Season 1, Episode 4
Teachers as Designers: A Conversation with IBM Designer
“I kind of think about creativity in support your mental health. I think it’s almost the same idea as going to the gym every day for your physical health. To me, maintaining a creative practice is one of the ways that I maintain my mental health.”
– KC Lathrop
Hosts & Guests
KC Lathrop
Cyndi Burnett
Matthew Worwood
Resources
Episode Transcription
Teachers as Designers: A conversation with IBM designer, KC Lathrop
How do you go from teaching to designing?
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with creator, educator, and designer, KC Lathrop. As a former teacher turned designer, KC works to empower people to go against societal norms, change careers, start over, start again, learn anything they want, and follow all creative desires.
Tune in to learn about her transition from educator to full-time designer at IBM, the similarities between teaching and design professions, and how her administrative role allows her to be creative in new ways. She also describes the fascinating 100 of Making practice and how it nurtures her creativity, design, innovation, and even mental health.
KC’s Tips for Teachers and Parents:
- Take every lesson you teach as a new opportunity to learn something for yourself. Not every class is going to be the best class you’ve ever taught.
- A part of learning is being vulnerable. If you want your students to be vulnerable, you also need to be vulnerable with them.
- Meet people where they are. No matter how much experience you have, there’s always space for learning and growing.
Guest Bio
KC Lathrop is a designer, creator, and educator. She currently works in strategy and operations for IBM’s IT department. KC started at IBM as a User Experience Designer 5 years ago while getting her master’s degree from New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP). During her time at NYU, KC enrolled in the class 100 days of making, which she ended up teaching the following year. As a former teacher turned designer, she works to empower people to go against societal norms, change careers, start over, start again, learn anything you want and follow all creative desires. KC currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her adorable dog, Waffles.
Debrief Episode
Related Podcast Episodes
Bridging the Gap: 3 Big Lessons Learned from Season 1
In this debrief episode of Fueling Creativity in Education, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood reflect on Season 1, discussing teachers as designers, AI’s impact on creativity, and factors influencing creativity in education. Cyndi also shares insights on fostering creative thinking skills in students.
SEASON 1: Introducing The Fueling Creativity Podcast
Welcome to the Fueling Creativity Podcast! In this debut episode, hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood share their mission and goals for the podcast. They shed light on their professional backgrounds and why they value the integration of creativity in education and at home, especially during the pandemic.
Infusing Creativity into the Classroom with Dr. Susan Keller-Mathers
In this episode of the Fueling Creativity podcast, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood speak with Dr. Susan Keller-Mathers, an Associate Professor at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State.
Podcast Sponsor
We are thrilled to partner with Curiosity 2 Create as our sponsor, a company that shares our commitment to fostering creativity in education. Curiosity 2 Create empowers educators through professional development and community support, helping them integrate interactive, creative thinking approaches into their classrooms. By moving beyond traditional lecture-based methods, they help teachers create dynamic learning environments that enhance student engagement, improve academic performance, and support teacher retention. With a focus on collaborative learning and exploration, Curiosity 2 Create is transforming classrooms into spaces where students thrive through continuous engagement and growth.
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