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radios in class

updated mon 24 sep 01

 

John Jensen on sat 22 sep 01


My own long held policy is no radio in class. I feel that tastes vary so
greatly that if even one person is annoyed by a choice of music it is too
many. I also don't want to have to compete with music to be heard. I think
it is good if everyone in the class can overhear all of the comments being
made about how people are working and progressing. I feel that silence is
golden and having one's conciousness flooded by someone elses art can
interfere with one's own art. In my own studio is listen to a lot of music
when I am doing production work, but the minute I need to pay close
attention the music goes off.

John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery
mudbug@toad.net www.Toadhouse.com

vince pitelka on sat 22 sep 01


I had another thought about this. Students, especially in an intro clay
class, tend to be pretty self-conscious. They do not readily initiate
conversations if the room is silent. They think that everyone is listening,
so they do not say anything at all, which is a shame. I never let the music
be intrusive, but I have observed that when music is playing, the students
are far less self-conscious about talking among themselves. Everyone can
still hear the individual comments, and some very productive conversations
occur. Without the music playing, this does not happen. Silence can be
golden, but silence can also be terribly boring. The objective is to
maximize learning, and I have found that music helps.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/

Earl Brunner on sat 22 sep 01


Just one thought on background music, My wife is ready to quit going to
the grocery store we frequent, purely based on the music they play.

Ok, two thoughts, one of my students complained of a headache every time
someone tried to play music. Any music.


--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec/
bruec@anv.net

Steve Mills on sun 23 sep 01


When My wife and I first joined forces with Mike, we took with us a
young lad with a passion for pop music. Mike only liked Radio 4 a talk
based waveband. As neither could tolerate the other's taste the result
was Radio silence, which I now find addictive. :-)
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK