A DIGITAL PICTURE OF PRACTICE BY AGENCY BY DESIGN OAKLAND 2017-2018 TEACHER FELLOW CRYSTAL BARAJAS BARR
Crystal Barajas Barr is the Art and STE(A)M Teacher at Urban Promise Academy Middle in Oakland. As part of her inquiry as an Agency by Design Oakland teacher fellow, she decided to explore the questions: Who are makers? What is making? How do we define technology? Who gets to define which tech is valuable? Out of these questions, Ancestral Tech and Making emerged.
"Being curious, asking questions, facilitating a person's learning process by encouraging them to consider the question at hand from a different perspective is a part of maker-centered learning."
Crystal Barajas Barr
Art and STE(A)M Teacher, Urban Promise Academy Middle, OUSD
Crystal Barajas Barr has been a tinkerer all her life. She studied art with an emphasis in metal fabrication/sculpture, and is experienced in welding and casting bronze and aluminum. Crystal is UPA's Art Teacher, STEAM teacher (at the Create Lab), and the GSA (Gender and Sexualities) Liaison in a school community that encourages social-justice education, self-reflection, innovation, and imagination. In addition to her role as a teacher and liaison, Crystal is also a maker of things and is always very curious about materials and processes. Currently, she enjoys playing with arduino kits and soundart in addition to writing, music, gardening, and exploring in nature.