- Film by Christine Sun Kim
It was fantastic to watch how Christine used sound to connect audiences and see, feel and touch what you can’t hear. The idea of a people possessing or claiming a sound was an interesting concept that I hadn’t considered before, but I could instantly understand Christine’s perspective in presenting this.
The film helped me to realise the importance of looking at more than a two-dimensional perspective on things. For example, in Intellectual Property there is a lot of information to absorb, and I know that my teaching is all about presenting the information in a digestible and applicable way. Christine’s video reenforces that people understand and reinterpret things in their own way and that as a facilitator I can give them the space to do this.
I can easily integrate these learnings into my teaching through scheduling in giving students a day between my lecturers and seminars to absorb and reinterpret the learnings from the lecture in their own way. In order to further the inclusive education provided by the Intellectual Property Education team working with UAL leadership teams will provide the organisational lead on making substantial changes (Ainscow and Sandill, 2008).
- UAL Disability Services webpages
There is clarity and direction in all of the information provided on the Disability Services webpages, I think the direction is important as students can be shown exactly where to go to receive the support that they need. I have noted that the initial emails we received from the teaching team for Inclusive Practices have also directed us to the Disability Services team – taking this into my own practice, it is a simple thing that I can do at the beginning of my modules to redirect students to the support offered.
One of the students that I am working with on an Intellectual Property and Collaboration video project has created The Accessibility Project – a social enterprise formed to research, challenge and create change to the barriers to accessibility faced. They are currently consulting for LCC regarding access to the building which is a huge issue for many students. Through this student I have found out more about the accessibility issues faced by students which often aren’t presented to us as staff facilitating sessions. I have learned a lot about how I can further support students as a unit leader from this student and I am to write up our story into a case study for Canvas to share with other staff members.
- #disabilitytoowhite article Vilissa Thompson
Vilissa’s story highlights the underrepresentation of disabled POC and the widespread impact of this as demonstrated by the retweets of their hashtag. Their story further demonstrates the importance of representation. Last year I saw hundreds of posts across social media about the impact of Disney’s Encanto. It featured an all-Latino cast with tributes to Colombian Culture showing that representation is more than similar skin colour – it’s about culture, language, history, upbringing, values and heritage.
In my teaching practice I provide a lot of media examples and I welcome students’ reflections on the examples that I choose. For example, a case of Dua Lipa and the paparazzi to highlight a copyright issue isn’t relatable or representative of the students I am speaking to so instead I may focus on a cultural appropriation case from a minority group (Hatton, 2003). I will look at any potential examples I can use to be inclusive and accepting of disabled POC in my sessions.
- Deaf Accessibility for Spoonies by Khairani Barokka
The quote that stood out for me in Khairani’s article was ‘to her credit she saw through my skin’ and describe the feeling of the doctor understanding the pain that she was in. I am sure that for all of us at UAL it is important for us to help students feel comfortable and confident within the classroom or studio environment.
In fashion there has been a lot of research as to stores as ‘third spaces’ with first space being home and second space being the office – a theory that is also hugely useful in academia (Soja, 1996). ‘Place-making’ has also become a buzzwork within the arts and cultural sectors in the UK (Meskell-Brocken, 2020). Whether I am delivered a series of lecutres, running a unit or acting as a ‘guest lecturer’ for an IP session I strive to facilitate a setting that allows students to be in the best position to learn. This might mean moving furniture, creating a circle of chairs to share stories or using post-it notes to get anonymous input. Irrespective of students disabilities, ways of learning or what is currently going on in their lives outside of the classroom I hope to create safe spaces for them to learn. Aiming at a comfortable ‘thirdspace’ my favourite definition of which is ‘merging students’ at-home and cultural experiences with their educational understanding, creating an open, flexible environment where the two can merge’ (Yahya and Wood, 2016).
- Disability Terms of Reference from Shades of Noir
I read and reflected on Claudette Davis-Bonnick’s article ‘Understanding Visual Impairments’ (pp.106-109). It was heart-breaking to read about those who feel they must self-select out of studying fashion due to their visual impairment (Barer, 2007). I love the quote ‘it is understanding the disability we are challenged with, not the person with the disability’ and supporting the participation of all students irrespective of their disabilities.
When I was in school I interned every summer at my local Optometry practice and part of this role was working with visual impaired people in the community. I went on house calls with Occupational Therapists that supported visually impaired people with day-to-day tasks and provided them with tools to support this. A story that will stick in my mind is that of an older gentleman struggling with sudden blindness due to glaucoma who could be supported with cooking and watching TV but when he asked for any tools that could help him with his painting, they said they couldn’t help. There are so many ways to participate in something and as facilitators and educators we have to do that and create a space for everyone to participate. I wish I could go back in time and help this man in finding ways that he could participant in his hobby of painting.
- Mental Health Terms of Reference from Shades of Noir
I read and reflected on the words of Kei Maye, ‘it’s ok to say you don’t feel ok’ (pp.62-63). My favourite quote from this section of the Mental Health Terms of Reference was ‘if your battery level is low, you’re allowed to take breaks and shouldn’t feel guilty in doing so!’. It was intriguing to read Kei’s words on conditioning ourselves to overwork and that breaks will lead to failure as this is something that I have struggled with personally over the last few years.
I studied an MA in Fashion Design Management and LCF and now I am a lecturer and dissertation supervisor on the course. As the units that I supervise are related to the final dissertation I regularly deal with students who are very stressed and feel under immense pressure. When I am facilitating sessions, I try to create a space where they can ask questions, feel calm, vent about their stress and have an outlet for their pressure. I love the words that Kei has written in this article, and I think it would be very useful to share this with my students in a session. Previously I have trialled a quick mental health or stress check in at the beginning of sessions which can work to help people share their worries about the dissertation. On refection of this article, I am considering trying an anonymous stress level activity during a session using post-it notes so I can understand how the students are feeling about their projects and workload. This will help me to facilitate the session to support their needs.
References:
Ainscow, M. and Sandill, A. (2010) Developing inclusive education systems: the role of organisational cultures and leadership, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14:4, 401-41.
Barer, R., (2007) Disabled students in London: A review of higher and further education, including students with learning difficulties. London: Great London Authorities.
Hatton, K. (2003) Multiculturalism: narrowing the gaps in art education, Race, Ethnicity and Education, 6:4, 357-372
Meskell-Brocken, S. (2020) in Development a Sense of Place: The Role of Arts in Regenerating Communitites. Eds. Ashley, T. and Weedon, A. pp. 240-254. London: UCL Press.
Soja, E. W. (1996) Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and other Real and Imagined Places. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Yayha, R. and Wood. A. (2016) Play as third space between home and school: Bridging cultural discourses. Journal of Early Childhood Research, Vol. 15., pp. 305-322.
10th May 2022 @ 11:39 am
Hi Eleanor. I love reading your blog – I was searching to find it because I knew it would be thorough, thoughtful and explore all the resources in breadth and depth. I am really inspired by you and the different way you already encourage inclusivity, sharing and belonging n your practice. This is something I want to start embedding within my own sessions. Thank you. You may have already included this elsewhere – but have you thought about commenting on privilege in regard to disability?
15th May 2022 @ 3:28 pm
It was interesting to observe a different perspective on the reading and videos we were given through reading your blog. I thought the work by the student for the Accessibility project was particularly intriguing. It was great to hear how a student was being supported to be pro-active in improving their environment.
Reading your reflection to Christine Sun’s film, I was interested to see your response about allowing more time for students to digest information. I agree, we need to be aware of the needs of our students when responding to what they are learning and, I think, providing time is a crucial aspect. I agree that presenting work in a digestible and applicable way is important for us as teachers. However, I wonder what else you could consider to support students in different ways to approach their work? What else other than time? Would there be ways in which you could encourage the students to respond to what you are saying in personal, less academic ways to help them process the work?
I was very taken with your idea about the “third space”. I think it is an interesting concept and creating a classroom where students feel comfortable is so important to help them with learning. I thought your ideas about rearranging furniture, creating circles and using anonymous post-it notes are good for showing a sense of collaboration. I wonder whether this could be taken further by asking students before the class how they would like the furniture arranged, possibly not as an open question but options. I’m sure we would all agree that lines of students present the wrong atmosphere but I wonder if small groups might sometimes be useful for students who are more shy, making them less exposed, or whether that then means they feel stuck with the people they are sitting with. Similarly, one of my colleagues always puts on music in the classroom to help with the atmosphere. Personally, that is something I don’t like as I find it distracting and it makes it hard for me to hear, but I guess there must be other ways as well – may be lighting? As an extra note – padlet is a great way to offer the post-it note virtually and even more anonymously, I recommend checking it out!
Finally, one thing I noticed, and this is true of my blog too, is that I wonder if we are considering race enough in our responses. The three personal accounts we were given by Christine Sun, Vilissa Thompson and Khairani Barokka were from women of colour. In hindsight, I think that we need to view the topic more clearly through the lens of race. I think that one thing that did come out for me from these readings is the way that the intersectionality of race and disability is one that needs careful consideration. I think there it was interesting to see how disability impacts on women of colour, this aspect of intersectionality is, it seems, all too common.
22nd May 2022 @ 11:40 pm
Hi Eleanor,
very much enjoyed reading your thoughtful engagement with the (dis)ability blog sources and the direct way you were linking these to your own teaching and learning experience.
Your reading of Christine Kim Sun’s video as a way to connect to audiences and relate how they experience sound resonated with my experience of the video. You found a direct and pragmatic way to integrate this experience into your own teaching. Considering rhythm and timing, when to present information and when/how to provide time for reflection seems a key to teaching and learning.
I was intrigued to learn that one of your students has set up The Accessibility Project and I am looking forward to reading about your case study on Canvas. I wondered how you and the student worked together on this project and whether/how you work with students with less visible (dis)abilities and/or neurodiverse/divergent abilities. How do these kinds of alternative abilities affect the interaction with IP issues? Do students sometimes surprise you with creative or ‘leftfield’ takes on the subject?
I agree that the issue of underrepresentation of PoC in discourses about (dis)ability becomes painfully obvious in Vilissa Thompson’s interview in Huffpost, and that representation includes culture, language, history, values and heritage. Not sure how to interpret upbringing in this context? Respectful allyship focusing on putting (dis)abled PoC centre-stage was my key takeaway from this source.
The idea of ‘third space’ in relationship to (dis)ability is new to me and very intriguing. What does a ‘third
space’ enabling people with different types of abilities look like? Interpreting the ‘third space’ as a space in which students and teachers have the same amount of agency over the set-up and the rules of engagement seems like a worthwhile exploration.
Finally, Janice’s comments on considering race and intersectionality resonated with me, particularly as I realise I haven’t focused on this in my own blog. I am wondering whether there is a communal ‘blind spot’ going on here.