Monday 25th April 2011
Carol finished seat cushions at 1:30 on Saturday morning and we took Anne and my Dad for tea and biscuits on Sat 23rd for Anne's birthday.
When we got back mid-afternoon on Saturday Carol carried on with sewing, getting seat backs finished for about 10:00 pm - we had to try them out then, so the neighbours were treated to the sight of us pretending to sleep in the van on top of the drive.
On Sunday, we did some final bits and pieces but really the van was all but finished - we took the afternoon a bit easier and started ticking some minor things off the list. We have a list containing all the jobs we need to do on the van. Like Earl's list in the US sitcom 'My Name Is Earl'. It is a good system, and I think I may need to adopt it for my studies too.
Today I decided to have a go at seeing if the electrics would work on the new (second hand) seats that we had bought to replace the front seats in the van. These are grey leather seats from a Jaguar XJ6, and they are very comfortable. And the electrics work.
I always thought that I couldn't do electrics, until I sat and looked at a wiring diagram. As I looked, tracing the routes of the wires, it occurred to me that the colours of the wires were irrelevant... They could all be blue or pink or purple or whatever colour they wanted to be... the route of the wire was the important factor, not the colour. This was a revelation, and since then, wiring has not phased me. I need to come up with a similar 'eureka' moment to de-mistify design. The closest I have to this is a phrase I often use to students: 'There is no right or wrong answer in design'. This takes some explaining but the premise is that design is subjective, so the appreciation of design is a negotiation between designer and viewer. If the designer has incorporated enough visual cues to imply a message, and that message has been interpreted by the viewer, then the design is more successful. I will write this up more succinctly, though... This will really help my teaching.
Monday, 25 April 2011
Friday, 22 April 2011
Reflections - 21 (new)
Friday 22nd April 2011
Good Friday today
I went over with Edd on Monday (18th) to drop his van off for windows and floor fitting. It should have been ready on Tuesday, then Wednesday, then Thursday - I have been on alert to take him over to collect it, so I'm kind of hanging on. On Thursday we managed to sort foam supply to be collected from Oldham, and sure enough, on the way back, Edd rang to say his van was ready to collect;we had to rush back home then back out to take Edd over to Batley. There was a traffic jam on way (a selfish driver had managed to turn his caravan over at the top of the M62) so I was running really late and I had Doctors appointment for my three monthly diabetes checkup at 17:00. made it (eventually) only 10 minutes late, and they proceeded to take my blood pressure! That was OK, but the rest of my appointment wasn't... I will have to go on insulin, which is a bad thing.
When I got back in, Carol had done one seat cushion for the van - she really plays down how well she has done and doesn't like to take any credit for a good job well done - I just need to motivate her to finish them all off!!! The results are fantastic, though, and I am really proud of her. It is a bit like some of the students I have, with issues about confidence... I always feel false when I have to overplay the 'It's really good' thing.
The praise issue is one which I often reflect on at work. If you praise too soon or too much, students often think that the work is 'good enough', and stop developing ideas or innovations. Conversely, too little praise reduces motivation. I am curious if there has been any studies into praise versus motivation, as I am sure that it is a factor in teaching and learning. Students often complain that some lecturers give them too much input, and the work ends up being a facsimile of 'what the tutor was thinking'. This is also another issue I have to watch out for in my practice.
Today, Carol asked for help in measuring, marking and cutting out fabric for the seats. She is very organised that way (so much more than I am), and she even has a spreadsheet to work out all the cuts required! It took a lot longer than I expected, then Redy turned up with Edd's foam. We were then waiting for over an hour until Edd was able to come round to collect it which was a waste of a day.
We are planning to take my step-mum out for a cup of tea and biscuits in the van for her birthday tomorrow, so Carol is focused on getting at least the seat cushions finished (still at it now, with two more to go!)
I have just finished the final coat of varnish on the interior woodwork this evening. It is looking good!
Good Friday today
I went over with Edd on Monday (18th) to drop his van off for windows and floor fitting. It should have been ready on Tuesday, then Wednesday, then Thursday - I have been on alert to take him over to collect it, so I'm kind of hanging on. On Thursday we managed to sort foam supply to be collected from Oldham, and sure enough, on the way back, Edd rang to say his van was ready to collect;we had to rush back home then back out to take Edd over to Batley. There was a traffic jam on way (a selfish driver had managed to turn his caravan over at the top of the M62) so I was running really late and I had Doctors appointment for my three monthly diabetes checkup at 17:00. made it (eventually) only 10 minutes late, and they proceeded to take my blood pressure! That was OK, but the rest of my appointment wasn't... I will have to go on insulin, which is a bad thing.
When I got back in, Carol had done one seat cushion for the van - she really plays down how well she has done and doesn't like to take any credit for a good job well done - I just need to motivate her to finish them all off!!! The results are fantastic, though, and I am really proud of her. It is a bit like some of the students I have, with issues about confidence... I always feel false when I have to overplay the 'It's really good' thing.
The praise issue is one which I often reflect on at work. If you praise too soon or too much, students often think that the work is 'good enough', and stop developing ideas or innovations. Conversely, too little praise reduces motivation. I am curious if there has been any studies into praise versus motivation, as I am sure that it is a factor in teaching and learning. Students often complain that some lecturers give them too much input, and the work ends up being a facsimile of 'what the tutor was thinking'. This is also another issue I have to watch out for in my practice.
Today, Carol asked for help in measuring, marking and cutting out fabric for the seats. She is very organised that way (so much more than I am), and she even has a spreadsheet to work out all the cuts required! It took a lot longer than I expected, then Redy turned up with Edd's foam. We were then waiting for over an hour until Edd was able to come round to collect it which was a waste of a day.
We are planning to take my step-mum out for a cup of tea and biscuits in the van for her birthday tomorrow, so Carol is focused on getting at least the seat cushions finished (still at it now, with two more to go!)
I have just finished the final coat of varnish on the interior woodwork this evening. It is looking good!
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Reflections - 20
Sunday 17th April 2011
This is the end of week one of the Easter break, and our weekend spent at Bus Types in Oswestry, Shropshire. I managed to get the majority of the van completed, although we slept on air beds as we had no foam; Our foam contact, Redy, has let us down, and it looks as though we are going to have to sort our own foam out. Carol looked at some websites and found a company in Oldham that we will ring tomorrow.
It was also my birthday weekend, and I had a full two bottles of beer to celebrate! I was in bed by half past ten, though. I'll be honest. Not a lot of reflection or work on my essay went on last week. Sorry. I really must try harder! Mr Ceizerak was right when he kept writing that on my school reports. Geography was never my strong subject, though.
This is the end of week one of the Easter break, and our weekend spent at Bus Types in Oswestry, Shropshire. I managed to get the majority of the van completed, although we slept on air beds as we had no foam; Our foam contact, Redy, has let us down, and it looks as though we are going to have to sort our own foam out. Carol looked at some websites and found a company in Oldham that we will ring tomorrow.
It was also my birthday weekend, and I had a full two bottles of beer to celebrate! I was in bed by half past ten, though. I'll be honest. Not a lot of reflection or work on my essay went on last week. Sorry. I really must try harder! Mr Ceizerak was right when he kept writing that on my school reports. Geography was never my strong subject, though.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Reflections - 19
Monday 11th April 2011
Two weeks off for Easter break. I'm on my own this week as Carol is not off until next week, so it will be quite nice to have a lot of time to reflect. I have also got a load of work to do on the van, as we are away in it next weekend... My plan is to get up at my normal time (6.30am) and walk the dog, shower and get breakfast as though I am going to work, so that I then have from 8.30am onwards to be really productive. This is the plan, anyway. I managed it today, although it was a tough task!
I will spend the evenings resting my work hardened muscles doing academic work on my pedagogic critical analysis, and bask in the glory of handing it all in on the first Monday session back. Like I said... This is the plan. Luckily, we don't have a Monday session until the second week in May!
This has been a real issue, to be honest. Not for me, but for my students. I teach two sessions on Mondays, and I will now not see any of these students until the 9th of May. Their summative deadline is on Friday the 13th of May (unlucky for some?), and I am a little worried that they are being disadvantaged in that they are missing four consecutive sessions on the trot.
Two weeks off for Easter break. I'm on my own this week as Carol is not off until next week, so it will be quite nice to have a lot of time to reflect. I have also got a load of work to do on the van, as we are away in it next weekend... My plan is to get up at my normal time (6.30am) and walk the dog, shower and get breakfast as though I am going to work, so that I then have from 8.30am onwards to be really productive. This is the plan, anyway. I managed it today, although it was a tough task!
I will spend the evenings resting my work hardened muscles doing academic work on my pedagogic critical analysis, and bask in the glory of handing it all in on the first Monday session back. Like I said... This is the plan. Luckily, we don't have a Monday session until the second week in May!
This has been a real issue, to be honest. Not for me, but for my students. I teach two sessions on Mondays, and I will now not see any of these students until the 9th of May. Their summative deadline is on Friday the 13th of May (unlucky for some?), and I am a little worried that they are being disadvantaged in that they are missing four consecutive sessions on the trot.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Reflections - 18
Sunday 3rd April 2011
Carol is meant to be closing curtains for our neighbours who have gone on holiday (although we are now end of the first of two weeks).She seems to be a bit ad hoc as to whether she does this or not - she is claiming that she is deliberately trying to be random! I have offered to do it, and when she does go over there, I watch her to and from the house, but I feel that she is not discharging her neighbourly duties to a high enough standard...
Which brings me to the Institute for learning. Just exactly what do they do? And how do they justify the price hike they are proposing for this year? I understand that funding has been cut, but really? Or is it a really well planned April Fools joke and they have forgotten to tell us?
We have a week in work then two weeks off. I'm really looking forward to the break, as I want to make a start on my critical analysis of a pedagogic text essay. I have read loads over the past couple of weeks, so I feel that I am ready to start putting some of the research into my analysis. The real bonus is that I have a couple of old design books, one from 1964 by Maurice de Sausmarez (Basic Design) and one from 1972 by the comedically named Wucius Wong (The Basic principals of Two Dimensional Design). Both of these books are first editions (although not very valuable), and both mention the Gestalt Theory, so I can use them in my bibliography! I have been dying to get these into a bibliography for ages, as I really like the names of both these authors... I have not been so happy since I got the book 'Designers are Wankers' onto a Lancaster validated booklist!
Carol is meant to be closing curtains for our neighbours who have gone on holiday (although we are now end of the first of two weeks).She seems to be a bit ad hoc as to whether she does this or not - she is claiming that she is deliberately trying to be random! I have offered to do it, and when she does go over there, I watch her to and from the house, but I feel that she is not discharging her neighbourly duties to a high enough standard...
Which brings me to the Institute for learning. Just exactly what do they do? And how do they justify the price hike they are proposing for this year? I understand that funding has been cut, but really? Or is it a really well planned April Fools joke and they have forgotten to tell us?
We have a week in work then two weeks off. I'm really looking forward to the break, as I want to make a start on my critical analysis of a pedagogic text essay. I have read loads over the past couple of weeks, so I feel that I am ready to start putting some of the research into my analysis. The real bonus is that I have a couple of old design books, one from 1964 by Maurice de Sausmarez (Basic Design) and one from 1972 by the comedically named Wucius Wong (The Basic principals of Two Dimensional Design). Both of these books are first editions (although not very valuable), and both mention the Gestalt Theory, so I can use them in my bibliography! I have been dying to get these into a bibliography for ages, as I really like the names of both these authors... I have not been so happy since I got the book 'Designers are Wankers' onto a Lancaster validated booklist!
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