RubySuMoon on fri 6 mar 98
Dear All --
I'm always amazed at how things come and go around ... I took on a "teaching"
position at the local community clay studio and am responsible for 50 children
twice a week in an after-school program (ranging in ages 5 through 12) and
approximately 50 adults once a week in the evenings. Instruction is Mondays
through Thursdays.
I have previous experience working with children in clay and mixed media. I
came into the kid portion of this program in November with high hopes and
enthusiasm ... I soon came to realize that 3 back-to-back clay classes every
day, each with 10 kids, in an already noisy environment was one major problem.
The studio is openly adjacent to an after-school "care" program for older
elementary kids and noisy as hell from 3 to 6pm weekdays. My hopes for a clay
curriculum in a focused environment fell short; I've been constantly battling
noise, inattentiveness and I'm very tired from cleaning up after their clean-
up. There's more ... but you get the picture.
The adult students make their appearances from 6:30 to 9:30pm those same days.
They are obviously more focused and, thank god, more quiet. Since January I've
enjoyed providing them with as much instruction I as can (between loading
kilns and moving pots around) and interacting with them and the pieces they've
created. I truly believe I've sparked a lot of them and that in turn sparks
me.
The continuing adult students, some of whom have been with this program for 3
or more years, are accustomed to not recycling their own clay and tend to
reach for a new bag of clay and dump all slops in a trash can designated for
recycling. There is nobody to recycle except me. (And we have no pug.) I
decided to set new policy, explaining the need to take care of our own clay
needs and recycle our own clay. I had one student get very upset and loudly
announce that she did not want to come into the studio after a hard day's work
to have to work so hard to prepare her clay, that she didn't like the
reclaimed clay, that it was too wet, too dry, etc., and that she just wanted
to use new unopened clay, put her slops in the can, and where was the new
clay. (I had no new bags out and had just finished wedging 75 to 100 lbs of
reclaimed clay and bagging it for their use.) So I provided her with a new bag
of clay and asked her to please be sure to recycle and wedge her slops and put
them back into the bag she had opened for somebody else to use. Sigh ...
My initial job description was for teaching and did not include running and
maintaining the clay studio. Turns out I'm responsible for all of it. It also
turns out I really like running the studio, but man ... I am so TIRED! I end
up putting in 10 to 12 hours a day 4 days a week and of course coming in over
the other days to fire, etc.
Obviously this job is two jobs: studio operations and teaching. Frankly at
this point I would prefer running the studio and not interacting with
students. I'm afraid I'm burning out. But I really want to make this program
work. I need to approach my employers (both the city and the school district)
with a workable plan for implementing change (yikes!) and asking for help.
Would anybody like to respond to this? I don't want to sound like a whiner and
complainer but I think I have a legitimate dilemma here. Does anybody have any
suggestions and/or ideas for 1) types of assistance in the studio and 2)
approaching the employers?
Thanks so much...
Su
Berry Silverman on sat 7 mar 98
Su, how about an intern program? I'm sure you could find local high
school or college students who would be willing to intern or do
volunteer work, in exchange for studio facilities. Maybe even some of
the adult class participants in the past would be interested in more
involvement. You might post a notice, check with local schools (and
school art teachers), and see what kind of interest you can generate.
Berry in Tucson
Berryware
PhyB on sat 7 mar 98
Dear Ruby Su,
The "administration" usually has no idea how much a clay teacher does. They
don't understand the difference between teaching drawing and teaching clay.
You've got to educate them. Things that have worked for me:
Convinced them to buy a kiln controller which really cuts down on the time I
need to be there.
Pay me more than the other teachers to cover firings, preparation, etc. Being
paid fairly definitely makes one feel less exhausted.
Adults get one bag of clay at the start of the course. They can buy more at
any time. Some recycle their scraps and make that bag last a long time Some
throw scraps away and purchase new clay. I know there are people out there
who will be appalled, waste not, want not and so on. And yes, it is more
virtuous, wholistic, to recycle. However to someone who has worked all day
and has a precious few hours to create, and if that someone earns big bucks,
spending half an hour recycling ten bucks worth of clay may not seem worth
while. Anyway, the point is make the clay their responsibility. You don't
recycle their clay.
Assign each kid a section of table, room, workspace to clean up. You will
have to show them how. At the end of each class the kid comes to you and has
you inspect and check off their cleaning job. Buy a big jar of penny candy.
When their job is checked off they get to reach in a pick a piece. Allow 5
minutes for clean up.
Alot of it is up to you. When I taught high school, 6 classes back to back, I
had to have students clean up thoroughly between classes or I would have
worked myself to death. Now I teach at home and in an art center and I've
become lazy, it's easier? to just clean up after class. You can make studio
maintenance part of the class. Today we are going to learn how to recycle
clay, wash kiln shelves, etc.
Don't give up, you'll find systems that work for you and you won't be so
tired, it takes time.
PhyB
Daphne Zeitz on sat 7 mar 98
Su,
Having taught pottery for over 12 years in both my own studio and recreation
centres, I empathize with you.
Teaching is stimulating, clay management and clean-up are often enervating
and discouraging.
Here are a few things that seemed to help reduce the amount of time spend on
these jobs:
- DO start out the way you mean to continue. This is the first rule of teaching.
- DO consider studio management as an intrinsic part of each class that you
teach. many of your students will eventually set up their own studios and
will benifit from this practical information.
- DO be specific about how much clay/firing the registration fee includes,
none/all.
- DO have students bring a small lidded bucket for recycling their own
scraps, other than slurry. They can reconstitute it at home.
- DO have any students who always want to use new clay, purchase it. They
will likely start recycling soon. There is a real attitudinal benifit in
having students buy their clay although it may create a storage problem. You
might evenconsider giving partially recycled clay to those who are willing
to do the wedging.
- DO designate the last 20 minutes of class time as clean-up time.
- DO post a list of specific, required clean-up procedures in a prominant
place and cheerfully review it with the class in the first lesson of each
set and as needed thereafter. Saying "Please leave the studio as you wish to
find it when you return." helps.
- DO circulate during the clean-up to help and encourage.
- DON'T feel guilty. Your energy and expertice are better spent planning
exciting lessons!
Well, Su, I have run on, but I do understand what you mean!
You sound like a wonderful caring teacher. Be good to yourself.
Ciao, Daphne
Daphne Zeitz
KLeSueur on sat 7 mar 98
In a message dated 3/6/98 8:45:38 AM, you wrote:
<3
or more years, are accustomed to not recycling their own clay and tend to
reach for a new bag of clay and dump all slops in a trash can designated for
recycling. There is nobody to recycle except me. (And we have no pug.) I
decided to set new policy, explaining the need to take care of our own clay
needs and recycle our own clay. I had one student get very upset and loudly
announce that she did not want to come into the studio after a hard day's work
to have to work so hard to prepare her clay, that she didn't like the
reclaimed clay, that it was too wet, too dry, etc., and that she just wanted
to use new unopened clay, put her slops in the can, and where was the new
clay. (I had no new bags out and had just finished wedging 75 to 100 lbs of
reclaimed clay and bagging it for their use.) So I provided her with a new bag
of clay and asked her to please be sure to recycle and wedge her slops and put
them back into the bag she had opened for somebody else to use. Sigh ...
My initial job description was for teaching and did not include running and
maintaining the clay studio. Turns out I'm responsible for all of it. It also
turns out I really like running the studio, but man ... I am so TIRED! I end
up putting in 10 to 12 hours a day 4 days a week and of course coming in over
the other days to fire, etc.
Obviously this job is two jobs: studio operations and teaching. Frankly at
this point I would prefer running the studio and not interacting with
students. I'm afraid I'm burning out. But I really want to make this program
work. I need to approach my employers (both the city and the school district)
with a workable plan for implementing change (yikes!) and asking for help.
Would anybody like to respond to this? I don't want to sound like a whiner and
complainer but I think I have a legitimate dilemma here. Does anybody have any
suggestions and/or ideas for 1) types of assistance in the studio and 2)
approaching the employers?>>
Years ago I took a job at a boys' school teaching pottery to delinquents. The
previous teacher bought pre-mixed clay for the students. I found to my horror
that they were throwing away the clay after they used it. There was NO
recycling going on. My solution was to stop buying clay and to have students
mix it themselves. Though they complained, they had nothing to say about my
decision and once they started making it themselves they had more respect for
the material.
Your situation is a little different. I had a captive audience. They were
going to come to my class whether they wanted to or not. Instituting such a
program would probably result in people quitting (unless there is no other
alternative).
This would be my approach to my employers:
I would explain that the program is costing more than it should for materials
because of past policies. These policies are causing me to put in far more
hours than we had agreed on and that I doubt they would want to pay for. They
hired me to teach, not make clay. Thus, I would like to institute several
reforms that will probably meet with resistance from some of the students.
1) There will be a materials fee charged for the course. This fee will include
a set amount of pre-mixed, pugged, bagged clay for each student. This fee will
included firing of work for this amount of clay. It will be the responsibility
of each student to care for and process this clay. If they don't want to
recycle it, provide a scrap barrel for them to throw it in. (once it's in the
scrap barrel it's the school's property)
2) Students may purchase additional bagged clay, which will include firing, up
to a certain limit. (there is only so much firing capacity. Students often try
to use the school environment for a studio. Prolific students take up all of
the kiln space and beginners are left waiting to have their work fired)
3) Students may use as much scrap clay as they wish as long as they are
willing to recycle it themselves.
I would make my employers aware that instituting such changes will meet with
some resistance and that some students may even quit. But remind them that
they hired me to TEACH clay, not mix it and that by instituting these changes
I will be able to fulfill the mission they hired me to do.
I would also ask permission to set aside a portion of each term's budget in
order to purchase a pug mill in the future. Doing so would allow you to
recycle clay efficiently and resell it to students at a reduced price.
I sympathize with people who don't want to come to class and spend their
limited time mixing clay. On the other hand, neither should you be required to
do it for them. You are there to TEACH. If they insist on using "new" clay
then let them pay for it. And don't back down just because someone gives you
a hard time.
Kathi LeSueur
Marcy Eady on sun 8 mar 98
My hopes for a clay
> curriculum in a focused environment fell short; I've been constantly
battling
> noise, inattentiveness and I'm very tired from cleaning up after their
clean-
> up. There's more ... but you get the picture.
For starters, make the kids clean up after them self. Stop the class 10 -
15 minutes earlier. They can do it no matter their age and they would
probably enjoy it. I use to clean up after my clay kids, but decided it
was their mess they could clean up. The parents loved this idea.
>
Jreke on sun 8 mar 98
Dear Su,
I, too, am a teacher but also studio manager, altho mine is a small community
college. I have taught after school programs in the elementary schools, too.
You can burn out, so be careful.
1. Can the kids be divided by age and or experience? Choose simple projects
for them to do simultaneously, not each one on his/her own idea.
2. Ask for a parent volunteer each class session. They can be different
parents each time. This can be included in the registration form, so parents
(or an adult sub) know they will have to contribute.
3. Our school district requires "service learning" of each student, K-12.
Perhaps you can get a teenager or two to assist and they earn their hours.
All free.
4. Engage the kids with clean up 10 minutes before departure, and have a
system. Make sure they get a chance to squirt the tables (more fun than a
sponge) and provide towels for drying. Often they like this process and more
than one will want to repeat it. Most kids are accustomed to picking up the
floor scraps and tools from classroom cleanup each day. Offer a stick of gum
or treat for good clean up days. (Bribery often helps!)
5. For your adults, let them dump their clay in the trash if they won't do
anything else. I've stopped trying to reclaim other people's clay- too much
effort. You can educate and demonstrate the ease of this process, but cannot
force them. Some will do it, some won't. If clay prices are high enough,
more will reclaim. If time is too short, they won't. Maybe you can sell the
reclaimed clay and keep the money since it was trash anyway? Or use it at
home...
6. Get volunteers/free help from city agencies who have folks doing community
service instead of paying fines or doing jail time. Or Vista volunteers.
7. In terms of approaching employers, try to impress that you want to improve
the program, are attempting to avoid any cost increases, or if you must hire
someone, perhaps a current student who could have his/her fees reduced or
removed in exchange for the help. Or raise fees of the class.
8. 50 students sounds like too many. Clone yourself. :-)
Good luck!!
Jane Rekedal
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