SueSchroederDesign

Welcome! I create classroom-ready art and science resources designed to help students slow down, observe carefully, and think visually. My materials are low-prep, flexible, and easy to adapt for a variety of learning environments, including art class, science lessons, and outdoor learning. Each resource is designed with real classroom use in mind. Have a question about using this resource in your classroom? I’m happy to help.

My teaching style emphasizes observation, patience, and process over perfection. I encourage students to slow down, look closely, and engage with materials thoughtfully. Activities are designed to be flexible, supportive, and accessible to a wide range of learners.

I have formal training (M.S.Ed.) in education and technology, with experience teaching adult learners as well as students in upper elementary and middle school settings. I bring over ten years of teaching experience in colleges and universities. My educational background supports a focus on process-based learning and thoughtful observation.

Hi, I'm Sue, and I'm so glad you're here! I'm a graphic and surface pattern designer with over 30 years of professional experience — working with major clients across branding, typography, promotions, and textile design. Digital design is at the core of my background and my work, though I love to circle back to traditional and hand-done approaches when the project calls for it. That balance — between the precision of digital tools and the warmth of making something by hand — shows up in everything I create. My resources cover a wide range of creative topics — color, typography, illustration, and the elements and principles that underpin all of it. Color is a great place to start, but it's just the beginning. What makes my approach a little different is this: I believe creativity should feel like a safe place to land. Design has a way of quieting the noise — it asks you to slow down, look carefully, and make something. For a lot of learners, that experience is genuinely meaningful, and I try to build that feeling into everything I create. I also have a somewhat unconventional take on assessment. I will always provide rubrics and feedback tools, because structure matters — but I believe strongly in the power of self-assessment. When a learner evaluates their own work honestly, something deeper happens than any external grade can measure. My concern with heavy assessment is simple: if a student is making choices to please a teacher, they may stop making choices that please themselves. And if we want young people to develop a genuine, lasting interest in art and design — not just perform it for a mark — that internal voice needs room to grow. Art can be a career. But it doesn't have to be. And in my resources, it never has to feel like work. I'm just getting started building this library, and I'm excited about where it's going — more projects, more tools, more ways to bring real creative experience into your classroom. If you're looking for resources that respect both the craft of design and the humanity of the learner, you're in exactly the right place.