Over the past two days, I have been working one-on-one with the students. This personal attention was needed, since they have been focused on learning jewelry-making techniques. Learning these techniques was very important to creating successful work, but at the same time it took time and energy away from design and conceptual thinking. We need to get the students refocused on creating a body of work that has some similarity and difference. To help with this, we asked them again to complete an in-process reflective sheet writing about their designs and intentionality.

When introducing the concept of unity and variety, discussions have been:

1.  We asked the students can they create a new and different Shrine project, as well as create similarity with project one?

2. What elements of their first project, Scrabble Tile bracelet, can they bring forward to their second project? Can they bring their color palette forward? Similar textures or patterns? Similar symbols?

2. How can they create emphasis, but also design the work as a whole?

Most students were not too far along in the process to integrate this critical thinking. A few were and it was more difficult to get them to change direction if no connections were being made between the two projects. With some good debate, praise, and gentle encouragement they became willing to make some changes.