Design For Change is a design program designed by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Council of Great City Schools. It is part of a series of programs aimed at creating innovative curriculum models that address the changing needs of students across the country. Design for Change teaches kids how to think critically, to envision change, to imagine how their actions and thoughts affect others, and how to think for themselves.
Design for Change encourages kids to learn about the world through creative exploration, foster creativity and innovation in children, and use design as an educational tool. Designed for young children from birth to third grade, Design for Change provides learning opportunities that span from first grade to secondary school. The program includes activities, games and learning resources designed to introduce preschoolers to science, math, language and culture. This curriculum model also teaches kids how to build and sustain relationships. The curriculum encourages kids to be socially responsible, learn to trust and depend on themselves, and how to create meaningful connections with others.
Design for Change helps kids learn how to think critically and creatively. Through hands-on experiences, story-based scenarios, visual activity and story-building activities, kids develop Feel-Imagine-Do-Spend skills. These skills develop children’s self-respect and self-directedness, which are essential to learn to build effective relationships. Design for Change engages kids in problem solving activities that teach them how to think creatively and to make informed decisions based on data and evidence. As they learn, kids learn to ask questions, take risks and seek answers to complex problems. Design for Change teaches kids how to think for themselves, rather than being spoon-fed by adults.
Kids learn to think creatively when they create design ideas that solve problems. In this learning, kids are introduced to problem solving through experiments, hands-on experiences, interactive materials, and narrative construction. Problem solving activities to develop kids’ problem solving skills, and help kids see problems as opportunities to solve.
Kids learn to use their imagination through the art of storytelling. Design for Change is all about exploring, building, imagining, playing and learning. Kids come up with stories about what it would be like to solve a problem, and how their ideas could change the outcome. Design for Change encourages kids to imagine themselves in leadership roles and to achieve goals. As they build leadership skills and apply their creative problem solving techniques, kids become creative problem solvers and problem builders. They explore, imagine and think outside the box in a way that leads to more creative problem solving.
Design for Change encourages kids to learn how to use their imaginations by letting kids create imaginary worlds. Design for Change games help kids explore the creative process and encourage kids to think critically about the real world. Design for Change helps kids explore their imaginations by teaching kids how to create, imagine and explore with a purpose.
