[Nfb-krafters-korner] comments on survey matter
ncbootman at gmail.com
ncbootman at gmail.com
Thu Feb 18 23:51:05 UTC 2016
Annette and All,,
I have to agree with all that you said. To me, saying that a teacher makes
their living doing this is not a valid reason to charge for a class. All of
us in some way makes a living or at least supplements our living by teaching
or in some way through crafting. I won't name names. But, we do have someone
who even teaches visually impaired crafts as a part of her job. To say that
someone makes a living teaching crafts and should be paid to me implies that
my or others here are somehow less of a teacher.
I have no issue with people supporting a particular crafter on the 1st and
15th. But, then, everything is done between that student and that individual
instructor. The Division stays out of it and any conflicts or good
information is between those two parties. That also means the phone numbers
wouldn't be used. Someone could tell the instructor how to do a telephone
conference. But, what happens if instructor doesn't show, runs off with the
money, is a totally incompetent teacher by telephone, or simply just isn't
friendly or good. If they are sponsored by the group, they reflect the
group.
I keep hearing the notion that we are blind and teachers do not know how to
teach us so we need to teach them. I keep hearing that teachers will not let
blind people in their class. Something is wrong here folks. I went to public
high school, graduated at the very top of my class. I attended a four year
university and graduated with Highest Honors. I attended graduate school for
2 years and even took a visual testing course because it was required. I
went to massage school. I have a amateur radio license, am a STD Prevention
Counselor and other credentials. I've taken crafting workshops. Not once
ever have I had a teacher refuse to teach me! Much of this training was
continuing education so not under a school. I'd like to propose that we have
some sessions or e-mails perhaps role playing how we as individual crafters
can be successful in taking classes. I have had I have no clue how I'll
teach you this subject a very few times. It was all in how I responded to
that. That was not a refusal. It was an honest cry for help. I learned the
skills to stand before such a person, think on my feet, problem solve, and
made everyone of those fearful people believers in me. I have heard several
times that the instructor felt they learned more than me or that I improved
their teaching skills by being in class and sundry other positive comments.
So, let's develop a plan and solve this issue and stop whining about being
blind and teachers refuse us. If a teacher were to refuse me in a class, it
would tell me two things. One, they are not the teacher they claim to be.
And, two, I really don't want to be in their class because they have a bad
attitude and will set me up for failure perhaps or damage my reputation with
other instructors when they are the problem.
Furthermore, I have read a few times in this discussion that even for paid
classes a person has to be a paying member of Krafters Korner. To say that I
should pay this group for the privilege of paying this instructor if I want
to take their class is just not fair. If I'm paying instructors, then why am
I paying to be in this group and why am I teaching for free and doing it
gladly?
To say that we can't teach the skill we learn, use any teaching methods, etc
is ridiculous. We do not want to go through that whole discussion of
copyright and ownership. If we do, it will surely mean the beginning of the
end. I'm here to learn and maybe even teach. II'am not here to worry if
somebody is going to sue me because I explain knitting in the same way they
do.
Greg
-----Original Message-----
From: Annette Carr via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2016 8:31 AM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Cc: Annette Carr
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] comments on survey matter
Hi All,
I've been tossing Terry K's proposed concept around in my head for a couple
of days now. I think it is an interesting one and has potential, but I'm
not sure that it completely fits into Krafters Korner. Please hear me out.
I am not trying to start a battle over this.
I agree that you can have good and bad experiences no matter if you are
paying for a class or whether it is free. If you want something bad enough
you will utilize any and all resources that come your way. You will take
the good from those experiences and use them for your own personal growth.
My impression of Krafters Korner is to promote the message that sight loss
does not have to prevent you from doing or learning how to do a craft. That
the self-confidence and pride that comes from making something from your
hands can be ours if we want it.
Over the years of being a member of our Krafter's Korner family I've seen us
expand to supporting our members to be an advocate for themselves when
accessing resources in their community. As a natural progression we have
also occasionally supported educating vendors and teachers from outside of
Krafter's Korner in how to teach students with visual impairments. I think
this is all good and that we should continue to find ways to do this.
With all of that said, I personally do not think that hosting a class at
Krafter's Korner for a fee other than the cost of purchasing supplies fits
into our structure. I am not saying that we should not find ways to
encourage teachers from outside Krafter's Korner to be willing to welcome
students who are blind into their classes. However, I do not think that
Krafter's Korner should host the class where students need to pay a tuition
to take the class is the best way to accomplish this.
I understand that in the situation that Terry K has put before us is one in
which the teacher makes a living from the classes she teaches. If this
instructor is using this opportunity to see how remote teaching works out
for her style of teaching, or if she wants to see how successful she will be
with teaching students who are visually impaired, then this is a learning
experience for her and I'm not sure that students should have to pay her to
learn. If she has previously taught remote classes successfully and/or has
experience teaching students who are blind, then I think it is perfectly
fine for Krafter's Korner to post information about her classes on the
Krafter's Korner list on the 1st and 15th of the month. Interested students
would contact the instructor and all transactions would be conducted off of
the Krafter's Korner list.
So how can Krafter's Korner promote full inclusion into activities outside
of Krafter's Korner, well here are some of my ideas for us to ponder.
. Get involved with activities at our local yarn shops. Privately
owned shops might offer more opportunities for this.
. Look for crafting events in local area to participate in.
. Take a local paid class where you know how to do many of the
skills being taught in the class, and you will only need to learn 1 or 2 new
things. Yes, we should not have to spend our money this way, but on the
other hand, you will find very few paid classes where everything taught in
the class will be new to you.
. Teach a craft at local NFB Chapter meetings to promote Krafters
Korner, and to expand the number of crafter's with visual impairments in
your local area.
. Look for crafting meet-ups in your local area. These allow an
opportunity for you to perform your craft without putting others in the
unfamiliar position of not knowing how to teach someone who is visually
impaired how to do something, or have to learn something from someone who is
visually impaired. It is an equal level playing ground with no expectations
on either side.
I am well aware that none of these ideas are the ideal opportunity for each
of us to take on, nor are they all the ideal solution for your local
community. Just as we all come to Krafter's Korner with our own
personalized set of luggage, our local community and the people in it has
their own personalized luggage as well. Change does not occur globally all
at once, but rather one person at a time.
Hope I have not offended anyone, as that has not been the intent of this
message.
Annette
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 7:15 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] comments on survey matter
I have paid for classes to learn all types of crafting, sewing, quilting,
etc. classes as I wanted to learn and I feel that what I have learned
whether
I used it for my own knowledge and know how or for learning a basic and
going out and expanding and creating something unique and then promoting my
items and going out and selling them. I traveled all over taking classes
when I could drive. Even after I went blind and wanted to learn more about
antique sock machines, I was bold enough to hitch a ride from this person up
to a Seminar in New Hampshire and I raised a few eye brows as this person's
name was George and a ride was offered to me and I did kinda had a sigh of
reliev when I got the phone call the night before she would be driving thru
CT from VA and I did find out she was a woman. I brought my Seeing Eye dog
and met a lot of folks with their sock machines and they took a look at the
one I had gotten and we all got it to work, too. John definitely thought I
was a bit looney going all the way to NH and staying over night 2 days to
learn not only if my sock machine worked, but to learn how to make it work.
So it is worth a lot to me to share crafting skills and you can't put a
dollar sign on what you learn and what you do with that knowledge. If you
take classes here with the only thought of if I can make it and sell it for
a profit. You are missing an awful lot.
Many of the classes here that I have taught are from classes I took going
back a long time or are craft skills I have researched and learned how to do
it as a blind person and basically challenged myself to learn something new
and then teach it to you. I had never done baskets before, I never did loom
knitting or beading, soap, candles, body lotion, cutting out quilts with an
Accuquilt, hand quilting teaching myself how to sew on a machine without
sight and in the last 19 years purchased 3 new sewing machines and figured
out how to use them
I worry if you all keep on taking and not giving back here Krafters Korner
might not carry on and be a place to share and encourage and show other
blind folks how to...
Joyce
Aaaaaaaa
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