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teaching the wheel

updated sat 21 nov 98

 

Joanne Van Bezooyen on wed 18 nov 98

I am interested in others' technique to teaching children....ages 10 to
14...to throw on the wheel.

Wilkinson on thu 19 nov 98


-----Original Message-----
From: Joanne Van Bezooyen
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 7:07 AM
Subject: teaching the wheel


>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I am interested in others' technique to teaching children....ages 10 to
>14...to throw on the wheel.
>

Joanne,

I have taught children between the ages of 8 - 10 to throw. I am still
astounded by how quickly they pick it up. Must be because they are far less
inhibited than adults. I remember that it took me many trys to get anything
off the wheel that came any where near looking like a pot or bowl. What I
do is simply talk them through it on an individual basis, from putting the
clay onto the wheel to wiring it off. Most end up making a bowl on the
first or second try and are "hooked" on clay from then on. Good luck.

Lori Wilkinson
Roswell NM
LorWilk@dfn.com
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/1165

Joanne Van Bezooyen on fri 20 nov 98

Which methods do you teach to center and pull that is easiest for them? One
student had been taught at camp to center between two hands on the sides...use
two fingers on both hands to open in opposite directions and pull by stroking
upwards between thumb and index finger of one hand. I found this quite unusual,
and thought perhaps my standard adult method too difficult for Jr.-High age???
I noticed they need the clay on the soft side.

Wilkinson wrote:

> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joanne Van Bezooyen
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Date: Wednesday, November 18, 1998 7:07 AM
> Subject: teaching the wheel
>
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >I am interested in others' technique to teaching children....ages 10 to
> >14...to throw on the wheel.
> >
>
> Joanne,
>
> I have taught children between the ages of 8 - 10 to throw. I am still
> astounded by how quickly they pick it up. Must be because they are far less
> inhibited than adults. I remember that it took me many trys to get anything
> off the wheel that came any where near looking like a pot or bowl. What I
> do is simply talk them through it on an individual basis, from putting the
> clay onto the wheel to wiring it off. Most end up making a bowl on the
> first or second try and are "hooked" on clay from then on. Good luck.
>
> Lori Wilkinson
> Roswell NM
> LorWilk@dfn.com
> http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/1165

Caryl W. on fri 20 nov 98

I teach wheelthrowing to a group of 6 kids,ages 11 to 13 through a Guild
I belong to.I find there is such a difference in abilities, attitude,
and effort in even that small of a group. Some haven't a clue, and turn
up wearing their best duds( even though they have been forewarned
through a phone call), with beautiful long nails( the girls I'm
referring to!), and they think they'll just DO this.Well, it comes as a
bit of a surprise when it doesn't come as easy as all that.They just
don't want to get their hands mucky.Others just plop themselves down and
go for it, and try, and try, and try and finally centre a piece of
clay.I find I have to monitor the group to prevent them from getting too
frustrated, and I will centre the clay at a certain point for them just
so that they can go on to the next step, and eventually be successful.I
find a little success creates more success,and I really want them to
enjoy themselves as well as learn a skill.While I do teach the basic
technical steps, and monitor them individually,I don't want them to get
stuck and frustrated.

I try to make it possible for them to "make" something that is
distinguishable, so one of the projects we do is a candle holder, wher
they can make the shape with some rising of the walls, and then they
learn to make and apply handles.Same with small vertical shapes-they
become mugs.And small bowl shapes become latte cups.etc.

I also do some texturing with them,shells,lace,letters etc. That way
they aren't just stuck to that horrible thing called "centering",and
they are more into the quality than the quantity of pieces made.

They really enjoy the glazing part, and basically combine one glaze over
the other, with a little paint brush decoration on the white glaze we
use.They're always amazed at how different the raw glaze look from the
finished.

The personalities, and interactions between the kids is really
interesting. They very rarely know each other at the beginning, but by
the 3rd class, they're laughing and gossiping while they work. And
judging by the waiting list of kids wanting to take the course,and the
number who come back again and again, I think they must enjoy it. And
that is what its all about.

>Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1998 09:00:52 EST
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>From: Joanne Van Bezooyen
>Subject: teaching the wheel
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>
>----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
>I am interested in others' technique to teaching children....ages 10 to
>14...to throw on the wheel.
>


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