Catherine Sherwood on wed 30 aug 00
Hi Jeff,
the comforting --
Hang in there! You will develop a repertoire of projects and fillers for
the quick finishers over time. You may feel chewed up and spit out at
first but it's worth all the effort you give.
the help/advice--
You didn't say how long you will be involved in this project, so if you
have time to do some research I'd suggest these books: 1. The Great Clay
Adventure, Ellen Kong (my favorite) 2. Children Clay and Sculpture, Cathy
Weisman Topal 3. The Kids 'N Clay Ceramics Book, Kevin Nierman, Elaine
Arima -project ideas, technical stuff (very basic) good resources.
Between Amazon and The Potter's Shop they are easy to find.
If your appeal is an emergency.... well....I can give you some of my
favorite projects and I'm sure many others on the list have suggestions.
Let us know.
Catherine
At 06:14 PM 8/30/00 -0500, you wrote:
>I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
>13 at a local community center.
Vicki Katz on wed 30 aug 00
Jeff,
You started with a tough age group. Their focus is short & their energy is
high.
Think about clay whistles. It is good for any age group. Make them think of
a form BEFORE they get in the clay ... bird, face, vegatable, whatever. You
best perfect this prior to class as you must impress this age group with your
success. It does not have to be GLAZED, bisqued would be fine. Then do one
while they are DRAWING out their forms ... and whistle it for them. Ask if
they anyone knows how to identify notes & ask if the whistle is a F flat, C,
D - what type of note. Maybe they can put together a simple song when the
whistles are fired. They can make more than one ...
Take your wheel in one night & let each of them have a turn.
Ask them what THEY would like to make. Sculptures of animals?
Let them make cups ... or sling mold formed plates with designs...
Think about mask making ... tiles ... mosaic projects (that takes 2 days at
least) ... experience helps. The kids need you. Don't give up.
There are books out there for kids clay projects. Good luck.
Sincerely,
Vicki Katz
Jeff Seefeldt on wed 30 aug 00
I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
13 at a local community center. I don't have children of my own, and
didn't really know what to expect. I thought we'd do pinch pots
tonight, that didn't hold their attention long. So we moved on to
snakes and turtles. I thought that would be a whole night in itself.
I could really use some ideas and direction for projects
I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
project for a couple of the older kids.
Thanks
jeff
Mary Lynch on thu 31 aug 00
jeff wrote:
> I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
> 13 at a local community center . . . I could really use some ideas and
direction for projects
>
> I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
> project for a couple of the older kids.
>
> Thanks
Jeff, know how you feel . . . a project that worked well for me was making
birdhouses. Simple slab constuction, can be round or square, the children
can experiment with lots of textures on the surface. Another friend did
selfportait masks and the class really enjoyed that project. Got some great
results, too. If you want more info I can email you directly.
I became much more supportive of parents after that!
Mary Lynch
GURUSHAKTI@AOL.COM on thu 31 aug 00
Jeff, check the archives. We've had a couple of threads of kids projects with
some great idea. One easy one that kids like is using cookie cutters to make
Christmas tree ornaments, or have them do cutouts of their hands. It can be a
christmas tree ornament for Grandma!
Warm regards,
June
Tom Wirt/Betsy Price on thu 31 aug 00
Another thing I did on the wheel with a group of 6 Girl Scouts....and
it worked well. (Ages 8-12). We only had about 15 minutes so I
couldn't give each of them a try on the wheel from scratch, but....
I centered and opened a couple of pounds of clay, and then showed them
how if they used a slight pinching motion, the clay would form upwards
into a bowl. Each took her turn at one pull and when it was done,
they had a group bowl. We glazed and fired it, and now they use it as
a snack bowl at meetings....each child obviously having pride in
having helped make the bowl.
Oh yes, one girl pinched too hard and it broke the top rim....but a
little hand patching and it's still a bowl with a distinctive rim
treatment.
Tom Wirt
Subject: Re: Overwhelmed, needing help, advice & comforting.
> Jeff,
> You started with a tough age group. Their focus is short & their
energy is
> high.
>
> Take your wheel in one night & let each of them have a turn.
> Ask them what THEY would like to make. Sculptures of animals?
> Let them make cups ... or sling mold formed plates with designs...
>
Timakia@AOL.COM on thu 31 aug 00
Jeff, a lady that were very good in teaching kids start out her lessons by
telling them a story and ask them to identify with the caracters. She let
them draw with chalk all over her floor and then lead them to the clay.
I think the main thing you need to aim for is not to get them to make fine
pots, but to encourage them to use their imaginations. that should not be too
difficult at that age.
Important though is to get the parents on your side. they are often the
singoats that want these perfect pieces from their kids, so that they can
brag about it.
good luck.
antoinette.
Antoinette Badenhorst
PO Box 552
Saltillo,MS
38866
http://hometown.aol.com/timakia
Joanne L. Van Bezooyen on thu 31 aug 00
Jeff.....I keep remembering projects as other people offer suggestions. Now I want
to teach kids' classes again!
I had each person really study one facial feature on the person next to them and
then sculpt it really big. Then they turned it into a functional piece.
Examples: Giant nose toothbrush holder, Ear bowl, Eye pencil holder, etc.. They
went wild with this one.
Mary Lynch wrote:
> jeff wrote:
>
> > I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
> > 13 at a local community center . . . I could really use some ideas and
> direction for projects
> >
> > I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
> > project for a couple of the older kids.
> >
> > Thanks
>
> Jeff, know how you feel . . . a project that worked well for me was making
> birdhouses. Simple slab constuction, can be round or square, the children
> can experiment with lots of textures on the surface. Another friend did
> selfportait masks and the class really enjoyed that project. Got some great
> results, too. If you want more info I can email you directly.
>
> I became much more supportive of parents after that!
>
> Mary Lynch
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Jean Cochran on thu 31 aug 00
I've taught school, K thru 8, quite a bit.
It takes a great deal of organization to deal with kids (attention span
problems are always there).
I usually roll out slabs and have them ready before the students enter
the classroom.
1 Each: Piece of pillow ticking about 12" x 12". The clay is placed on
this.
1 Each: 12" x 12" slab of clay.
A Box of about 2" x 2" cookie cutters. Be sure there aren't extensions,
like rangy arms and legs, the more compact the better.
Can of WD40. This is to spray the cookie cutters so they don't stick to
the clay.
Soda straws cut into about 2" lengths. These are to poke holes in the
top of the clay to hang the ornament.
Small jar of iron oxide and a detail brush. This is to put each
student's code on the back of the ornament.
An assistant, scarce as hen's teeth.
Everything is in place when the students enter.
Little speech, designed for particular age group. Kids usually like the
one about the reduced red glaze and the little potter and the bird
flying into the kiln of green glazes and making one pot red, then the
emperor wants a kiln load of red pots, try, try, try, no red pots.
Little potter throws him/herself into the kiln, PRESTO!!!!A whole kiln
load of RED POTS! Big eyes and gestures and screeches of laughter from
kids.
Listen to stories about whatever they are bursting to say.
Tell them what is to happen. They must be very good while you go and
let them each select three cookie cutters (DO NOT TOUCH YOUR CLAY UNTIL
ALL STUDENTS HAVE THEIR COOKIE CUTTERS). Hey, did you hear me, keep you
mitts off till I show you what to do.
Walk around and let them each select three (multiple cutters of same
group of designs, ie Christmas Trees, Bells, Snowman, Gingerbread Man &
Lady).
Show them how to cut out one cookie and tell them to start in one corner
so they can get more cookies out of their clay.
Clean up the messes that they have already made, because no one listened
when you said keep their little mitts off the clay. Hey, Miss Potter,
my clay is messed up, can I have another piece? (Sure, that's why I
rolled out twice as many pieces as you really need, I knew you where
going to do this.)
Go around and frantically print students' codes on their cookies. Hey,
stop throwing the clay, they won't let us back in here again.
Really, this is all just a big exaggeration, but it's fun. Once I told
some little kids to just follow me around like little ducks and the next
thing I knew, 25 teeny ones were following me and wagging their tails
and going "quack quack". They hug your legs and say "I love you" a lot.
If multiple classes, assign each class a letter of the alphabet. Mrs.
Jones' class is "A", Mrs. Next One To Come's class is "B". Then each
student is assigned a number according to the roll call. i.e., Susie
Smith in Mrs. Jones' class is A1, Johnny Garfield in Mrs. Jones class is
A2. This is important, because there is frequently not much space for
names, and they can get really mixed up when you start firing a blue
million ornaments. I go around with a roll call sheet. The student's
sure won't remember and neither will the teachers.
This is just one thing I have done with them and I could tell more, but
you're probably already ready to die from boredom.
Jean Wadsworth Cochran
Fox Hollow Pottery
2795 Younger's Creek Road
New Haven, KY 40051
(502) 549-8225
p.s.: I can help more if more is wanted and this made any sense to you
guys
Lamar, Luke on thu 31 aug 00
Hi Jeff,
I'm not sure how long your class lasts but...
My pottery instructor taught a handbuilding fantasy sculpture class that
focused on medieval castles, cottages, dragons, and monsters. This was an
eight week class that involved children and there parents. The kids
absolutely loved it! They seemed focused and entertained for hours.
Luke
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Seefeldt [mailto:jeffs@KSNI.NET]
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 7:15 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Overwhelmed, needing help, advice & comforting.
I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
13 at a local community center. I don't have children of my own, and
didn't really know what to expect. I thought we'd do pinch pots
tonight, that didn't hold their attention long. So we moved on to
snakes and turtles. I thought that would be a whole night in itself.
I could really use some ideas and direction for projects
I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
project for a couple of the older kids.
Thanks
jeff
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Joanne L. Van Bezooyen on thu 31 aug 00
That reminds me of the time we built a 'community' We talked about what a
community is and the kids thought up what needs to be in it. They went to town!
;-) There was a lot of chatter. As soon as one made a house, they then made a car
or a tree or a flower or a library, etc. At the end of the classes, we put
everyone's 'stuff' together on a couple clothed tables to make our
'village'/neighborhood, put little candles in the buildings, and invited parents
for snacks to see it all. Once, a lot of the kids were quite involved with horses
and 4-H animal clubs. The community looked quite 'country'. Another group's
looked quite sports oriented with a lot of playing fields, etc.
Joanne in Tucson, AZ....there I go again!
"Lamar, Luke" wrote:
> Hi Jeff,
> I'm not sure how long your class lasts but...
> My pottery instructor taught a handbuilding fantasy sculpture class that
> focused on medieval castles, cottages, dragons, and monsters. This was an
> eight week class that involved children and there parents. The kids
> absolutely loved it! They seemed focused and entertained for hours.
> Luke
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Seefeldt [mailto:jeffs@KSNI.NET]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 7:15 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Overwhelmed, needing help, advice & comforting.
>
> I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
> 13 at a local community center. I don't have children of my own, and
> didn't really know what to expect. I thought we'd do pinch pots
> tonight, that didn't hold their attention long. So we moved on to
> snakes and turtles. I thought that would be a whole night in itself.
>
> I could really use some ideas and direction for projects
>
> I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
> project for a couple of the older kids.
>
> Thanks
>
> jeff
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Joanne L. Van Bezooyen on thu 31 aug 00
....and another 'community' was called 'Margaritaville' and was put around the
ground-squirrel holes outside! Little mail-boxes with Hispanic names, a garden,
even a cemetery.
Joanne in Tucson
"Lamar, Luke" wrote:
> Hi Jeff,
> I'm not sure how long your class lasts but...
> My pottery instructor taught a handbuilding fantasy sculpture class that
> focused on medieval castles, cottages, dragons, and monsters. This was an
> eight week class that involved children and there parents. The kids
> absolutely loved it! They seemed focused and entertained for hours.
> Luke
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Seefeldt [mailto:jeffs@KSNI.NET]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 7:15 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Overwhelmed, needing help, advice & comforting.
>
> I just did my first night of clay with a group of young people ages 7 -
> 13 at a local community center. I don't have children of my own, and
> didn't really know what to expect. I thought we'd do pinch pots
> tonight, that didn't hold their attention long. So we moved on to
> snakes and turtles. I thought that would be a whole night in itself.
>
> I could really use some ideas and direction for projects
>
> I saw the one about pumpkins a couple days ago, it looks like a good
> project for a couple of the older kids.
>
> Thanks
>
> jeff
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Grace Sheese on thu 31 aug 00
Jeff,
I have 4 suggestions.
The first 2 suggestions are "games" that will allow the students to explore
and play with the clay.
1. Have plain brown bags each labeled with a different letter or number.
Have enough bag so that each student will have one. Inside each bag, place
a different object. Give each student 1 ball of clay that they break into 4
pieces (cuts down on your prep time). Have students stick their hands in
the bag and use one piece of their clay, they make what they feel inside the
bag. They are not allowed to look inside the bag. I give the students 25
seconds by counting from 25 to 0. Once their time is up, they put the
letter or number that is on their bag and pass it on to the person on the
right. Using their second piece of clay, they start the whole process
again. Once all the clay has been used, I call out a letter and the person
with that letter on their bag will pull out the object and everyone compare
and contrast what they made with the real object.
2. Brainstorm different types of animals. Give each student a ball of
clay. Tell the students that they have to make an animal but they must make
it without breaking apart or attaching the clay. Give the students about
2-5 min. Once time is up, the student will pass on their animal to the
person on the right. That person is not allowed to ball up the animal.
Instead, they must add onto what the previous person has made. I tell my
students that they can get real wacky. I give them the example of having a
student make a hippo, then the next person may decide to add wings to the
hippo. The following person may choose to add spikes to the hippo so on so
forth. The students will have 30 sec to 1 min to work before passing it on.
Stop when the owner has their own piece back.
3. Using similar ideas of modeling from one piece of clay like #2, students
will draw an alien or monster. Then using their picture, they will make it
out of clay. When finished, they can make a home for the alien.
4. Brilliant as I may be, I did not come up with these ideas. Check out
the book "Children, Clay & Sculpture by Cathy Topal. Excellent books.
Teacher friendly, lesson plan format including materials needed.
Hope this helps. I've used all the above ideas with 3-5th graders and they
all loved it. Even 5th graders so your 13 year old may like it. Lots of
luck
Grace
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Carrie or Peter Jacobson on fri 1 sep 00
The community studio I used to run had a clay program for kids. Clay Play.
During my tenure as studio manager, it was taught (and I think, still is),
by Jeanette, a tiny woman with a very high voice. Mid- to late-20s, I'd say.
She was in graduate school for art therapy.
Jeanette is a wonderful thrower, and makes lovely fanciful pots, but really,
most of all, adores teaching kids. I was often in there, throwing, during
her classes. I would listen as she would lead eight or 10 kids through the
hour and a half, making bugs, or dinosaurs, or baskets, or whatever she had
them doing. Sometimes they were loud, but mostly, they were just sort of
bubbly and happy.
One day, Jeanette had a late class, or a review or something, and asked if I
would take over Clay Play. I guess I should say right here that I have never
had children of my own. But, OK, sure, I said, I would take over for a
session. It'll be a breeze.
Well, first off, two kids brought friends who had never been there (Jeanette
allowed this; the friends usually joined up next session). And all the
mothers went out. (Often, some would stay). So all by my lonesome, I had
nine kids, aged 5-8.
The project that I had thought would take nearly the whole class was
finished and done with in about 5 minutes.
I came up with a series of on-the-spot projects, but the kids grew louder
and louder. More and more rambunctious. One of them, (the kids called him
Mr. Slappy, for his propensity to slap the table during class) who had had
his problematic moments before, kept drifting over toward the wheels. I
could get him back, but not for long.
Then, as I was showing somebody something, I saw - out of the corner of my
eye - Mr. Slappy fooling with one of the kickwheels. I saw motion, I saw
speed, I saw his blond head move. He had gotten the wheel going, then had
jumped onto it. Of course, it had thrown him off, but not before jamming his
thigh up along the frame.
I could see right off that he was going to be OK. No broken head, no broken
arms, just a pink swath on his leg. He starts screaming. I took him outside,
just to try to minimize his embarrassment. Well, it didn't work. As soon as
he started screaming and crying, one of the girls started screaming and
crying, and her friend started screaming and crying. Then they all decided
they needed their mothers, whom they would not believe were not just outside
the door.
They started migrating toward the door, crying and bawling, totally out of
control, covered in clay, and I thought, ohmygod, what on earth am I going
to do? It was a low point in my life.
Somehow - and I do not know how - I got them back in, got them calmed down,
dried most of the tears, and got them back to clay.
So. I can't help much with your problems, though I can tell you, you are not
alone.
Here's my one helpful hint: A year or so ago, someone asked the same
question. So if you go shuffling around in the archives, look under projects
for children, or something like that, you should find stuff. There were lots
of good ideas. My own good idea, just for myself, is never, ever teach a
kids' class again.
Best,
Carrie Jacobson
Bolster's Mills, Maine
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