Karin Hurt on tue 7 feb 06
I sent this information to my teacher, she is totally blind, throws on the wheel, has taught her students to do the same and makes the most amazing pieces you've seen. I hope she sends you a reply via her husband.
Melissa wrote:
I need help, advice, and refreshing ideas... I teach high school ceramics
and have a visually impaired student scheduled to take my Level 1 class
next year. She will not be working on the wheel (we gave that a go on a
trial run and it just won't work out), but will spend the entire semester
hand-building. In my level 1 course we cover pinch pots, coiled forms,
slab-built boxes, masks, and carved tiles. I need ideas for other "easy"
hand-building projects.
I have no experience working with the visually impaired. I am looking
forward to this opportunity, but would appreciate any suggestions or
experiences any of you have to offer!
Sincerely,
Melissa
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Karin Hurt
www.laughingbearpottery.com
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Barbara Francis on tue 7 feb 06
Hi, I am a potter who also has a master's degree in blind rehab. The last person's suggestion about usable vision was very good. There are a lot of magnification devises that can be utilized. I also had a blind student in a summer class. Some suggestions:
Don't give up on the wheel. Maybe try with your hands on his or hers to teach. Some people who are congenitally blind have a difficult time with spacial concepts, so maybe the problem is in the explanation about how to hold your hands/body.
Organize the work area. Maybe use a tray to keep tools on so that they are easier to locate. Familiarize the student with the location of each item, as well as the layout of the studio. You could have the person trail the wall of the studio to help them get oriented. Be specific in directing a person: ie the sponges are located in the bottom cupboard to the right of the sink.
You could use basic cardboard patterns to cut out shapes, explaining to hold the pin tool straight up and down.
Make glazing simple using dipping techniques. If you generally paint glazes on, have the person use a back and forth grid pattern while holding the edge of the piece with the other hand in order to identify the borders. Painted glazes will be difficult unless the person has some usable vision.
If the person has usable vision, think about maximizing contrast in the work area: clay against canvas, tools against tray, glaze color if painting on.
Provide good lighting for the person's work area. Usually light placed behind the person, over one shoulder works best.
Use textures. That way when a person is working they can keep track of what they have done. It will also be more pleasing when the product is finished.
This is when you can really utilize your creativity in thinking up ways to adapt things to the person's needs. Don't assume a person can't do anything.
These are the ideas I have on the top of my head. Let me know if I can help more. Check about the degree of visual impairment first.
Best of luck and enjoy. Barb Francis
Vicki Hardin wrote: Meilissa, I would like to respond. But, it would first be helpful to know what state you teach in.
Also, you say this student is blind. It would be helpful to know if they are totally blind or have some vision. Legally blind is 20/200 both eyes, best correction. While a person identified as legally blind does have some limitation, they are often referred to as blind while still having some usable vision. So, what I am asking is, what usable vision, if any, do they have. Understanding what vision your student may have and how they utilize it is a place to begin.
Vicki Hardin
http://ClayArtWebGuide.com
> I need help, advice, and refreshing ideas... I teach high school ceramics and have a visually impaired student scheduled to take my Level 1 class
> next year. She will not be working on the wheel (we gave that a go on a
> trial run and it just won't work out), but will spend the entire semester
> hand-building.
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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