2nd week at work experience

Throughout the week we have focused on introducing the year five students to health and safety within the textiles room and also starting teaching to years 6,7 and 8 designing. This involved looking first into what is designing and why this process takes place.

With the year fives we started to look at what in the textiles room is or could be dangerous. They were asked to go and walk to any object they thought could be dangerous and them explain why it was dangerous. This process worked well because it got the students up and out of their seats and got them involved with the lesson. By asking them why it could be dangerous this got them to think of the way in which they should behave in the classroom and also what could have happened previously before their lesson began. This exercise was extremely effective in capturing the students interest and also keeping them concentrated.

With the year six and sevens we have started to introduce them to the design process, by asking them to analyse to similar every day object i.e. a duck styled potato masher and a standard potato masher using FUMES.

F = function
U = user
M = materials
E = environment
S = safety

This is a simple and effective way of showing them how to analyse a product and also to show them how a designer would start to look at designing a product.

The year eights begin to look at designing by using ACCESS FM

A = appearance
C = cost
C = customer
E = environment
S = safety
S = size

F = fiction
M = materials

This process is an excellent way in which to engage the students into looking more in depth at the processes used to design, craft and create a product.

Another method used to start the year eights designing was to give them a card with an image on it and a card with the word of an object on it. They then had to design the object written inspired by the image they had been given. This was a very successful way in getting the students to start pushing their creativity.

Overall this week has been very insiteful and exciting, I look forward to the next 4 months.