John Post on mon 14 dec 09
Hi Mel,
These are things I would purchase from Amaco for my elementary art
classroom...
I would love to have a set of plastic modeling tools that were similar
to boxwood tools but with these modifications...
I would like them to have a serrated plastic edge on one end of the
tool and then various shapes on the other end for smoothing and
working the clay. There is a set of these now in catalogs that come
in light blue or tan, but all of the tools are the same color, they
are brittle and made in China and the kids snap them in half just
looking at them.
When I model how to make things with young elementary school kids it
would be great to say to them, now take the pointy thin end of your
red tool and press it into the clay to make a negative space in the
ear. Use that curved edge of the blue tool to create texture on your
clay dog, etc.
Having kids sort tools by color is the best way for them to put them
back where they belong.
I purchased sets of brushes with colored handles for my classroom two
years ago, and I can tell kids to use the green handle brush for
details, or the big flat red one for blocking in big shapes. When it
comes time to put them away, they all end up in the right spot.
Think of how popular those Michael Sherrill rib tools are. They are
all in bright colors. A set of seven plastic, multi-colored boxwood
tools made from a quality plastic with a little bit flex to them could
be a huge seller.
I'd also like a decent scoring tool that isn't razor sharp that the
kids could use. If the plastic edges of the above mentioned tools
were serrated, that could work.
Those rubber texture matts that are in the catalogs are great.
They're kind of small though, I would like to see some larger 9x12
matts that all have the same pattern/texture on them so bigger slabs
could be given a uniform texture or coils could be rolled across them.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
Snail Scott on mon 14 dec 09
On Dec 14, 2009, at 3:32 PM, John Post wrote:
> These are things I would purchase from Amaco for my elementary art
> classroom...
Good ideas...
When I teach college ceramics, the only tools I have
them acquire to start are a knife, fork, and spoon.
These will do virtually everything that the usual
handbuilding specialty tools do. And even kids
would know their names!
The fork is a much better scoring tool than a needle,
and also makes textures. The knife both cuts and
smoothes, and people who bring serrated ones can
trade with those who brought plain ones for more
variety.
Spoons act as ribs and carving scoops as well as for
burnishing, and all the handle designs make for a
wide range of textures and carving surfaces.
Ordinary flatware like this is about .25 each at a thrift
store if they don't swipe it from the school cafeteria.
(I discourage that by pointing out how boring the
food-service utensils are.) If they get it from home
it's free.
A toothbrush is even better than a fork for scoring,
but I give 'em a little time to get one; i.e. "wait 'til you
wear out your current one, then bring it to class".
When we begin the wheel, I have then get a needle and
a wire, and we seem to have an endless supply of old
loop tools to lend, but once they think about tools as
anything that gets the job done, they start trying out all
sorts of things they pick up, just to see the result. Time
enough later to be told that things must be specially
manufactured for every purpose, and cost money...
-Snail
John Post on tue 15 dec 09
Snail,
We swim in different worlds. I teach 800 kids age 5-12 per week. The
silverware tool idea is a good one for adult students, but the kids I
teach work on a much smaller scale.
The small plastic tools that are available for kids to use in the
classroom are all crap. I get all the major art catalogs in the mail
at my school and none of them have a set of tools that would work well
in an elementary art classroom. The ones currently available are too
brittle and poorly made. Anyone got Michael Sherrill's contact
information? He knows how to produce a line of quality tools.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
On Dec 14, 2009, at 9:28 PM, Snail Scott wrote:
> On Dec 14, 2009, at 3:32 PM, John Post wrote:
>> These are things I would purchase from Amaco for my elementary art
>> classroom...
>
>
> Good ideas...
>
> When I teach college ceramics, the only tools I have
> them acquire to start are a knife, fork, and spoon.
> These will do virtually everything that the usual
> handbuilding specialty tools do. And even kids
> would know their names!
>
> The fork is a much better scoring tool than a needle,
> and also makes textures. The knife both cuts and
> smoothes, and people who bring serrated ones can
> trade with those who brought plain ones for more
> variety.
>
> Spoons act as ribs and carving scoops as well as for
> burnishing, and all the handle designs make for a
> wide range of textures and carving surfaces.
>
> Ordinary flatware like this is about .25 each at a thrift
> store if they don't swipe it from the school cafeteria.
> (I discourage that by pointing out how boring the
> food-service utensils are.) If they get it from home
> it's free.
>
> A toothbrush is even better than a fork for scoring,
> but I give 'em a little time to get one; i.e. "wait 'til you
> wear out your current one, then bring it to class".
>
> When we begin the wheel, I have then get a needle and
> a wire, and we seem to have an endless supply of old
> loop tools to lend, but once they think about tools as
> anything that gets the job done, they start trying out all
> sorts of things they pick up, just to see the result. Time
> enough later to be told that things must be specially
> manufactured for every purpose, and cost money...
>
> -Snail
Linda Goodson on wed 16 dec 09
Hello, John,
Michael Sherrill is from NC!!!
Here is a link to his website
http://www.mudtools.com/index.html
Hope this is helpful,
Linda Goodson
John Post wrote:
> Snail,
>
> We swim in different worlds. I teach 800 kids age 5-12 per week. The
> silverware tool idea is a good one for adult students, but the kids I
> teach work on a much smaller scale.
>
> The small plastic tools that are available for kids to use in the
> classroom are all crap. I get all the major art catalogs in the mail
> at my school and none of them have a set of tools that would work well
> in an elementary art classroom. The ones currently available are too
> brittle and poorly made. Anyone got Michael Sherrill's contact
> information? He knows how to produce a line of quality tools.
>
> John Post
> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>
> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Dec 14, 2009, at 9:28 PM, Snail Scott wrote:
>
>> On Dec 14, 2009, at 3:32 PM, John Post wrote:
>>> These are things I would purchase from Amaco for my elementary art
>>> classroom...
>>
>>
>> Good ideas...
>>
>> When I teach college ceramics, the only tools I have
>> them acquire to start are a knife, fork, and spoon.
>> These will do virtually everything that the usual
>> handbuilding specialty tools do. And even kids
>> would know their names!
>>
>> The fork is a much better scoring tool than a needle,
>> and also makes textures. The knife both cuts and
>> smoothes, and people who bring serrated ones can
>> trade with those who brought plain ones for more
>> variety.
>>
>> Spoons act as ribs and carving scoops as well as for
>> burnishing, and all the handle designs make for a
>> wide range of textures and carving surfaces.
>>
>> Ordinary flatware like this is about .25 each at a thrift
>> store if they don't swipe it from the school cafeteria.
>> (I discourage that by pointing out how boring the
>> food-service utensils are.) If they get it from home
>> it's free.
>>
>> A toothbrush is even better than a fork for scoring,
>> but I give 'em a little time to get one; i.e. "wait 'til you
>> wear out your current one, then bring it to class".
>>
>> When we begin the wheel, I have then get a needle and
>> a wire, and we seem to have an endless supply of old
>> loop tools to lend, but once they think about tools as
>> anything that gets the job done, they start trying out all
>> sorts of things they pick up, just to see the result. Time
>> enough later to be told that things must be specially
>> manufactured for every purpose, and cost money...
>>
>> -Snail
>
Snail Scott on wed 16 dec 09
On Dec 15, 2009, at 10:01 PM, John Post wrote:
> ...I teach 800 kids age 5-12 per week. The
> silverware tool idea is a good one for adult students, but the kids I
> teach work on a much smaller scale...
I couldn't do your job for all the money on earth!
I did teach at a Montessori school for a while,
but it was among the most exhausting jobs I've
ever had. Fun, rewarding, but demanding of
every bit of attention, like a high-wire act. Great
kids, but like herding cats. Sorry I can't help you
more. My Montessori solution was to set them
loose with fingers only, but let them find 'tools'
to try if they felt the need - pencils, hair clips,
housekeys, etc. A very Montessori solution -
let them work it out for themselves.
When I said 'good ideas' in my post, I realized
later that I'd clipped out all your suggestions to
which I was referring - made it sound like I
was describing mine - not what I meant at all...
(oops).
I think you're right about needing durable student
tools. This semester, the standard student 'pottery
tools' kits that my students bought (optional in my
class) were of wretched quality. Nearly all the
small loop tools lost one or both ends, and half
the needles fell out of the handles (and into the
scrap clay, in one case). Not happy about that.
For younger kids' classes, where you are providing
loaner tools that ought to last years, the need
for durability (and visibility) seems even greater.
-Snail
| |
|
