Fred Parker on mon 10 mar 08
I thought some of you who were so generous with your advice re teaching
kids clay might be interested in hearing how our first session went. Two
of the three grandsons (ages 3 and 5) were here this weekend. We
managed to get some clay time in.
I tried to stick to your advice re not "teaching" so much and just let
them run. It was good advice. I set both of them up with a pound of
clay, then showed them a few VERY BASIC points, like using slip to stick
pieces together, rolling snakes and making balls. The five year-old
soaked it up like a sponge; the three year-old ignored everything and set
out on his own mushing around squeezing clay between his fingers.
Earlier, the five year-old saw a mask I made. Based on that he decided he
wanted to make "heads" and that became his raison d'etre for the day. The
three year-old, on the other hand, immersed himself into pulling fists
full of clay off the bottom of his clay ball, then smooshing each down
on the top of the ball. This went on with great intensity for almost the
entire session and he managed to rotate most of his clay from the bottom
of the ball to the top. Occasionally he stuck one of our tools into his
clay mass and proclaimed it to be a "castle." I made it a point to
compliment him on it, but he wasn't interested in any suggestions to try
anything else. I remembered what somebody said about backing off and
letting them have fun, so I just let him have at it. Eventually he tired
of it all, climbed down from his stool and wandered off in search of his
grandmother and something more interesting.
Meanwhile, the five year-old lapsed into a fervent intensity that almost
worried me. His first "head" (mask) was really good. I was impressed. I
never expectred anything to turn out that well. He wanted to make
more "heads" and so I just kept him supplied with clay and he got down to
it. Earlier, I showed him that our eyes are in the middle of the face
instead of at the top, and so he kept asking me to help him find the
middle. He also wanted to make bowls (he watched me make a pinch pot
once) and a teapot, right down to the spout and handle.
It was almost like he wanted to do it all right then and there.
His teapot ended up looking a bit like E.T. (big bulbous head on the
end of the spout three times the size of the pot. It eventually collapsed
on its own. It was the pinch pots that brought out something I didn't
understand.
He repeatedly asked me what to do about his collapsing pinch bowls. In
showing him the basics of a pinch pot I tried to convince him to slow
down, press lightly and only turn the pot a small amount. He could not do
that, no matter how hard he tried. It was like he was on amphetamines
going like a bat out of hell determined to finish in five seconds or
less so he could move on to another one. He was tense, his hands rigid
and every movement was fast and aggressive.
All of his pinch bowls ended up shredded clay blobs. His "heads" started
out very nice and free. At first, he worked slowly, maybe because he was
trying to figure it out. But once he did, it was full-bore production.
He wanted to make MANY heads. He slammed each one out faster, and
each one digressed further back eventually ending up somewhere near his
three year-old brother's level.
Maybe we stayed at it too long, although we were only there for a little
over an hour. I don't know. He never indicated he had had enough. It
was almost the opposite -- he wanted it ALL. I think he would have sat
there for days if we had had the time, but it was time to leave and so we
had to bring it to a close.
He asked endless questions about the glaze ingredients lined up on a
shelf. I tried to explain what they were, and immediately he began
making detailed plans for glazing each piece. He wanted this one blue,
that one white, the other one green and that one over there he wanted
brown "like the clay" he said.
It'll be interesting to see if this lasts. I wish I could find a way to
get him to slow down and relax some. If I had been thinking clearly I
would have sent some clay home with them, but I didn't think of it this
time. His parents are probably grateful for that. Maybe later.
Thanks again to all of you who offered suggestions. I'm guessing we'll be
back at it when they return.
Fred Parker
Frances Howard on tue 11 mar 08
Fred, that's lovely! But I think your grandson was having the time of his
life and his way of enjoying things is to go all out and do everything. If
he had been slowed down it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun and he
might have been bored. He found his way and it was wonderful. Now you know
a huge amount about your grandson which you didn't before. He is a boy who
likes to push parameters and achieve. You must be so proud. I guess he
will always go that extra little bit even if it doesn't always work out, and
you can help him to continue that way of thinking.
Think of the ways in which 2 groups of people listen to music. There is the
rock group et al who have broad grins and much beating of time etc and there
is the classical lot who listen to a Bach toccata etc with grim expression
and never a smile but whose souls are in bliss! We all react to external
stimuli differently. We even like different pottery. I am sure that next
time (or the time after) he will get the hang of pinch pots and learn to
think with his fingers.
Frances Howard.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Parker"
To:
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 10:22 PM
Subject: Kids and clay -- followup
>I thought some of you who were so generous with your advice re teaching
> kids clay might be interested in hearing how our first session went. Two
> of the three grandsons (ages 3 and 5) were here this weekend. We
> managed to get some clay time in.
>
> I tried to stick to your advice re not "teaching" so much and just let
> them run. It was good advice. I set both of them up with a pound of
> clay, then showed them a few VERY BASIC points, like using slip to stick
> pieces together, rolling snakes and making balls. The five year-old
> soaked it up like a sponge; the three year-old ignored everything and set
> out on his own mushing around squeezing clay between his fingers.
>
> Earlier, the five year-old saw a mask I made. Based on that he decided he
> wanted to make "heads" and that became his raison d'etre for the day. The
> three year-old, on the other hand, immersed himself into pulling fists
> full of clay off the bottom of his clay ball, then smooshing each down
> on the top of the ball. This went on with great intensity for almost the
> entire session and he managed to rotate most of his clay from the bottom
> of the ball to the top. Occasionally he stuck one of our tools into his
> clay mass and proclaimed it to be a "castle." I made it a point to
> compliment him on it, but he wasn't interested in any suggestions to try
> anything else. I remembered what somebody said about backing off and
> letting them have fun, so I just let him have at it. Eventually he tired
> of it all, climbed down from his stool and wandered off in search of his
> grandmother and something more interesting.
>
> Meanwhile, the five year-old lapsed into a fervent intensity that almost
> worried me. His first "head" (mask) was really good. I was impressed. I
> never expectred anything to turn out that well. He wanted to make
> more "heads" and so I just kept him supplied with clay and he got down to
> it. Earlier, I showed him that our eyes are in the middle of the face
> instead of at the top, and so he kept asking me to help him find the
> middle. He also wanted to make bowls (he watched me make a pinch pot
> once) and a teapot, right down to the spout and handle.
>
> It was almost like he wanted to do it all right then and there.
> His teapot ended up looking a bit like E.T. (big bulbous head on the
> end of the spout three times the size of the pot. It eventually collapsed
> on its own. It was the pinch pots that brought out something I didn't
> understand.
>
> He repeatedly asked me what to do about his collapsing pinch bowls. In
> showing him the basics of a pinch pot I tried to convince him to slow
> down, press lightly and only turn the pot a small amount. He could not do
> that, no matter how hard he tried. It was like he was on amphetamines
> going like a bat out of hell determined to finish in five seconds or
> less so he could move on to another one. He was tense, his hands rigid
> and every movement was fast and aggressive.
>
> All of his pinch bowls ended up shredded clay blobs. His "heads" started
> out very nice and free. At first, he worked slowly, maybe because he was
> trying to figure it out. But once he did, it was full-bore production.
> He wanted to make MANY heads. He slammed each one out faster, and
> each one digressed further back eventually ending up somewhere near his
> three year-old brother's level.
>
> Maybe we stayed at it too long, although we were only there for a little
> over an hour. I don't know. He never indicated he had had enough. It
> was almost the opposite -- he wanted it ALL. I think he would have sat
> there for days if we had had the time, but it was time to leave and so we
> had to bring it to a close.
>
> He asked endless questions about the glaze ingredients lined up on a
> shelf. I tried to explain what they were, and immediately he began
> making detailed plans for glazing each piece. He wanted this one blue,
> that one white, the other one green and that one over there he wanted
> brown "like the clay" he said.
>
> It'll be interesting to see if this lasts. I wish I could find a way to
> get him to slow down and relax some. If I had been thinking clearly I
> would have sent some clay home with them, but I didn't think of it this
> time. His parents are probably grateful for that. Maybe later.
>
> Thanks again to all of you who offered suggestions. I'm guessing we'll be
> back at it when they return.
>
> Fred Parker
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, change your
> subscription settings or unsubscribe/leave the list here:
> http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/
>
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>
primalmommy on tue 11 mar 08
Fred, the "making heads" kid reminded me of a project I have done with
cub scouts.
Roll a big ball of clay -- the size of an adult fist - and let him make
it into a head. I sometimes bring a mirror or ask them to look at each
others' ears and parts... I usually make one of my own first, and show
them how to make simultaneous thumb-dent eye sockets (which
automatically raises a bridge for the nose). I score, slip, and poke two
large eyeballs into the dents. Then I roll a coil, flatten it, and lay
it across the top of the eye sockets so that it covers the top half of
the eyeballs, and smooth it across the top and down the sides. A lower
lid it optional, and best done in two coils. Most important is to us a
pencil tip to make a nice deep "pupil" in each eye. Now the thing is
looking back at you. Cooool.
A fat carrot of a coil nose is smeared at the top onto the brow, and
squished on at the bottom. Pencil hole nostrils are a blast -- have the
kids look at an actual nose, or you end up with two straight-in piggish
holes (though that's fun too.)
I roll another coil for a big bottom lip, smearing it on at the bottom
and sides but leaving the top edge nice and round. A top lip is just the
opposite -- I make mine thinner,and you can use a pencil eraser to make
a "cupid's bow" dent on the top.
All of these face making approaches work on a flat slab draped over a
mound of something, and for a mask, making hair is fun. An old garlic
press makes great spaghetti, and painting a thick layer of slop on first
helps it stick.
Now: we have a thick, solid ball of clay, for the head. I discourage
hair, because the plan is for me to take all these solid little cub
scout heads, and make a hole in the top, and hollow them out with a loop
tool. They are still pretty thick, but the idea is that once they are
fired, the kids can fill them with dirt and plant grass seed.
I can put pix on my blog, if that helps. It's marvelous to fire these
little things, like a circle of dwarves having a conference on the kiln
shelf. In a grouping they have both a childhood innocence, a gargoylish
macabre effect and a mini-monolithic Easter Island appeal.
Yours
Kelly in Ohio... off to photograph the couple of gems from unloading the
wood kiln last night.
Kim Hohlmayer on tue 11 mar 08
Hi, Fred,
Missed the original post but sounds like you and the grandsons did just great. As a former teacher I can tell you that the three year old is right on developmental target. As for the five year old, don't worry yet. Every child is different. He is way ahead of the curve on attention span and hand eye coordination. He sounds like he will be a very achievement-oriented child. This is a good thing as long as it doesn't get out of hand. As for the heads "regressing" as he went along, at least he was less worried about doing it just like Grandpa showed him. That's a good thing. The pinch pots, however, might benefit from a technique I use with that age group. Before the pot gets to the destroyed stage I gently take it from them while saying something like, "There, that's done now. Let's put this one aside and you can go on to another one if you wish." Some kids just need to be taught to quit.
As for the eyes in the middle of the head, research shows that unless your grandchild has some huge and frightening IQ he will be unable to retain that eyes-in-the-middle-of-the-face concept. So his moving away from that is actually a good thing creatively speaking. Next time, if he wants ideas for projects, try open-ended ideas such as making a fish or an alien or a plate with different textures. Talk about possible parts the fish or alien might have but let him lead as before. This way he works toward a goal without any artistic judgement being passed upon the results. Otherwise, keep up the great work! As a former school teacher I can assure you that you are advancing these children's coordination, self esteem, creativity and giving them memories they will treasure forever!!! --Kim Hohlmayer aka beadiepotter@yahoo.com
Fred Parker wrote:
I thought some of you who were so generous with your advice re teaching
kids clay might be interested in hearing how our first session went. Two
of the three grandsons (ages 3 and 5) were here this weekend. We
managed to get some clay time in.
I tried to stick to your advice re not "teaching" so much and just let
them run. It was good advice. I set both of them up with a pound of
clay, then showed them a few VERY BASIC points, like using slip to stick
pieces together, rolling snakes and making balls. The five year-old
soaked it up like a sponge; the three year-old ignored everything and set
out on his own mushing around squeezing clay between his fingers.
Earlier, the five year-old saw a mask I made. Based on that he decided he
wanted to make "heads" and that became his raison d'etre for the day. The
three year-old, on the other hand, immersed himself into pulling fists
full of clay off the bottom of his clay ball, then smooshing each down
on the top of the ball. This went on with great intensity for almost the
entire session and he managed to rotate most of his clay from the bottom
of the ball to the top. Occasionally he stuck one of our tools into his
clay mass and proclaimed it to be a "castle." I made it a point to
compliment him on it, but he wasn't interested in any suggestions to try
anything else. I remembered what somebody said about backing off and
letting them have fun, so I just let him have at it. Eventually he tired
of it all, climbed down from his stool and wandered off in search of his
grandmother and something more interesting.
Meanwhile, the five year-old lapsed into a fervent intensity that almost
worried me. His first "head" (mask) was really good. I was impressed. I
never expectred anything to turn out that well. He wanted to make
more "heads" and so I just kept him supplied with clay and he got down to
it. Earlier, I showed him that our eyes are in the middle of the face
instead of at the top, and so he kept asking me to help him find the
middle. He also wanted to make bowls (he watched me make a pinch pot
once) and a teapot, right down to the spout and handle.
It was almost like he wanted to do it all right then and there.
His teapot ended up looking a bit like E.T. (big bulbous head on the
end of the spout three times the size of the pot. It eventually collapsed
on its own. It was the pinch pots that brought out something I didn't
understand.
He repeatedly asked me what to do about his collapsing pinch bowls. In
showing him the basics of a pinch pot I tried to convince him to slow
down, press lightly and only turn the pot a small amount. He could not do
that, no matter how hard he tried. It was like he was on amphetamines
going like a bat out of hell determined to finish in five seconds or
less so he could move on to another one. He was tense, his hands rigid
and every movement was fast and aggressive.
All of his pinch bowls ended up shredded clay blobs. His "heads" started
out very nice and free. At first, he worked slowly, maybe because he was
trying to figure it out. But once he did, it was full-bore production.
He wanted to make MANY heads. He slammed each one out faster, and
each one digressed further back eventually ending up somewhere near his
three year-old brother's level.
Maybe we stayed at it too long, although we were only there for a little
over an hour. I don't know. He never indicated he had had enough. It
was almost the opposite -- he wanted it ALL. I think he would have sat
there for days if we had had the time, but it was time to leave and so we
had to bring it to a close.
He asked endless questions about the glaze ingredients lined up on a
shelf. I tried to explain what they were, and immediately he began
making detailed plans for glazing each piece. He wanted this one blue,
that one white, the other one green and that one over there he wanted
brown "like the clay" he said.
It'll be interesting to see if this lasts. I wish I could find a way to
get him to slow down and relax some. If I had been thinking clearly I
would have sent some clay home with them, but I didn't think of it this
time. His parents are probably grateful for that. Maybe later.
Thanks again to all of you who offered suggestions. I'm guessing we'll be
back at it when they return.
Fred Parker
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Kelly Johnston on tue 11 mar 08
Thanks for sharing Fred! I'd be happy with the simple fact that the
kids were interested in the clay at all, and mostly that they didn't
mind actually touching it (it still amazes me that some people really
don't like the feel of clay!). I don't have any suggestions re slowing
down the active 5 yo, but I'd say you're right about being back into it
when they're next at your place! My bet is that's the first thing
they'll ask about when they get out of the car.
Kelly in Emerald Qld Australia
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