Dimitri Higginbotham

Background

About Dimitri Higginbotham

DiMitri Higginbotham is the SPARQ makerspace and design thinking teacher at Good Shepherd Episcopal School where his skills as an educator and human-centered designer help to empower teachers and administrators in incorporating maker education and design thinking into their curriculum. DiMitri also consults schools in the design and implementation of makerspaces on their campuses. DiMitri’s ongoing research focus is on implementation of high quality maker-based instruction and design thinking pedagogy for the K-12 environment. Prior to arriving at Good Shepherd Dimitri was the K-12 Program Manager for the Caruth Institute for Engineering Education at Southern Methodist University where he worked to implement the SMU Maker Education project and SMU’s MakerTruck. DiMitri is a graduate of the SMU Master of Arts in Design and Innovation program. He believes in the power of developing a designer and maker mindset to overcome obstacles, create innovative solutions, and see problems as opportunities for design. Prior to his arrival at SMU DiMitri graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors of Music Education. He has nearly a decade of experience teaching music both through private lessons and as an assistant band director and district percussion coordinator in Kennedale ISD, where he instructed an award-winning percussion program. His years as a music educator left an impact on many students and left him wanting to continue empowering students to be successful in all aspects of life. DiMitri and his wife Hollie live in Rowlett, Texas with their son Mason and daughter Amelia. DiMitri loves spending time at the lake with his family, playing whatever music instrument is nearby, reading, listening to music and podcasts, watching documentaries and, of course, making. Ask him about arduino hacked vibraphones, Harry Potter, or the joy (and heartbreak) of being a New Orleans Saints fan.