[Nfb-krafters-korner] Sharing my ideas

[River Woman]

This is the first message I have read this morning so I have no idea what 
else is here. I just want to say, thank you Annette! You have covered so 
many possibilities and commented on so many positive aspects of this 
endeavor.

The only thing I would add is that for those who want to be more interactive 
with other members, Face Book is a great option, too. Many of us are on Face 
Book and talk regularly with each other and share ideas there as well as 
getting to know each other so much better. Face Book is great for this.

The concept and execution of this division reflects the vision of a number 
of very hard working people. I think we all recognize that and are very 
appreciative. I think that this entire discussion over the past couple of 
weeks will bear good fruit and this is just what it is, a discussion. 
Discussion is how we grow and how we find our way and it's a good thing. No 
one should feel threatened or  defensive about this. And, it certainly is 
not a reason be leave the list. There is so much here for us all. Thanks, 
Annette!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Annette Carr" <amcarr1 at verizon.net>
To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 09, 2011 9:56 PM
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Sharing my ideas


Hello All,

I think we would all agree that the mission of this list is for the sharing
of craft related topics and how people who are blind can enjoy doing them
for leisure and/or as a profession.  As a division of the NFB, we are very
young and still in our infancy.  As we grow in the number of members, and
continue to embrace modern technology we as a group are going to be face
with a lot of decisions.

This e-mail list thus far has served many purposes which have included the
sharing of craft related information, and socialization.  Up until now that
has work just fine.  But as our membership increases, and there is an
increased  need for members to provide feedback to the board on the
direction of the division, there might need to be some adjustment to how
this list functions.  In my opinion, it is reasonable to use this list to
discuss division matters in addition to crafting.

A number of members have already suggested that we be more aware of keeping
our subject lines matched up with the topic of the message.  As our
membership increases, so will the e-mail traffic generated by this list.
When topic lines reflect the topic of the message, members can delete those
topics they are not interested in reading.  If our messages are being
archived on the server, or if members are saving messages they want to
reference later, accurate subject lines will assist in locating the desired
information at a later date.  I belong to a couple of lists that have
500-600 members.  These lists have a few moderators who read every message
that comes across the list and point out to the list when a message or
subject line does not meet the list guidelines.  I'm not sure that we need a
moderator, but at some point we might need to consider this.  If the day
comes that we do need a moderator, it is my opinion that moderators should
not be a member of the executive board.

I believe that class dates and times should be instructor preference, with
guidance from the executive board if they have knowledge that there are no
members who will take a class on a particular date and time.  However, it is
my guess that as we continue to grow, there will always be a few people who
will be interested in taking a class no matter when it is offered.

I think we should continue offering telephone conference call classes as
this format has been successful.  Free classes conducted by volunteer
instructors is a win-win formula.  Instructors gain experience teaching,
while students gain new skills.

But as part of our growth, we should consider looking at other means of
delivering instruction.  I think having a goal of being able to offer
classes in a way similar to those offered by Needle Craft University is a
great goal for our division, but currently not obtainable given our current
resources.

How can we use YouTube?  This is not one method that I am interested in
promoting, but I am tossing it out there for brainstorming.

What about MP3 files placed on our website.  These could be short recordings
that cover very specific topics.  These might include:

-a specific cast on technique.
-The knit stitch.
-The purl stitch.
A specific bind off technique.
-A specific stitch for loom knitting
-Basic origami folds
-Basic knots for macramé

Of course there are down sides to this technique.  The instructor would have
to have a way of making the MP3 file.  This is often done with a digital
recorder and then moved to the computer.  The files would need to be stored
on our website in an organized manner for visitors to listen to or download.
Of course these MP3 files are not designed to replace classes, but rather
provide instruction in one small thing presented in a way that a person who
is blind can use.  Then there is the issue of quality control.  We would
need a review committee to ensure that the recorded instruction is easily
followed by the listener.  MP3 files take up a lot of storage space, so do
we have the server capacity to do this.

I think we should promote providing live hands-on instruction at National
and state conventions, as well as between people who live near each other.
In my opinion, I do not see the e-mail list being involved beyond the
expressing a need for a particular topic to be organized in one of these
types of hand-on sessions.

I think we all need to except that there is no one ideal way to deliver
instruction to all members.  When we have to take into consideration time
zones, family and professional commitments, learning styles and interests,
no one solution will ever work.  I think that while we keep a somewhat
informal approach to delivering instruction, we should never loose site of
the time, effort and skill instructors put into their lessons.  While they
freely offer their time and knowledge, this does not reduce the respect and
courtesy they deserve.

I am concerned about the idea of trying to pay our instructors.  I would
rather see us put our efforts into helping each other rather then concerning
ourselves with how we are going to bring in enough money to ensure that all
instructors get paid something.  Sure we can all use extra money, but I'm
not sure that earning it from Krafter's Korner fits into our mission.  It is
a lot of work to keep a division floating, and if we want to expand what we
offer, it will take even more effort from more people.  We need to figure
out where we want to go, and who has the skills and time to put into
achieving that goal.

Sorry for going on so long, but I felt I had to share.  I believe that we
can all work together to guide Krafter's Korner to the next level.

Thanks for reading my message and hearing me out.

Annette

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