Cindy Romanski on mon 7 feb 00
I am a production potter who has decided to do something fun with my summer.
I am going to work at a summer camp in Pennsylvania as a ceramics
instructor. I am trying to develop some interesting projects for the kids
that would be age appropriate and fun. The kids range in age from 8 - 16
yrs old. Although, the individual classes will not range that much, only a
few years difference. I will have 5 wheels and a cone 6 electric kiln at my
disposal. I have permission to purchase any materials that I feel are
necessary. The kids stay for eight weeks so I have some nice chunks of time
to work with (same group of kids for one hour three times a week). I would
really appreciate any ideas, tips, and advice. I was also interested if
anyone knew of some good books.
Thanks in advance, Cindy
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Annette Blocker on fri 11 feb 00
Cindy,
Serving as the Education Director for a few years at the George Ohr
Museum in Biloxi (now the Ohr-O'keefe Museum)I encountered many times of
teaching children utilizing clay. One event we have is our annual summer
"Muddauber's" camp. They work in other mediums as well.
Some of the clay things we did with the same age group span as you have
indicated are:
1)Wall Pockets-these are 1/4 " slabs that are rolled into a long oval and
then 1/3 of the bottom is folded up another 1/3 of the way and pinched
together or luted and slipped. A hole is put through the top for hanging.
These can be decorated with embellishments made from molds. Being on the
coast we have little plaster molds we have made from origianl seashells,
seahorses, fish...frogs, gekkos,suns, moons & hearts are also favorites of
the kids. Using a release such as WD40, we spray the mold and let the
children press clay into them and then with a needle tool carefully take
them out and apply to surface of the pocket. Bisque & glaze fire!
2)Candleholders with candles-we let them handbuild these. They are
plate-shaped bottoms with smaller inside bowls attached to them. After they
are bisqued and then glazed (with commercial glazes-the kids like them
bright & colorful)we put a metal bottomed wick in each one, melt wax and
fill the bowls. You can find candle-making materials at any craft store.
3)A Fountain- this is a group project. Since most children are not going to
be able to really throw anything that would make it though a firing, we
assist them in throwing simple bowl/short cylinder shapes. Undercut them on
the wheel (because we will not trim them later), cut them off the wheel and
let each child inscribe their name on the front. After a group does their
pots, an adult will score them and put them together in a pyrimidcal shape,
punching holes through the bottom so that when water runs through them they
will pour like a fountain. An adult will also need to make a large bowl for
the fountain to sit inside of-deep enough to hold water and also a ring (a
wide cylinder thrown on the wheel with no bottom) has to be applied to the
bottom of their fountain, so that a fountain motor can be placed under neath
it. This can be left in bisque (we have made them in terre cotta, porcelain,
and raku clay bodies) and even glazed, making sure not to close up any
holes with glazes. They can be dispayed on a revolving basis around the
community or in a permanent home such as schools, museums or they can have
an auction to sell them for money to replenish art supplies.
These are a few ideas that I hope you can use or modify...I will be
excited to here how it all turns out so keep in touch!
Annette Blocker
Moonwater Studio
Ocean Springs, Ms.
email:nettieb@datasync.com
Marian Morris on fri 11 feb 00
I could burn up a lot of k with ideas, but I do have a few general
suggestions:
Be a one-clay shop, and the easier the better- terra cotta is great, with
some colored slips, and maybe clear glaze. The older kids will enjoy some
colored glazes as well.
The younger ones- ages 8-10 LOVE communal projects like a totem pole made of
3-D tiles where everyone makes a tile, or an environment on a large slab,
then cut into tile sized pieces, or a big fish installation which I did one
summer, placing all the fish they made on sticks (inserted into a hole we
had placed in the bottom of each fish) that sat at the surface of a shallow
stream, or making a clay dinner (clay food items), or dishes to use in a
real dinner that you eat together (I did this with some hump molding, and
had them inlay some white and black clay into their terra cotta- don't ask
me why, but they thought that was the greatest thing). At this age, they are
far more interested in the idea than in learning the skill, so flights of
fancy are in order.
With the older ones, you can take things more seriously, and role model your
attitudes about the materials and the concepts. The preteen boys will give
you a run for the money. I give them lots of active breaks to let off
physical energy, and let them do as much clay processing as possible,
because they are really into manhandling things and seeing how everything
works. I allow no quarter to the first phallus (which is almost always made
by two or more preteen boys trying to entertain each other by freaking out
the girls), excuse the kid immediately to talk to the headmaster (whatever),
but without drawing attention to the kid, and threaten to call his parents.
I get real nasty about this. I take the point that if someone makes an item
for unartistic reasons, no one will be free to be creative, which is true in
the age group where peer opinion is everything. Other teachers might handle
it differently, but if you don't nip this at the bud, it will ruin the
class, believe me. I HAVE been there and done that. Summer camp can be great
fun, but the kids are dogs off their leashes. Classroom management is a big
deal with this group. Will you forward any neat ideas that come to you off
Clayart? I teach kids in the summer too.
>From: Cindy Romanski
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: Need help developing clay projects for children
>Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2000 14:29:00 EST
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I am a production potter who has decided to do something fun with my
>summer.
> I am going to work at a summer camp in Pennsylvania as a ceramics
>instructor. I am trying to develop some interesting projects for the kids
>that would be age appropriate and fun. The kids range in age from 8 - 16
>yrs old. Although, the individual classes will not range that much, only a
>few years difference. I will have 5 wheels and a cone 6 electric kiln at
>my
>disposal. I have permission to purchase any materials that I feel are
>necessary. The kids stay for eight weeks so I have some nice chunks of
>time
>to work with (same group of kids for one hour three times a week). I would
>really appreciate any ideas, tips, and advice. I was also interested if
>anyone knew of some good books.
>Thanks in advance, Cindy
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Julie Holmes on wed 16 feb 00
May I suggest Ellen Kong's book entitled "The Great Clay Adventure: Creative
Hanbuilding Projects for Young Artists." Ellen taught art at a school here
in Durham, NC for 18 years and wrote this book to share her knowledge and
experience teaching clay to kids. It is a wonderful book! I contacted the
publisher directly to order it...Davis Publications in Worcester, MA. The
book's ISBN # is 0-87192-388-2.
Good luck
Julie (tmik,tmikidk)* Holmes
themoreiknow,themoreiknowidon'tknow
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Romanski"
To:
Sent: Monday, February 07, 2000 2:29 PM
Subject: Need help developing clay projects for children
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I am a production potter who has decided to do something fun with my
summer.
> I am going to work at a summer camp in Pennsylvania as a ceramics
> instructor. I am trying to develop some interesting projects for the kids
> that would be age appropriate and fun. The kids range in age from 8 - 16
> yrs old. Although, the individual classes will not range that much, only
a
> few years difference. I will have 5 wheels and a cone 6 electric kiln at
my
> disposal. I have permission to purchase any materials that I feel are
> necessary. The kids stay for eight weeks so I have some nice chunks of
time
> to work with (same group of kids for one hour three times a week). I
would
> really appreciate any ideas, tips, and advice. I was also interested if
> anyone knew of some good books.
> Thanks in advance, Cindy
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Morgan Britt on sun 27 feb 00
Hi Cindy,
Kevin Nierman with Kid'n'Clay in Berkeley, California, just published a
book called the Kids'N'Clay Ceramics Book. It's available through
Amazon.
Subject:
Need help developing clay projects for children
Date:
Mon, 7 Feb 2000 14:29:00 EST
From:
Cindy Romanski
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I am a production potter who has decided to do something fun with my
summer.
I am going to work at a summer camp in Pennsylvania as a ceramics
instructor. I am trying to develop some interesting projects for the
kids
that would be age appropriate and fun. The kids range in age from 8 -
16
yrs old. Although, the individual classes will not range that much,
only a
few years difference. I will have 5 wheels and a cone 6 electric kiln
at my
disposal. I have permission to purchase any materials that I feel are
necessary. The kids stay for eight weeks so I have some nice chunks of
time
to work with (same group of kids for one hour three times a week). I
would
really appreciate any ideas, tips, and advice. I was also interested if
anyone knew of some good books.
Thanks in advance, Cindy
Michelle Lowe on sun 27 feb 00
There are several great books out there, some out of print, try looking for-
Children, Clay and Sculpture by Cathy Weisman Topal
Toys Made of Clay by Schal and Abdalla
At 08:31 PM 2/27/2000 EST, Morgan Britt wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi Cindy,
>
>Kevin Nierman with Kid'n'Clay in Berkeley, California, just published a
>book called the Kids'N'Clay Ceramics Book. It's available through
>Amazon.
>
>Subject:
> Need help developing clay projects for children
> Date:
> Mon, 7 Feb 2000 14:29:00 EST
> From:
> Cindy Romanski
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
>I am a production potter who has decided to do something fun with my
>summer.
> I am going to work at a summer camp in Pennsylvania as a ceramics
>instructor. I am trying to develop some interesting projects for the
>kids
>that would be age appropriate and fun. The kids range in age from 8 -
>16
>yrs old. Although, the individual classes will not range that much,
>only a
>few years difference. I will have 5 wheels and a cone 6 electric kiln
>at my
>disposal. I have permission to purchase any materials that I feel are
>necessary. The kids stay for eight weeks so I have some nice chunks of
>time
>to work with (same group of kids for one hour three times a week). I
>would
>really appreciate any ideas, tips, and advice. I was also interested if
>
>anyone knew of some good books.
>Thanks in advance, Cindy
>
>
| |
|
