Teaching Reviews – Cara Michell

ARCH 5310 – Design Tactics and Operations

• “The content of the class were very interesting, it really made you think about mapping in more than one way and recognize the influences that they have. The assignments reflected the course timeline and I liked that it was separated into three sections. I also appreciated different ways of learning, the presentations, going outside to meditate, showing our work talking with experts in the field. I also really felt valued by the professor through the vibe check-ins and by prioritizing our health when needed.”
• “Cara is so smart!! I loved learning from her and finally seeing myself in an instructor. I think she values aspects of design that are often forgotten, and shifts from training all students identically same in their career.”
• “I think it is a completely different way of teaching architecture and design. Mapping is taught so rigidly in architecture that I was so excited to see its in a different way.”
• “Cara is an engaging professor; I appreciated her perspective and approach to interacting with students. I also thoroughly enjoyed the structured-but-creative assignments that gave us a framework through which to think about place and mapping practices.”
• “Cara’s enthusiasm for the course was refreshing, and the projects felt very unique in their format while still being well-tailored to the curriculum.”
• “I got a totally new view of what mapping is and what it can achieve. Cara is super enthusiastic and understanding of our other obligations outside of this class. She is really good at keeping us engaged in class work and her mental health check ins with us before each class are much appreciated.”

PPUA 5310 – Participatory Community Planning Methods | Fall 2022

• “This is a great class for future practitioners. I loved that Cara brought in a variety of guest speakers that gave us insight into the different players/perspectives/aspects of community planning, while Cara’s own experiences were often the source of useful insights. She also promotes an inclusive and open learning environment that I think really benefited those of us who were engaged in the course.”
• “Cara was passionate about the material and created a welcoming and fun environment. She did a great job of structuring class time into chunks to keep things engaging. Her lectures were the best part of the class.”

ARCH 1450 – Understanding Design | Spring 2022

• “Professor Michell seemed very passionate about design and was able to teach how to incorporate design into many different aspects, areas, and fields. She also created a respectful and welcoming space that made it easy to share thoughts and ideas.”
• “Amazing communicator and was very clear with what she expected”
• “Professor Michell brought a lively and positive energy to the classroom and was super kind. She was informative and passionate within the material she taught.”
• “Good presentations, engaging guest lectures, no cold-calling.”
• “Strong professor who engaged the students. I could tell she was passionate about the topics and took into consideration all majors for the class.”
• “Prof. Michell has been a practicing urban planner and designer, so her experiences in the field definitely further enriched my learning experience in the class. Her unique perspectives made the material more relatable to me despite me not being a design/architecture major, and she does an excellent job teaching the many ways that design is incorporated into everyday life.”
• “Professor Michell is enthusiastic and intelligent and her passion for design is evident in every class and assignment she creates! She put an emphasis on design for care, was very communicative throughout the semester, and made sure to do check-ins every class. One of the best professors I’ve ever had!”
• “Interesting material, clear and simple assignments, help more than available when needed.”

ARCH 1450 – Understanding Design Spring 2021

• “Like Professor Li, Professor Michell was an excellent professor and brought a lot of design experience with her and was very engaging when teaching the class. The course was very valuable for me as I try to figure out my career path in covering so much, and Professor Michell was always very open with sharing her experience and providing advice or feedback.”
• “I thought this instructor was very coherent and explains all topics completely and clearly. We had great activities where students can interact and learn more about the material through discussion problems. It made the course a lot more interactive and interesting.
• “Instructor was clearly passionate about the course material and gave thoughtful feedback when approached individually. They were usually pretty helpful in asking questions that were thought provoking and helped me improve my project.”
• “She engages the class with her enthusiasm and joy in discussing various topics. She includes real stories from her life which provide the students with clear examples as well as creates a natural bond between her and the class.”
• “I think that it allowed for a lot of different perspectives to be met and was something at least for me a class that I have never really done before anything like it. Professor Michell was a great professor and really nice person. She is always understanding, and you can tell that she loves what she does”
• ” The instructor was very passionate about her lectures and provided the students with a great amount of information. She were always organized and prepared for class.”