Shelly Ikebuchi's ePortfolio
It's Just Dirt:
How I Overcame Fear, Embraced Technology, and Transformed my Teaching Practice.
Dirt. Earth. Land. We are all connected to the land in one form or another. It is a commonality that ties us all together and often the cause of what separates us from each other. This page is in part about my relationship to the earth, to dirt, and to the land that surrounds me. Thus, I want to begin by acknowledging that the land that I live, work, and create on is the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People. The clay that I use originates on Treaty 7 and Treaty 4 territory, traditional lands of the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (blood), Pikani (Peigan), Stoney- Nakoda, and Tsuut`ina (Sarcee) as well as the Cree, Sioux and the Saulteaux bands of the Ojibwa peoples.
For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.
Photo taken on the unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People
For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.
My intent here is not only to acknolwedge the dispossession and displacement of the original inhabitants, but is to stand as an act of reciprocation and a commitment to this land. As an uninvited guest on this territory, it is my commitment to be a good steward of the land and her resources, to educate others about the importance and value of First Nations Peoples and their knowledge, and to foster good relationships with First Nations peoples in order to become a useful Ally.
Hi there, and welcome to my ePortfolio! My name is Shelly Ikebuchi, and if you want to know more about me you can click on the About Me link! I am currently in the process of completing a Masters in Education Technology (MET) program at UBC. The purpose of this ePortfolio is to document my learning throughout the program and encourage other college or university faculty who might feel intimidated by education technology!
I want to begin by explaining why I have chosen to use the creation of pottery as a metaphor for learning. As a potter, I have observed that adults are often intimidated by pottery. When they come into the studio, they often express their fears and doubts about whether they can be successful. They say things like “I am not creative” or “I am not good with my hands”. I said many of the same things when I started doing pottery. And then my instructor said, "relax, it's just dirt!"
For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.
For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.
Despite the diversity of approaches to pottery, and despite the many forms it takes on, it always begins as dirt. Maybe this is why when children come to the studio, they grab the clay and go. The familiarity of playing in the mud/dirt is more recent for them. If they anticipate failure, you rarely hear them verbalize it. Once you allow yourself the freedom to play (and the freedom to fail), you realize the almost limitless possibilities of clay. In pottery, learning should not be measured by the beautiful pots we create, (a factory would always be more precise and efficient that my two hands could be!). Learning should be measured by the chances we take, the vision we have, the failures, the starting again, the reflection, and the growth. After all, we are all just starting with dirt and in the end, we can all create something beautiful.
In case you are curious about whether I overcame my fears with pottery, here is a short video of me playing in the clay!
For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.
I titled my ePortfolio “It’s just dirt” because I wanted to illustrate my journey through the MET program through the metaphor of learning to create pottery. What I have learned in the MET program as a student has inspired me to rethink how I approach education as a teacher. This metaphor illustrates that each stage of learning is important and valuable, whether that is knowing your materials, learning to use tools, practicing your craft, learning through failure and trying again, reflecting on your successes, or sharing and building on your successes through collaboration. If you are intimidated by technology, as I was, maybe it's time to get creative, play a little, and take some chances, because after all, it's just dirt!
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For auditory learners, these videos provide an audio version of the text.