John Post on sun 1 jul 12
Hi Stephanie,
Parents pay for their kids to have cell phones. My elementary
students have better cell phones than the one I have. Parents drive
their kids to football, soccer, baseball, hockey and they pay to have
their kids travel to distant cities to play these sports against other
kids, none of which is free. I think that people value what they pay
for. If something is given away free, it can't be worth much.
I would not teach the after school art program for free. If it was
me, I would come up with the best program I could offer and charge a
fair price for it.
Just think of how much parents pay to send their children to music
lessons. Use this as a basis for the prices you charge.
When I was a stay-at-home dad, I taught clay classes out of my home.
I charged for them. I never had a shortage of students and ran two
back to back classes every Saturday morning for six years.
Just because the school district didn't value the arts enough to save
them, doesn't mean that you should come in and provide that same
service for free.
Some of the people I know who claim to have the least amount of money
have the most expensive cell phones and drink Starbucks coffee every
day. People spend money on the the things they value and I think
giving away your services sends the message that what you are doing
isn't valuable.
I sell my reclaimed clay to my elementary students. I could easily
just give it away, but if I did that, kids would want it just to throw
it around on the bus. Since I have the little noodles pay for it,
there has never been a complaint of it being thrown around at my
school. Just that one little buck invests the kid in their purchase
and they would rather make something cool with their clay than just
toss it around.
If there is a kid or two who can't afford your class, you can always
approach them privately and tell them that you will take care of their
fee.
When I was a little kid in second grade I started helping my dad on
his potato chip route. I was stunned the first day when he paid me
three bucks with one of the dollars being a big silver dollar. I told
my dad that "He didn't have to pay me and that I just liked being with
him and riding in the chip truck". His reply was "Everyone works
better when they get paid." ...and I didn't realize it at the time
but my dad made more money when I went with him. I really piled more
chips on the rack than they could hold and so he ended up selling more
chips every week. Since I was so young and little, my dad used to
have me tell him what I needed for the bottom two shelves in each
store. He never questioned whether or not it would all fit, he just
trusted me to fill it up.
Since I have now met you in person, I know the kids would definitely
be getting a quality experience worth paying for, one they would
remember their entire life.
all the best,
John
revivalsteph@yahoo.com on sun 1 jul 12
here's something i have been mulling and i wonder what people's take on
this is.
the local school district has cut all arts funding. no art classes anymor=
=3D
e.
to be fair, the school districts are in a bind , well, you know the story=
=3D
....
a arts group in another town has volunteered to donate art supplies for
high school and middle school 'Art clubs' that will meet after school.=3D20=
=3D
you guessed it, they need volunteer coordinators and volunteer 'activit=
=3D
y
leaders'.
So.. I'm divided on this.
my strongest instinct is to do it. the kids aren't going to get any art a=
=3D
ny
other way, at least this year. and it is a service i can provide to the
small community i live in.
but... the nagging question..does doing this remove all incentive for th=
=3D
e
school to reintroduce art into the curriculum. does it relegate art to c=
=3D
lub
status ONLY, rather than art club as a supplement to art instruction.=3D20=
=3D20=3D
the school has potters wheels and a good room to use...=3D20
the third way would be to do this for a limited time... then advocate for=
=3D
=3D20
at least paid part time instruction...
anyone want to chime in on this?
Stephani stephenson
http://www.revivaltileworks.com
Steve Mills on sun 1 jul 12
I like the third option best; it leaves the door ajar!=3D20
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod
On 1 Jul 2012, at 16:37, "revivalsteph@yahoo.com" =
w=3D
rote:
> here's something i have been mulling and i wonder what people's take on
> this is.
>=3D20
> the local school district has cut all arts funding. no art classes anymor=
e=3D
.
> to be fair, the school districts are in a bind , well, you know the story=
.=3D
...
>=3D20
> a arts group in another town has volunteered to donate art supplies for
> high school and middle school 'Art clubs' that will meet after school.=3D=
20
> you guessed it, they need volunteer coordinators and volunteer 'activit=
y=3D
> leaders'.
>=3D20
> So.. I'm divided on this.
> my strongest instinct is to do it. the kids aren't going to get any art a=
n=3D
y
> other way, at least this year. and it is a service i can provide to the
> small community i live in.
>=3D20
> but... the nagging question..does doing this remove all incentive for th=
e=3D
> school to reintroduce art into the curriculum. does it relegate art to c=
l=3D
ub
> status ONLY, rather than art club as a supplement to art instruction. =3D=
20
> the school has potters wheels and a good room to use...=3D20
>=3D20
> the third way would be to do this for a limited time... then advocate for=
=3D20=3D
> at least paid part time instruction...
>=3D20
>=3D20
> anyone want to chime in on this?
>=3D20
> Stephani stephenson
> http://www.revivaltileworks.com
Gayle Bair on mon 2 jul 12
For what it's worth I want to say that there are so many people on Clayart
that I treasure. Reading Clayart throughout the day always makes my day!
Mel, John, Fred, Steve, Stephanie, Arnold, Vince, Bonnie are just a
fraction of the people who I have to thank for educating, encouraging me
and though I haven't met most of you know that you have touched me deeply.
Thank you for your generosity and willingness to share your vast
knowledge.
You all have made me so much better as a potter and person.
Potters are the best!!!!
,
Gayle
Gayle Bair Pottery
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
On Sun, Jul 1, 2012 at 8:45 PM, John Post wrote=
:
> Hi Stephanie,
>
> Parents pay for their kids to have cell phones. My elementary
> students have better cell phones than the one I have. Parents drive
> their kids to football, soccer, baseball, hockey and they pay to have
> their kids travel to distant cities to play these sports against other
> kids, none of which is free. I think that people value what they pay
> for. If something is given away free, it can't be worth much.
>
> I would not teach the after school art program for free. If it was
> me, I would come up with the best program I could offer and charge a
> fair price for it.
>
> Just think of how much parents pay to send their children to music
> lessons. Use this as a basis for the prices you charge.
>
> When I was a stay-at-home dad, I taught clay classes out of my home.
> I charged for them. I never had a shortage of students and ran two
> back to back classes every Saturday morning for six years.
>
> Just because the school district didn't value the arts enough to save
> them, doesn't mean that you should come in and provide that same
> service for free.
>
> Some of the people I know who claim to have the least amount of money
> have the most expensive cell phones and drink Starbucks coffee every
> day. People spend money on the the things they value and I think
> giving away your services sends the message that what you are doing
> isn't valuable.
>
> I sell my reclaimed clay to my elementary students. I could easily
> just give it away, but if I did that, kids would want it just to throw
> it around on the bus. Since I have the little noodles pay for it,
> there has never been a complaint of it being thrown around at my
> school. Just that one little buck invests the kid in their purchase
> and they would rather make something cool with their clay than just
> toss it around.
>
> If there is a kid or two who can't afford your class, you can always
> approach them privately and tell them that you will take care of their
> fee.
>
> When I was a little kid in second grade I started helping my dad on
> his potato chip route. I was stunned the first day when he paid me
> three bucks with one of the dollars being a big silver dollar. I told
> my dad that "He didn't have to pay me and that I just liked being with
> him and riding in the chip truck". His reply was "Everyone works
> better when they get paid." ...and I didn't realize it at the time
> but my dad made more money when I went with him. I really piled more
> chips on the rack than they could hold and so he ended up selling more
> chips every week. Since I was so young and little, my dad used to
> have me tell him what I needed for the bottom two shelves in each
> store. He never questioned whether or not it would all fit, he just
> trusted me to fill it up.
>
> Since I have now met you in person, I know the kids would definitely
> be getting a quality experience worth paying for, one they would
> remember their entire life.
>
> all the best,
>
> John
>
Margaret Flaherty on mon 2 jul 12
Great story...good advice!
On Sun, Jul 1, 2012 at 11:45 PM, John Post wrote=
:
> Hi Stephanie,
>
> Parents pay for their kids to have cell phones. My elementary
> students have better cell phones than the one I have. Parents drive
> their kids to football, soccer, baseball, hockey and they pay to have
> their kids travel to distant cities to play these sports against other
> kids, none of which is free. I think that people value what they pay
> for. If something is given away free, it can't be worth much.
>
> I would not teach the after school art program for free. If it was
> me, I would come up with the best program I could offer and charge a
> fair price for it.
>
> Just think of how much parents pay to send their children to music
> lessons. Use this as a basis for the prices you charge.
>
> When I was a stay-at-home dad, I taught clay classes out of my home.
> I charged for them. I never had a shortage of students and ran two
> back to back classes every Saturday morning for six years.
>
> Just because the school district didn't value the arts enough to save
> them, doesn't mean that you should come in and provide that same
> service for free.
>
> Some of the people I know who claim to have the least amount of money
> have the most expensive cell phones and drink Starbucks coffee every
> day. People spend money on the the things they value and I think
> giving away your services sends the message that what you are doing
> isn't valuable.
>
> I sell my reclaimed clay to my elementary students. I could easily
> just give it away, but if I did that, kids would want it just to throw
> it around on the bus. Since I have the little noodles pay for it,
> there has never been a complaint of it being thrown around at my
> school. Just that one little buck invests the kid in their purchase
> and they would rather make something cool with their clay than just
> toss it around.
>
> If there is a kid or two who can't afford your class, you can always
> approach them privately and tell them that you will take care of their
> fee.
>
> When I was a little kid in second grade I started helping my dad on
> his potato chip route. I was stunned the first day when he paid me
> three bucks with one of the dollars being a big silver dollar. I told
> my dad that "He didn't have to pay me and that I just liked being with
> him and riding in the chip truck". His reply was "Everyone works
> better when they get paid." ...and I didn't realize it at the time
> but my dad made more money when I went with him. I really piled more
> chips on the rack than they could hold and so he ended up selling more
> chips every week. Since I was so young and little, my dad used to
> have me tell him what I needed for the bottom two shelves in each
> store. He never questioned whether or not it would all fit, he just
> trusted me to fill it up.
>
> Since I have now met you in person, I know the kids would definitely
> be getting a quality experience worth paying for, one they would
> remember their entire life.
>
> all the best,
>
> John
>
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