HOUSE MEMORIAL 84

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2015

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO EXPLORE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE CREATION OF DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR AT-RISK YOUTH.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's seventy percent high school graduation rate ranks near the bottom when compared to other states; and

     WHEREAS, most of the assessments of students' proficiency in schools are made through verbal testing; and

     WHEREAS, at-risk youth may be challenged intellectually if offered teaching modalities outside of the traditional classroom; and

     WHEREAS, a different approach is the design studio model, which is a way of learning that mimics the training of architects and industrial designers, using a workshop, laboratory or studio format; and

     WHEREAS, a similar model for learning in the sciences might be the laboratory where scientific experimentation occurs; and

     WHEREAS, design studio teaching involves a process that values the new and unknown, not the "what was" or the "what is", but the "what can be"; and

     WHEREAS, students learn through creative problem solving through the design of buildings, furniture, machines, toys or bridges or landscape design; and

     WHEREAS, all learning experiences reinforce core curriculum standards; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children curriculum is a tool for teachers to encourage children's confidence to develop and communicate ideas visually; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children project uses the study of the built environment as a window to study the world and the ideas, laws and principles that govern it, the physics of structures, design in nature and the similarities between body systems and building systems; and

     WHEREAS, students learn to create new ideas through architectural drawings and model building, storytelling, science, technology, engineering, art, architecture and math; and

     WHEREAS, the architecture and children project has been offered successfully as a summer program at Albuquerque academy for many years; and

     WHEREAS, Eubank elementary school is the site of the first public school pilot design education program in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, it would be beneficial if design education programs were options for at-risk youth as well;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to explore funding options for the creation of design education programs for at-risk youth; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education department present its findings to the legislative education study committee and the legislative finance committee before December 1, 2015; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education.

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