D. Kim Lindaberry on fri 6 feb 98
harold kaplan wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have been asked to teach a four session introductory clay class.
> The class will consist of 4-6 blind teenagers.
Hello Harold,
Many years ago when I was in college I had a friend who was blind. He
used to come into the ceramics studio and talk while I worked at the
treadle wheel. He was constantly asking me if he could look at what I
was making. I'd hand it over to him and he would carefully scan the
surface with his fingers. This led me to really considering the surface
and texture of my clay work. One day he asked me if he could have a look
at my face, to which I said yes. He took his hands and went over my face
and he would even occasionally go back to his own face for a comparison.
Finally one day he asked me if I would teach him to throw. I didn't see
why not so I asked him to come back the next day after I had a chance to
think about how to go about it. Once he had left I put myself in his
situation, I blindfolded myself. Then I fumbled around and found a ball
of clay and then the treadle wheel and tried to throw. As I was doing it
I kept thinking, 'Now how do I describe this to him?' I did this for and
a couple of hours or so. I kept it simple, wedge, center, open and pull
a small cylinder, nothing fancy, just the basics. He came in the next
day and we started our first "session." I explained the equipment and
how it worked. Then I had him stand to my right as I sat at the wheel
and I had him place his right hand on the back of my right hand as I
went through throwing a cylinder. It gets kind of close but I had
realized that he "looked" at things with his fingers and that there were
things where words just weren't enough. I closed my eyes and then tried
to explain what I was doing as he "watched" me. I did this for a couple
of more times letting him move around me, placing his hands in different
locations at different points of the process. Finally we reversed
postions. I stood at his side. I talked him through the process, only
reminding him of things when he needed help. Occasionally I would lean
in and place my hands on back of his to help him get his fingers or
hands in a good position. I always let him know that I was going to
reach in to do this. It was really quite remarkable. Before he left that
first session he was centering, opening and pulling up the modest wall
of a cylinder. It was thick, but he was pulling up the clay! In a few
weeks he was making some quite nice pots. It was quite embarassing to
most of the student actually enrolled in the class because he was
throwing better than most of them.
I think that it's important to put yourself in the same situation as
your students. Blindfold yourself and actually do the work that you want
them to do. Don't just do it at home, but in the studio where they will
be working. You'll quickly find out if there is anything to bang your
shin on or bump into. Let the student "watch" you work, resting their
hands on yours as you work. Occassionaly reach in and give a hand, but
don't interfear. Give a fair warning that your going to reach in, or ask
them if they want you to give a hand.
Good luck with your class. It can be a very rewarding experience. Let me
know how it turns out and what approach you take.
cheers
Kim
--
D. Kim Lindaberry
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
ATB 115
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
USA
to visit my web site go to: http://www.johnco.cc.ks.us/~klinda
to send e-mail to me use: mailto:klinda@johnco.cc.ks.us
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