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Out into the world

Out into the world Anne Gibson Manager Workshop & Company with Donna Education This article describes how a group of friends moved from their sheltered environment to a mainstream college course, supported by a staff member from Workshop & Company. It starts with a summary of the process, followed by one member’s description of the experience. Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) would we fare, we wondered, cast out into the had provided Workshop & Company with a world adrift with nothing to hold onto but our clay? ceramics teacher for two years to work with a At ten o’clock we made our way into the group of people who had felt that going to classroom. Tension built up as we slowly realised – college was not within their grasp. They had No tutor. Our tutor was late! Not to be bewildered expressed the view that it would be too stressful. we waited and finally she came. Anna was her We wanted to work out a way in which they name, potting was her game. would be able to take the necessary steps to It began with forms and talks on safety but inclusion. quickly progressed to our first test – bulls head As the college has not yet set up a system of kneading! Knees trembling, we considered what support for our learners we decided to pilot a this meant. Was a cow about to enter? Were we to possible way forward. A support worker named pummel the poor creature? Fortunately, no. All was Clodagh from Workshop & Company registered revealed when Anna demonstrated with a lump of on the same mainstream course as our service clay, kneading it until it resembled a duck! No, not users. Clodagh had already accompanied them really. It looked uncommonly like a bull’s head – into college for a discrete taster slot over two hence the name. days organised for them in the summer. The From there we were shown the perfect form of outcome was that the group of four completed the pinch pots, which we took to with ease and began first accredited module in a B.Tech ceramic to relax. Too soon, though. From nowhere came the course with Clodagh and then enrolled for the sudden question, hurling us into confusion. Where next module without her. did we know each other from? Alas, what to say? We glanced around in panic, then suddenly I was hit by an inspiration and, babbling, I said: Donna’s story ‘Around.’ A laugh later and all was back to normal. From there, each week passed more easily, with It all began on September 18th. A slightly no more awkward questions. We passed on from nervous, motley crew gathered in the canteen of pinch pots to soft slab building, hard slab building the Amberley Road campus of Westminster and a combination of types. So good has it all been Adult Education Service (WAES). Half an hour that Steve, Clive, Ana and I will be continuing to early, we sat in trepidation waiting for a clock to do the next course – surface decoration. Clodagh, strike 10 am. that lily-livered chicken, will return to Workshop & Ana, Clodagh, Steve, Clive and I (Donna) had Company, bereft of information. So, we say to you all gathered to start a ceramics course away from all: ‘Do something out of the Workshop – try on, the sacred site that is Workshop & Company. How all will be well.’ A life in the day Volume 8 Issue 3 August 2004 © Pavilion 29 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png A Life in the Day Emerald Publishing

Out into the world

Anne Gibson; Donna
A Life in the Day , Volume 8 (3): 1 – Aug 1, 2004
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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1366-6282
DOI
10.1108/13666282200400027
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Abstract

Anne Gibson Manager Workshop & Company with Donna Education This article describes how a group of friends moved from their sheltered environment to a mainstream college course, supported by a staff member from Workshop & Company. It starts with a summary of the process, followed by one member’s description of the experience. Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) would we fare, we wondered, cast out into the had provided Workshop & Company with a world adrift with nothing to hold onto but our clay? ceramics teacher for two years to work with a At ten o’clock we made our way into the group of people who had felt that going to classroom. Tension built up as we slowly realised – college was not within their grasp. They had No tutor. Our tutor was late! Not to be bewildered expressed the view that it would be too stressful. we waited and finally she came. Anna was her We wanted to work out a way in which they name, potting was her game. would be able to take the necessary steps to It began with forms and talks on safety but inclusion. quickly progressed to our first test – bulls head As the college has not yet set up a system of kneading! Knees trembling, we considered what support for our learners we decided to pilot a this meant. Was a cow about to enter? Were we to possible way forward. A support worker named pummel the poor creature? Fortunately, no. All was Clodagh from Workshop & Company registered revealed when Anna demonstrated with a lump of on the same mainstream course as our service clay, kneading it until it resembled a duck! No, not users. Clodagh had already accompanied them really. It looked uncommonly like a bull’s head – into college for a discrete taster slot over two hence the name. days organised for them in the summer. The From there we were shown the perfect form of outcome was that the group of four completed the pinch pots, which we took to with ease and began first accredited module in a B.Tech ceramic to relax. Too soon, though. From nowhere came the course with Clodagh and then enrolled for the sudden question, hurling us into confusion. Where next module without her. did we know each other from? Alas, what to say? We glanced around in panic, then suddenly I was hit by an inspiration and, babbling, I said: Donna’s story ‘Around.’ A laugh later and all was back to normal. From there, each week passed more easily, with It all began on September 18th. A slightly no more awkward questions. We passed on from nervous, motley crew gathered in the canteen of pinch pots to soft slab building, hard slab building the Amberley Road campus of Westminster and a combination of types. So good has it all been Adult Education Service (WAES). Half an hour that Steve, Clive, Ana and I will be continuing to early, we sat in trepidation waiting for a clock to do the next course – surface decoration. Clodagh, strike 10 am. that lily-livered chicken, will return to Workshop & Ana, Clodagh, Steve, Clive and I (Donna) had Company, bereft of information. So, we say to you all gathered to start a ceramics course away from all: ‘Do something out of the Workshop – try on, the sacred site that is Workshop & Company. How all will be well.’ A life in the day Volume 8 Issue 3 August 2004 © Pavilion 29

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A Life in the Day – Emerald Publishing

Published: Aug 1, 2004

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