Richard G. Ramirez on thu 6 mar 03
Tony,
Enjoyed reading your post. Made me stop and think on my exprencies, On
how I try to relate clay to my students. Thanks for for slowing me down.
Richard G. Ramirez,"The Clay Stalker"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Ferguson"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: Teaching Mentaly Challenged, Any Ideas?
> Les,
>
> I am currently teaching special needs folks via a residency for 3 months
> which includes pottery and sculpture, raku and other surface treatments.
> What I am amazed at is these folks have no inhibitions what so ever--they
> have literally attacked the clay. A woman today impatiently signed
> repeatedly to give her clay and then more clay and more clay. It was
great!
>
> These folks I am working with have an approach that is raw, dynamic
> (sometimes so much they dry they clay out in their hands before they can
> make anything) and very very creative as they know no formalities of being
> an "artist." I very much like how their pinch pots are turning out as
they
> are very scuptural, free, dynamic and not duplicates of what I am
> demonstrating.
>
> Approach working with them based on their individual needs and try to
taylor
> your lessons as best as you can so they have a sucessful experience with
> clay. Even simply placing a ball of clay in people's hands to where they
can
> just feel and squeeze it can be very enjoyable for them as it was for one
> wheel chair woman. She blinked twice to tell me she liked the clay.
>
> I started out with having my students touching different kinds of clays
and
> asking them what it felt like to them--It has been great fun as they have
> described everything from smooth to slimy, rough and rocky. I also told
> them about where clay comes from, its ancient quality, that there is a bit
> of the cosmos in the clay. There way of working is much like my
children's:
> full of discovery, awe, excitement, and many other wonderully uninhibited
> qualities.
>
> I related today to one of the therapists how adults kill the kid in the
kid.
> That adults have these ideas of what children should be like, appropriate
> behaviors, the good old "to be seen and not heard," what they should
become,
> defining for them what they are good at or weak at and placing
expectations
> and manipulations on younger people till they destroy the enjoyment for
> wonder, use of imagination, exploration for the sake of discovery and take
> the easy pre-defined, socially moulded road.
>
> These folks have no hang ups other than their apparent cognitive and
> psycho-motor limitation which don't seem to be stopping them from
> discovering and enjoying the clay. They are adults, yet also like my
> children in their fascination with the simplist of materials. They simply
> love and enjoy the clay, how it feels and smells. If they can something
too
> they are also overjoyed.
>
> Email me off list to discuss other lessons and activites.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Tony Ferguson
> On Lake Superior, where the sky meets the Lake
>
> Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku and more
> by Coleman, Ferguson, Winchester...
> www.aquariusartgallery.com
> 218-727-6339
> 315 N. Lake Ave
> Apt 312
> Duluth, MN 55806
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Les Elford"
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 3:56 PM
> Subject: Teaching Mentaly Challenged, Any Ideas?
>
>
> > Clayarters,
> > I am going to meet with a woman that has ran a home for mentally
> challenged
> > individuals for 21 years. I have been asked to consider having a class
> > teaching this diverse group of individuals.
> > Do any of you have experience teaching people with special needs?
> > If so could you give me some ideas? I have a clay extruder and have put
> > together a few ideas.
> > I could use a few more and would like to hear of success you may have
had.
> > Thanks,
> > Les in the Rockies!
> > The snow that fell the past few days is melting!
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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> >
> >
>
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> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
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>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
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