Monica Wright on thu 17 dec 09
I have been teaching at the elementary level for 10 years.=3DA0 Another co-=
wo=3D
rker has taught at the middle school level for 12 years his father was the =
=3D
head of a ceramics program at a major university for some 40 years.=3DA0 We=
w=3D
ere both passed up when a district position became open at the High School =
=3D
level to teach three dimensional art -mostly ceramics.=3DA0 The person they=
h=3D
ired is a complete moron but received tenure this past year.=3DA0 Administr=
at=3D
ion knows nothing about art, cares nothing about art.=3DA0 She was given sa=
ti=3D
sfactory marks on her yearly evaluation based on an evaluation tool that ha=
=3D
d nothing to do with art.=3DA0 No state standardized test given in art so n=
o =3D
reason to even pay attention to what is being taught -simply amazing.=3DA0 =
I =3D
have a file of emails from this person that shows absolutely no knowledge o=
=3D
f ceramics in any way.=3DA0 Silly questions, stupid questions, odd comments=
.=3D
=3DA0 She ruined all of her kiln shelves and then asked me if I would loan =
he=3D
r
any "extra" shelves that I had laying around.=3DA0 WHA...???!!!=3DA0 The l=
ist =3D
goes on and on.=3D0A=3D0AAnother new teacher in the district did not even k=
now =3D
how to load a bisque kiln -but at least she asked for help.=3D0A=3D0ANew te=
ache=3D
rs are rarely ready for teaching clay but, like every other teaching area t=
=3D
hey are cheaper to hire than someone with experience and/or education.=3D0A=
=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A________________________________=3D0AFrom: mel jacobson=
@VISI.COM>=3D0ATo: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0ASent: Thu, December 17, 200=
9 3:=3D
27:07 PM=3D0ASubject: my visit to amaco/lost mail re/sent=3D0A=3D0Athis was=
a req=3D
uest for me to sit=3D0Adown with folks at amaco and talk=3D0Aabout the plig=
ht o=3D
f ceramics in art education.=3D0A=3D0Ait is a serious conversation.=3D0A=3D=
0Amany e=3D
lementary and art teachers come to the schools with=3D0Aalmost no sense of =
ho=3D
w to use clay in the curriculum.=3D0Athey know nothing.=3DA0 no training, n=
o ex=3D
perience.=3DA0 and,=3D0Amy take is:=3DA0 they fear clay.=3D0Amess=3D0Achaos=
=3D0Afiring.=3D
=3D0A=3D0Aso i spent many hours with the owners of amaco=3D0Athinking/plann=
ing wa=3D
ys to educate the educators.=3D0A=3D0Aof course, we are at a place in ceram=
ic e=3D
ducation that=3D0Acolleges do not teach technique, they teach `art thinking=
`.=3D
=3D0Aso, even those folks that want to know, are not given the=3D0Aopportun=
ity.=3D
=3D0A=3D0Ait seems that ceramic education is going to be the=3D0Aresponsibi=
lity o=3D
f the clay vendors.=3DA0 a sad but true=3D0Acommentary on higher education.=
=3D0A=3D
=3D0Aat least companies like amaco are willing to accept=3D0Athe challenge,=
and=3D
look at the future of clay education=3D0Aas their responsibility.=3DA0 no =
one =3D
else is doing it.=3D0Athis will be a costly endeavor.=3D0A=3D0Ai know this =
sounds=3D
harsh, but many of us have been preaching=3D0Athis gospel for a long time.=
=3D
=3DA0 we have to answer the questions,=3D0Awe have to do the re/teaching.=
=3DA0 cl=3D
ayart has become a sounding board=3D0Afor the revival of clay education.=3D=
A0 i=3D
f you know nothing, you cannot=3D0Ateach it.=3DA0 simple as that.=3D0A=3D0A=
i get no=3D
tes all the time from clayart teachers saying how much=3D0Aclayart means to=
t=3D
hem, how they learn more in a few weeks reading=3D0Aclayart than they got i=
n =3D
classes at a college.=3D0A=3D0Aso, i am asking all of you to respond, think=
, he=3D
lp in this adventure.=3D0Ait is our future and the future of ceramics.=3DA0=
it =3D
will take effort and=3D0Aclear thinking.=3DA0 when the school dollars are f=
lush=3D
ed down the toilet,=3D0Aprograms like ceramics are the first to die.=3DA0 w=
e ne=3D
ed a few band aides.=3D0A=3D0Amany teachers just need help, some simple ins=
truc=3D
tions, some=3D0Aencouragement.=3D0Apotters must step forward and see that t=
he t=3D
eachers learn basic ceramic=3D0Askill.=3DA0 we may have to stick our noses =
unde=3D
r that tent.=3D0Amel=3D0A=3DA0 =3DA0 it is easy to point out the good progr=
ams arou=3D
nd the country. we=3D0Aknow=3D0Athey are there, we know who they are,=3DA0 =
but th=3D
e basic everyday=3D0Aprograms are in deep=3D0Atrouble.=3D0Amel=3D0A=3DA0 =
=3DA0 i will r=3D
eport later on my other time spend at brent, amazing things=3D0Agoing on.=
=3D0A=3D
=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0Afrom: minnetonka, mn=3D0Awebsite: http://www.visi.com/~=
melpots/=3D
=3D0Aclayart link:=3DA0 http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html=3D0Anew b=
ook: h=3D
ttp://www.21stcenturykilns.com=3D0A
mel jacobson on thu 17 dec 09
this was a request for me to sit
down with folks at amaco and talk
about the plight of ceramics in art education.
it is a serious conversation.
many elementary and art teachers come to the schools with
almost no sense of how to use clay in the curriculum.
they know nothing. no training, no experience. and,
my take is: they fear clay.
mess
chaos
firing.
so i spent many hours with the owners of amaco
thinking/planning ways to educate the educators.
of course, we are at a place in ceramic education that
colleges do not teach technique, they teach `art thinking`.
so, even those folks that want to know, are not given the
opportunity.
it seems that ceramic education is going to be the
responsibility of the clay vendors. a sad but true
commentary on higher education.
at least companies like amaco are willing to accept
the challenge, and look at the future of clay education
as their responsibility. no one else is doing it.
this will be a costly endeavor.
i know this sounds harsh, but many of us have been preaching
this gospel for a long time. we have to answer the questions,
we have to do the re/teaching. clayart has become a sounding board
for the revival of clay education. if you know nothing, you cannot
teach it. simple as that.
i get notes all the time from clayart teachers saying how much
clayart means to them, how they learn more in a few weeks reading
clayart than they got in classes at a college.
so, i am asking all of you to respond, think, help in this adventure.
it is our future and the future of ceramics. it will take effort and
clear thinking. when the school dollars are flushed down the toilet,
programs like ceramics are the first to die. we need a few band aides.
many teachers just need help, some simple instructions, some
encouragement.
potters must step forward and see that the teachers learn basic ceramic
skill. we may have to stick our noses under that tent.
mel
it is easy to point out the good programs around the country. we
know
they are there, we know who they are, but the basic everyday
programs are in deep
trouble.
mel
i will report later on my other time spend at brent, amazing things
going on.
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
Rogier Donker on fri 18 dec 09
Hey Mel,
....many elementary and art teachers come to the schools
with
almost no sense of how to use clay in the curriculum.
they know nothing. no training, no experience.
Once upon a time Amaco had a wonderful education program. Geared
primarily to the nation's public school teachers, the program was
started in the late forties and continued until 1974. In the late
sixties and early seventies I, as "Mr. Amaco", travelled the nation
and Canada teaching "clay in the classroom" as well as general basic
glaze and kiln knowledge. Many an art teacher or classroom teacher
learned all they knew about clay in the classroom from participating
in those workshops.
Things change.... the workshop program was discontinued, I resigned
"the job of a life time" and teachers found themselves without any
useful "clay-in-the-classroom" training....
Things are BAD out there in ceramic education land.
The last thirty five years I've been busy being a self employed
consultant to school corporations and have witnessed the lack of
teacher education (in the ceramic field!) first hand. Just yesterday
I was in a school repairing a kiln. The art teacher did not even know
the difference between a cone 5 and a cone 05... did not know what a
thermocouple was and had no glue what that "meter" on the side of the
kiln was.... "That would be the pyrometer" said the veteran teacher
of teachers.... Years ago I wrote "Of Clay,Glazes and Kilns.", a
manual filled with BASIC knowledge that every art teacher or class
room teacher should know. Not surprisingly the manual has taken off
and a lot of teachers now know what they should have been taught
during their college years. The manual is available through my web
site, hit the banner on the opening page!
Here's hoping that the ceramic education pendulum will swing the
other way again!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
Rogier Donker
See us on the web at http://www.donkerstudio.org
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