’t exist, hence, architectural history classes are taught by art history professors and architects without any official [architectural history] preparation. If I remember there are only few professors -two to be exact – within the three architecture schools in the Island that have a degree in architectural history.

Claudia

How I Got the Internship

Early in the summer I started thinking about doing a teaching internship, this one because I really want to be a professor when I finish my MFA in SCAD. Since I am back in Puerto Rico where I was born and studied my bachelor’s degree in architecture I decided to call my former school to see if I could do my teaching internship there [maybe they were to be excited to see one of their alumni would soon to be a professor], but to my surprise they never give me a call back and I waited too long for them to answer the second call.

Some weeks passed by and one day, on my way to do a research in the library of the University of the state (University of Puerto Rico) it crossed my mind why not, just stop by the architecture school before going to the library and ask to talk to the dean [wish I did not know, off course], so I did it. On my way in to the department office I found a former history professor from my old school and [to tell a long story short] ask him to introduce me to the dean because I wanted to talk him into a deal. I was introduced, and soon I ask him if he could let me do a teaching internship for my Architectural History degree. I told him that they didn’t have to pay me now, but if they like what I do during the internship I will love to lead a history class in the department. He said ok, "just talk to Prof. Jorge Lizardi and ask him if he wanted to have an intern."

I started 3 weeks ago, and so far it’s been interesting. Specially because they started reviewing their history curriculum last semester and they are open to suggestion and changes, and I am going to have the opportunity to be a part of that.

Claudia