mel jacobson on wed 4 aug 10
my best story.
i had a jr. high class in painting. the counselor came in with
a girl that was totally blind. painting? she had to have
the same credits as everyone else. PC times 100. no logic.
so, she was a great kid, knew she could not paint, thought
it was stupid...so, i taught her to make pots on the wheel.
she was a wizzzz. she loved it.
i would give her a lump of clay, she held it on her finger tips and
use a flat stick and formed the clay down/ over her arm.
great bottle shape. (some of you should try it...works like a charm.)
she was a happy kid in my room.
but, she never learned to paint...so be it.
that counselor was an A-Hole.*
mel
*we used to track that counselor, had friends that would
take notes on what he did all day...he spent about 15 minutes
a day with kids. lazy sob.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
Marcia Selsor on wed 4 aug 10
I had a blind student too. He was blinded in a gun accident. He was a =3D
great thrower.=3D20
He also like d to raku. He was my pulley partner on the school kiln. It =3D
took two to raise the kiln.
I worked with him on lids...pressed the calipers into a piece of clay to =
=3D
mark the measure.
Sometimes I would have him demo throwing for the beginners.
Marcia
On Aug 4, 2010, at 2:50 PM, mel jacobson wrote:
> my best story.
> i had a jr. high class in painting. the counselor came in with
> a girl that was totally blind. painting? she had to have
> the same credits as everyone else. PC times 100. no logic.
>=3D20
> so, she was a great kid, knew she could not paint, thought
> it was stupid...so, i taught her to make pots on the wheel.
> she was a wizzzz. she loved it.
> i would give her a lump of clay, she held it on her finger tips and
> use a flat stick and formed the clay down/ over her arm.
> great bottle shape. (some of you should try it...works like a charm.)
> she was a happy kid in my room.
> but, she never learned to paint...so be it.
> that counselor was an A-Hole.*
> mel
> *we used to track that counselor, had friends that would
> take notes on what he did all day...he spent about 15 minutes
> a day with kids. lazy sob.
> from: minnetonka, mn
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
> new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
> alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
>=3D20
Marcia Selsor
http://www.marciaselsor.com
Mike Gordon on wed 4 aug 10
While I was teaching I always had my students, voluntarily of course,
throw a pot blindfolded. They could place the clay on the wheel and
arrange their tools and water, then I blind folded them. Some of them
thought that their pot thrown blindfolded was better than the ones they
were making without the blindfold. I explained.... they were
concentrating more, weren't looking around and talking to their friends
while they were throwing.In my drawing class I would show those cards
that the handicapped send out for donations. Some drew with the brush
in their mouths, some held the brush in their toes. The paintings were
fantastic! They quit complaining the project was too hard, or that I
demanded too much from them. Mike Gordon
Larry Kruzan on wed 4 aug 10
Hi Gang,=3D20
As a handicapped person, I'd like to personally thank each of you who have =
=3D
undertaken the challenge of teaching a handicapped person. Far too many see=
=3D
our handicaps as limiting and as you have discovered, many times these han=
=3D
dicaps=3DC2=3DA0free us from the distractions that impaire the unimpaired.=
=3D20
When I began my first pottery class at Bradley University, professor Randy =
=3D
Carlson was sure I could hand build but was less than encouraging about my =
=3D
determination to learn the wheel. Looking back with the clarity=3DC2=3DA0ga=
ined=3D
by experience, I understand his cautious stance. He did not discourage me =
=3D
- he just had never seen a person confined to a wheelchair throw - neither =
=3D
had I but I was going to do it. Come to think about it, I had never seen an=
=3D
ybody throw on a wheel. I was determined to do it.=3DC2=3DA0=3D20
Looking at an old Soldner wheel that was less used than most in the studio,=
=3D
we decided to start by raising it with 3 bricks under=3DC2=3DA0each leg an=
d pl=3D
acing the foot control up on the table. It had been many. many years since =
=3D
I had bent forward for anything and I was so stiff I could not reach the wh=
=3D
eel without raising it.=3D20
Today, I give tribute to throwing for the flexibility that astonishes my do=
=3D
ctors and physical therapists. They have never seen a person=3DC2=3DA0who h=
ad b=3D
een confined to wheelchair for twenty five years as loose as I am. Thank yo=
=3D
u pottery world!=3D20
Discounting the injury I suffered 18 months ago, there has been nothing but=
=3D
good for me from making pots. I own a Gallery, two studios, more tools and=
=3D
gadget's than you can imagine, plus I have made pottery friends from all o=
=3D
ver the world.=3D20
Can a handicapped person learn to make pots? YES!!! and so much more.=3DC2=
=3DA0=3D
Thank you for helping us to succeed.=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0=3D20
Larry Kruzan
Michelle Williamson-Green on wed 4 aug 10
Larry,
We all have our own abilities. We all do not reach the same place at
the same time. You are not handicapped, you are a human.
-M Green
On 8/4/10 7:00 PM, Larry Kruzan wrote:
> Hi Gang,
>
> As a handicapped person, I'd like to personally thank each of you who hav=
e undertaken the challenge of teaching a handicapped person. Far too many s=
ee our handicaps as limiting and as you have discovered, many times these h=
andicaps free us from the distractions that impaire the unimpaired.
>
> When I began my first pottery class at Bradley University, professor Rand=
y Carlson was sure I could hand build but was less than encouraging about m=
y determination to learn the wheel. Looking back with the clarity gained by=
experience, I understand his cautious stance. He did not discourage me - h=
e just had never seen a person confined to a wheelchair throw - neither had=
I but I was going to do it. Come to think about it, I had never seen anybo=
dy throw on a wheel. I was determined to do it.
>
> Looking at an old Soldner wheel that was less used than most in the studi=
o, we decided to start by raising it with 3 bricks under each leg and placi=
ng the foot control up on the table. It had been many. many years since I h=
ad bent forward for anything and I was so stiff I could not reach the wheel=
without raising it.
>
> Today, I give tribute to throwing for the flexibility that astonishes my =
doctors and physical therapists. They have never seen a person who had been=
confined to wheelchair for twenty five years as loose as I am. Thank you p=
ottery world!
>
> Discounting the injury I suffered 18 months ago, there has been nothing b=
ut good for me from making pots. I own a Gallery, two studios, more tools a=
nd gadget's than you can imagine, plus I have made pottery friends from all=
over the world.
>
> Can a handicapped person learn to make pots? YES!!! and so much more. Tha=
nk you for helping us to succeed.
>
>
>
> Larry Kruzan
>
>
Marcia Selsor on wed 4 aug 10
Larry,
I worked with several wheel chair students, many amputees from the =3D
Vietnam War when I started teaching.
I got motorized wheels for the Vets and a wheelchair wheel later on =3D
through campus teaching grants. I had one student with a prosthetic hand =
=3D
that looked very real. He'd lost his hand in a ranching accident.
He could throw. I was embarrassed when he had to tell me he couldn't do =3D
some of those hand moves because of his artificial hand. Still he made =3D
pots. WHen I was a student, one of the kids in the shop working late at =3D
night with the rest of us had a birth defect of short arms..like no =3D
elbows. He would laugh showing us his advantage when centering. He =3D
didn't need to brace his elbows.
Marcia Selsor
On Aug 4, 2010, at 6:00 PM, Larry Kruzan wrote:
> Hi Gang,=3D20
>=3D20
> As a handicapped person, I'd like to personally thank each of you who =3D
have undertaken the challenge of teaching a handicapped person. Far too =3D
many see our handicaps as limiting and as you have discovered, many =3D
times these handicaps free us from the distractions that impaire the =3D
unimpaired.=3D20
>=3D20
> When I began my first pottery class at Bradley University, professor =3D
Randy Carlson was sure I could hand build but was less than encouraging =3D
about my determination to learn the wheel. Looking back with the clarity =
=3D
gained by experience, I understand his cautious stance. He did not =3D
discourage me - he just had never seen a person confined to a wheelchair =
=3D
throw - neither had I but I was going to do it. Come to think about it, =3D
I had never seen anybody throw on a wheel. I was determined to do it. =3D20=
=3D
>=3D20
> Looking at an old Soldner wheel that was less used than most in the =3D
studio, we decided to start by raising it with 3 bricks under each leg =3D
and placing the foot control up on the table. It had been many. many =3D
years since I had bent forward for anything and I was so stiff I could =3D
not reach the wheel without raising it.=3D20
>=3D20
> Today, I give tribute to throwing for the flexibility that astonishes =3D
my doctors and physical therapists. They have never seen a person who =3D
had been confined to wheelchair for twenty five years as loose as I am. =3D
Thank you pottery world!=3D20
>=3D20
> Discounting the injury I suffered 18 months ago, there has been =3D
nothing but good for me from making pots. I own a Gallery, two studios, =3D
more tools and gadget's than you can imagine, plus I have made pottery =3D
friends from all over the world.=3D20
>=3D20
> Can a handicapped person learn to make pots? YES!!! and so much more. =3D
Thank you for helping us to succeed. =3D20
>=3D20
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Larry Kruzan
>=3D20
Marcia Selsor
http://www.marciaselsor.com
gayle bair on wed 4 aug 10
I was monitor at a pottery studio for a little while when I first moved =3D
to the Seattle WA area. A young woman there was throwing with one normal =
=3D
arm and one that ended at the elbow with a small appendage that looked =3D
like an undeveloped finger. She did great ... I was impressed!
When I'm in Tucson I take a clay class with Jada Ahern . Once in a while =
=3D
she'll run a Boot Camp.
One of the exercises was to center and throw a piece blind folded. I was =
=3D
surprised at how easy it was for me.
It's a very good exercise and was interesting to feel other senses =3D
taking over when one is suppressed
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island WA
Tucson AZ
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
On Aug 4, 2010, at 1:57 PM, Marcia Selsor wrote:
> I had a blind student too. He was blinded in a gun accident. He was a =3D
great thrower.=3D20
> He also like d to raku. He was my pulley partner on the school kiln. =3D
It took two to raise the kiln.
> I worked with him on lids...pressed the calipers into a piece of clay =3D
to mark the measure.
> Sometimes I would have him demo throwing for the beginners.
>=3D20
> Marcia
> On Aug 4, 2010, at 2:50 PM, mel jacobson wrote:
>=3D20
>> my best story.
>> i had a jr. high class in painting. the counselor came in with
>> a girl that was totally blind. painting? she had to have
>> the same credits as everyone else. PC times 100. no logic.
>>=3D20
>> so, she was a great kid, knew she could not paint, thought
>> it was stupid...so, i taught her to make pots on the wheel.
>> she was a wizzzz. she loved it.
>> i would give her a lump of clay, she held it on her finger tips and
>> use a flat stick and formed the clay down/ over her arm.
>> great bottle shape. (some of you should try it...works like a =3D
charm.)
>> she was a happy kid in my room.
>> but, she never learned to paint...so be it.
>> that counselor was an A-Hole.*
>> mel
>> *we used to track that counselor, had friends that would
>> take notes on what he did all day...he spent about 15 minutes
>> a day with kids. lazy sob.
>> from: minnetonka, mn
>> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
>> clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
>> new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
>> alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
>>=3D20
>=3D20
> Marcia Selsor
> http://www.marciaselsor.com
penni stoddart on wed 4 aug 10
One of my first teaching experiences with the London Potters Guild was when
a worker with a deaf- blind client asked if she could bring her in to do
pottery. We started with hand building. Hand over hand we made pinch pots -
she added to them with hunks of clay squeezed between her fingers and
pressed onto the pot. I brought out finished pots for her to feel so we
could work on different shapes. One week I went on the wheel with her. Lots
of hand over hand but she loved it - great big smiles and "laughs". I taugh=
t
her weekly for about 10 weeks.
I've been teaching for the guild now for several years and have been
teaching a group of developmentally challenged adults from Community Living
London for the last few years. I have 6 in my class (some the same each
time, a few new) and we have a blast!
One thing I find is that whether I'm teaching children, adults or people
with "challenges" I never talk down to them or treat them differently. When
we are hand building I am always after my guy Ron who constantly forgets to
scratch and slip - I'll pull the pieces off his creation to show him he
hasn't done it.
"Ron, did you scratch and slip those?"
"Yeah, me did"
"No you didn't. Look - I can pull them right off!"
"what you do that for?"
"Remember you need to scratch and slip so they stay on. Like this. (I do on=
e
for him) Okay, you do the rest please."
"ok, me do"
We've done this dance dozens of times - but still it never gets old. Brings
a smile to my face every time to go through it all. And Ron loves the
teasing! =3Do)
I am trying to get a permanent job as a teacher with our local school board=
.
Six years as an education assistant (teachers aid) then got my teaching
degree (NOT off the internet!) and now I'm going into my 5th year on the
supply teaching list. I can't seem to get an interview - perhaps kissing th=
e
wrong asses (or in my case, not willing to kiss them). I see teachers at
schools all the time like the counsellor in Mel's story. Pisses me off. The=
y
have a job and are protected by the union - school can't get rid of the dea=
d
wood. Then when they do have an opening principals are hiring their niece,
friend's son or that teacher who happened to be in the school supply
teaching a lot last year. They are not willing to look at all the applicant=
s
because they get so many.
Okay - rant done. Got that off my chest. I was going to chime in about the
teaching thing when that thread was on the go but thought better of it. I'm
a little bitter........ =3Do)
If I could teach for our guild full time. I would. In a heart beat!
Penni
=3Do) =3Do) =3Do) =3Do) =3Do)
Penni Stoddart
London, Ontario
http://penelopepots.bravehost.com/
Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.
No well behaved woman ever made history!
Ric Swenson on thu 5 aug 10
one of my first students was with spina bifida....wheelchair student...bent=
back...crippled....handicapped as we would say....hand in cap
ah
Jeff was special....wanted very much to make pottery...he tried much...succ=
eeded less.....
but more than my blind or one armed students
he had far less facility....but much more life....
Ric
"...then fiery expedition be my wing, ..."
-Wm. Shakespeare, RICHARD III, Act IV Scene III
Richard H. ("Ric") Swenson, Teacher,
Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of Jingdezhen Ceramic Inst=
itute,
TaoYang Road, Eastern Suburb, Jingdezhen City.
JiangXi Province, P.R. of China.
Postal code 333001.
Mobile/cellular phone : 86 13767818872
< RicSwenson0823@hotmail.com>
http://www.jci.jx.cn
> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 22:37:58 -0400
> From: pstoddart@LIVE.COM
> Subject: Re: teaching the handicapped
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>
> One of my first teaching experiences with the London Potters Guild was wh=
en
> a worker with a deaf- blind client asked if she could bring her in to do
> pottery. We started with hand building. Hand over hand we made pinch pots=
-
> she added to them with hunks of clay squeezed between her fingers and
> pressed onto the pot. I brought out finished pots for her to feel so we
> could work on different shapes. One week I went on the wheel with her. Lo=
ts
> of hand over hand but she loved it - great big smiles and "laughs". I tau=
ght
> her weekly for about 10 weeks.
> I've been teaching for the guild now for several years and have been
> teaching a group of developmentally challenged adults from Community Livi=
ng
> London for the last few years. I have 6 in my class (some the same each
> time, a few new) and we have a blast!
> One thing I find is that whether I'm teaching children, adults or people
> with "challenges" I never talk down to them or treat them differently. Wh=
en
> we are hand building I am always after my guy Ron who constantly forgets =
to
> scratch and slip - I'll pull the pieces off his creation to show him he
> hasn't done it.
> "Ron, did you scratch and slip those?"
> "Yeah, me did"
> "No you didn't. Look - I can pull them right off!"
> "what you do that for?"
> "Remember you need to scratch and slip so they stay on. Like this. (I do =
one
> for him) Okay, you do the rest please."
> "ok, me do"
> We've done this dance dozens of times - but still it never gets old. Brin=
gs
> a smile to my face every time to go through it all. And Ron loves the
> teasing! =3Do)
>
> I am trying to get a permanent job as a teacher with our local school boa=
rd.
> Six years as an education assistant (teachers aid) then got my teaching
> degree (NOT off the internet!) and now I'm going into my 5th year on the
> supply teaching list. I can't seem to get an interview - perhaps kissing =
the
> wrong asses (or in my case, not willing to kiss them). I see teachers at
> schools all the time like the counsellor in Mel's story. Pisses me off. T=
hey
> have a job and are protected by the union - school can't get rid of the d=
ead
> wood. Then when they do have an opening principals are hiring their niece=
,
> friend's son or that teacher who happened to be in the school supply
> teaching a lot last year. They are not willing to look at all the applica=
nts
> because they get so many.
>
> Okay - rant done. Got that off my chest. I was going to chime in about th=
e
> teaching thing when that thread was on the go but thought better of it. I=
'm
> a little bitter........ =3Do)
> If I could teach for our guild full time. I would. In a heart beat!
> Penni
>
>
> =3Do) =3Do) =3Do) =3Do) =3Do)
> Penni Stoddart
> London, Ontario
> http://penelopepots.bravehost.com/
>
> Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.
> No well behaved woman ever made history!
Antoinette Badenhorst on thu 5 aug 10
Larry, check this out. http://www.southernartistry.org/Sheri_C_Marshall=3D2=
0
Handicap comes in many forms. It depends on how one sees it: as a handicap =
=3D
or as a challenge. You challenged ..................=3D20
Antoinette Badenhorst=3D20
www.porcelainbyAntoinette.com=3D20
----- Original Message -----=3D20
From: "Larry Kruzan" =3D20
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D20
Sent: Wednesday, August 4, 2010 6:00:01 PM=3D20
Subject: teaching the handicapped=3D20
Hi Gang,=3D20
As a handicapped person, I'd like to personally thank each of you who have =
=3D
undertaken the challenge of teaching a handicapped person. Far too many see=
=3D
our handicaps as limiting and as you have discovered, many times these han=
=3D
dicaps=3DC2=3DA0free us from the distractions that impaire the unimpaired.=
=3D20
When I began my first pottery class at Bradley University, professor Randy =
=3D
Carlson was sure I could hand build but was less than encouraging about my =
=3D
determination to learn the wheel. Looking back with the clarity=3DC2=3DA0ga=
ined=3D
by experience, I understand his cautious stance. He did not discourage me =
=3D
- he just had never seen a person confined to a wheelchair throw - neither =
=3D
had I but I was going to do it. Come to think about it, I had never seen an=
=3D
ybody throw on a wheel. I was determined to do it.=3DC2=3DA0=3D20
Looking at an old Soldner wheel that was less used than most in the studio,=
=3D
we decided to start by raising it with 3 bricks under=3DC2=3DA0each leg an=
d pl=3D
acing the foot control up on the table. It had been many. many years since =
=3D
I had bent forward for anything and I was so stiff I could not reach the wh=
=3D
eel without raising it.=3D20
Today, I give tribute to throwing for the flexibility that astonishes my do=
=3D
ctors and physical therapists. They have never seen a person=3DC2=3DA0who h=
ad b=3D
een confined to wheelchair for twenty five years as loose as I am. Thank yo=
=3D
u pottery world!=3D20
Discounting the injury I suffered 18 months ago, there has been nothing but=
=3D
good for me from making pots. I own a Gallery, two studios, more tools and=
=3D
gadget's than you can imagine, plus I have made pottery friends from all o=
=3D
ver the world.=3D20
Can a handicapped person learn to make pots? YES!!! and so much more.=3DC2=
=3DA0=3D
Thank you for helping us to succeed.=3DC2=3DA0=3DC2=3DA0=3D20
Larry Kruzan=3D20
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