Who I am and what I do
“As a parent and educator, I am just thrilled to have found Dora. For my middle schooler, her lessons create a pace that is just right for my daughter to learn a new field and savor how enjoyable architecture can be. It’s amazing to have my daughter teach ME a thing or two about designing. She even noted that she will never see buildings the same again, appreciating the complexities of design. Dora’s teaching style and resources have been aligned to fit the needs and skill level of my 6th grader. More importantly, Dora has inspired her.”
A comment by a parent on LinkedIn.
I began offering architecture classes when my daughter was in third grade and I volunteered to speak to the children about what I did as an architect. That one hour session turned into a full semester of town planning. I enjoyed it, the teacher was thrilled I was bringing new material into the classroom while reinforcing concepts she had been teaching and the students had a blast.
After that, while still working full-time as an architect, I volunteered to provide after-school architecture classes at my daughter’s school. That turned into offering classes on Saturday’s at my office. My daughter is grown with her own family so it’s been a while since that first class and I continue to offer workshops.
For several years I participated in architecture enrichment programs at elementary and middle schools in Seattle, co-taught a history class at Nova High School with a focus on how architecture of each period reflecting the goals and values of each society and worked with geometry students at the Center School looking at and defining geometry in buildings.
Between 2007 and 2012 I taught in the following Seattle Public Schools:
Lowell Elementary School
Orca Elementary School
Stevens Elementary School
Alexander Hamilton Middle School
Nova High School
The Center School
When living in Los Angeles, I taught an introductory class in architecture at the UCLA Extension.
In terms of my involvement in public education, I am a Founding Member and former President of Parents Across America, have co-authored two books, Digital Networking for School Reform and Left Behind in the Race to the Top: Realities of Education Reform, on the League of Women Voters Education Committee and Board Member for the League of Women Voters, King County. I have also written articles on education for the Huffington Post and as an Education Fellow for The Progressive magazine.
I received a Masters Degree in Architecture and worked as an architect for over 30 years. Now I teach and write on the subject of architecture.
My projects included hotels, restaurants, office buildings and interiors, golf club facilities such as the clubhouse and pro shop at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Beach, renovation of historic building interiors including the Los Angeles Athletic Club executive offices and hotel suites, new office buildings and commercial interiors while working in New York and country-wide projects for Washington Mutual bank as they acquired companies in different states.
Before retiring as a project architect, I was Regional Director for the Energy Star program with a focus on hotels, schools and office buildings in the Northwest.
For additional information on my classes or if you have any questions, please contact me at architecture101@substack.com.
