Totem group work - 18th March

The task we were given was to focus on a list of themes, pick one and expand on it. We had to create a totem with the materials that each group had collected. As a group we decided on picking Manchester, we felt like we were connected in some way to Manchester because of travelling and transport. We thought about our journeys, and what type of transport we all got. We created a tree with a nest implying that Manchester is our home and the cards linked together show direction of Manchester and how we are linked together.

These were the tickets we used. We imitated the tram sign with the cards

 Due to the limited materials, we as a group felt like we could create something out of train tickets. Making something 3-D based was a skill none of us had, so doing something like this allowed us to gain new skills and experiences. It was a way of looking at materials in a whole new way. In textiles i normally work flat and so working 3-D i felt was a bit difficult but i enjoyed it. I liked this idea of using usual materials; I have always been fascinated in this aspect so I was excited to create something out of it. I felt like our materials worked perfectly with our concept, which I felt was important. Throughout my years of textiles, the meaning behind a piece has always been significant, so being able to achieve this through a group piece was a big achievement. This is something I want to attain in my new environment at the primary school, I want the children to feel and see a story coming through. Also having limited resources was something to think about and whether it was suitable for them to use.

Working as a group on this task, I felt we all negotiated and all had a chance to speak. We all had similar roles; no one was dominating which made everyone feel comfortable. Kirsteen had come around to each group and gave some people a specific role. I was given the role of being withdrawn from the group. I don’t feel like it worked well because I felt bad not interacting with people, I’m that type of person that likes to engage and communicate rather than sit back and watch. Also my group couldn’t guess that I was being withdrawn so I think I failed that task. However it made me think about my environment and if a pupil was to act like that, how would I react, how would I get them to engage in an activity and get them involved. I feel like me being confident and easy-going person I would be able to involve them in a task, however actually being in the situation would be different.