Teacher Feature

Adam Schaeffer

Adam Schaeffer, far right, teaches “3D Printing From Idea to Creation” in September 2014.

Five-time KCDC instructor Adam Schaeffer likes to get his hands dirty in his interactive classes. His classroom philosophy? “Lecture less, play more!” An associate at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, he relishes bringing his deep knowledge of 3-D technology and computing to the masses.

“My favorite thing about teaching is the satisfaction that comes when I’ve helped someone understand a concept or process,” he says. He enjoys especially the “excitement and interest” that follow understanding. His teaching role models are his 10th-grade history teacher and his dad, who approached concepts with “unbridled enthusiasm.”

Adam’s classes are always hands-on; held in MLK’s Dream Lab, they bring 3-D printing and modeling technology to life. Last year’s two-part 3-D printing demonstration let student teams create their own designs and fit them together as part of a class whole. “I think everyone felt a sense of satisfaction seeing their completed work,” he says.

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