At Arrowhead High School, students are introduced to a world of creativity through a variety of different art classes. One, Interior Design, is offered as a part of its arts and career education curriculum. This provides students with a hands-on experience in the interior design world, whether that be transforming spaces, learning about the different design principles, and or adding design elements.
This class is offered at Arrowhead’s North Campus and has recently accepted a new teacher into this program’s curriculum, Jennifer Schueneman. “I actually fell into this line of work after being a French teacher for 7 years. I switched to Family and Consumer Sciences because there was a need in the District I worked in at the time (Madison, WI). I started out with Early Childhood Education and would move around in the content areas in FACS as schools requested,” Schueneman said.
Students in this course are encouraged to collaborate and work together which helps simulate the nature of real world work. Schueneman often integrates the lessons she teaches into her own personal life. “All of the content I have taught: Child Development, Culinary arts, Design – I have used all of the standards I’ve taught in my personal life many times – to raise my daughter, shop and cook food, and redecorate my home and also fashion principles into my wardrobe,” she said.says.
By the end of the course, students will have gained a solid foundation in the principles of design. Shueneman says the most important foundation for students to be aware of is, “Sustainability – to try to reuse/recycle as much as possible as our landfills are so full. Also, Quality of products lasts longer which is also part of sustainability factor. For future careers they need to know that they need to have skills that set them apart in the business world of interior design and be able to maneuver software and listen to client needs.”
Whether students are considering a path in the design, art, or interior design world, Arrowhead’s Interior Design course provides a valuable learning experience for any students regardless of their path.
