I'm schduled to do a few week long camps at the museum of fine arts in two or three weeks which is both a good and a bad thing. Normally the classes are composed of lectures, in gallery instruction, and a project. Now that's all good and for the most part fun, but for me, someone with hearing loss that impacts speech bilaterally, that brings about some problems. When in the gallery an "inside voice" is a must, as not to disturb other museum goers, I'll give an example from last year; I was going a class and we were in the ancient Egypt exhibit as the instructor was giving a lecture but because I can't hear whispers there you have me sitting "listening" to the instructor when I in fact have no idea what in the world they are saying because 1. I can't hear them, and 2. They're not facing me thus not allowing me to lip read. When in the studio things can get rather noisy, making it a hard environment to hear in and because most teenagers don't know how to sign it makes communications and interactions harder than they already were. The MFA does provide interpreter services for tours and visits though I'm not sure about camp students, I'll need to see. Hopefully this year is more accessible than last, I'll also have my hearing aides and fm with me as well this year where last year I did not.
Does anybody have an tips on how to make camp involvement easier when you have trouble hearing what's going on?
Until next time,
Max
Max!
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to build on your experience from last year and this year.
I wonder if camp students are able to bring their own interpreters or Teachers of the Deaf or peer educators?
Hope your equipment is working tip-top.
I do have some ideas and tips about how to make camp easier.
Get everything written down or as much as you can.
There was a really good series about docents in Disability Studies Quarterly.
It really is a bubble of what.
I was trying to tell a story about a horse in Wales which went to McDonalds.
"What did the horse write about?" the listener said.
In March there was a really good exhibition of photography. And someone was talking passionately about the photograph.
And of course a mobile phone - I had hoped you would be allowed to receive/text the instructions and the gossip. Are they allowed at Museum of Fine Arts camps as a reasonable accomodation?
Many of the rural galleries are accessible - the people and the exhibits.
In early May there was a workshop in one gallery. We were able to identify the helpful docent. She had a visible voice.
[A loud voice is not necessarily a visible voice].
I am one who loves the energy of galleries.
Do people walk up and wander around in your studio work? Movement is a thing to track.
Hopefully! The first class I am taking is taught by a WHS art teacher in fact, and he knows me and my accomadations pretty well, so that's a plus.
DeleteMy Teacher of the deaf is busy for most of the summer traveling and Ms Suitor is up in Maine at the camp her family runs, Camp Timonus I think is how it's spelled. And they both work for the school district, they're not employed by my family, but the museum has interpreters on hand though I'm not sure about studio classes in a regular setting (they have some classes that are solely in ASL)
Hopefully so!
Writing is always good, though it might be hard to write down everything, maybe a lesson plan copy would be helpful?
A photography exhibit at the MFA? I don't recall it, though it's been a while since I was there.
I don't think they allow phones in the studio and certainly not in the gallery. Though I have speech to text and captioning on my iPad.
Are visible voices those that can be easily lip read?
Yes sometimes depending on what we are doing.
Max:
DeleteGood to know that you have a familiar teacher who gets you. And who knows your accommodations well.
Thank you for introducing us to Camp Timonus where Ms Suitor is. And good to know teachers can travel - hope they're both having replenishing breaks.
Lesson plan copies would be helpful.
Visible voices are easily speech-read, yes!
Alex Katty is really good - trying to remember where she is based.
Those two things on the iPad are very useful. Also Notes; Map; Messaging.
"They're not employed by my family" - that was a useful underlining for me.
Looking at this great website called LIQUID CHICKEN. These are two links which came up when I looked up "studio art" - and someone wrote about their yoga workshop.
Limping Chicken post about theatre in London
Emily Howlett writes about working with Deaf and Hearing artists together
And the docent/gallery edition I'd mentioned in my last.
Museum Experience and Blindness
Henderson and Ostrander did a good thing back in 2013 editing this issue of the DSQ.
For example: Art History and Art Making in the Museum of Philadelphia by Street Thoma
Museum of Fine Arts in Houston: about observation and artist choices
Craig Werner on described art
Perspective of a Tour Guide and Advisor - based at Seattle Art Gallery; 10 years since she lost her vision
Kahn Schmeidler works at a Jewish Museum in New York - maybe a visit for you and Sarah and camp friends?
Living with flair - mentions Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences
Good to know that movement is encouraged or at least not actively blocked.
At the same time, quiet reflection spaces are very welcome. Like the Fiona Hall exhibitions in the National Gallery of Victoria [in the International section]:
Uneasy Seasons workshops and mixspaces
Geelong Gallery's LUMINOUS RELIC where in early May some local students came
Education at the State Library of South Australia - you would be in the Secondary group
Got to live out a long--held dream. Had known about Pro Hart for 30 years now. Based in Broken Hill.
Pro Hart's work
includes lots of Secondary, Tertiary and Access programmes
Some of the resources which are prepared for students and visitors to the Bendigo Art Gallery
Again - I hope you have a wonderful learning experience.