Snail Scott on thu 1 mar 01
Yikes! I have just become an elementary school teacher
on less than 24 hours notice. (They were desperate.)
I have taught college-age and up, and a few high-school
age, but no little kids. I have first-graders and
fifth-graders in the same class. I have no background
in elementary education, nor any experience with kids.
(I was one, once, but I'm vague on the details now.)
The first session today went OK - I copped out and had
them use clay. We made imaginary animals. I suggested
other possibilities for future class sessions - drawing,
etc - but they unanimously wanted to continue with clay.
Any suggestions? One of the litle ones is utterly
focused, and knows exactly what she wants to make,
regardless of any suggestions from me. OK. Another
likes to squish the clay around, but won't work on
anything for more than five minutes. As a result, he
uses more clay than the rest of the class put together,
and he wants all of his things fired, too.
I'd considered having them just paint their work, but
some want to make functional ware, so that means glaze.
Underglazes under clear seem like a good way, since they
are approximately color-true when applied, but the budget
would go further with colored glazes than with underglaze.
I suspect they'll want to paint designs, though, and that's
tough in glaze alone. And, will the little ones cope with
the concept of "This grey stuff will turn blue; that grey
stuff will turn green", etc? (It's the little ones that
are most devoted to the functional-pottery notion, too.)
How much should I try to work on craftsmanship? The older
ones are ready for it, I think. The little ones will be
more disappointed if their stuff breaks/explodes, but I
don't want to tell them they're doing it wrong, either,
and I'm reluctant to 'make it right' for them. I doubt
they'd want me tinkering with their work, either.
I recall someone mentioned a website with teacher ideas,
but at the time, I didn't think I'd ever use it. I think
I need it now, though. (And a lot more experience! Can I
get that from a website, too?)
-Snail
Snail Scott on fri 2 mar 01
Thanks to everyone who has offered
the benefit of their experience in
working clay with kids. I'm grateful
for your generosity and help.
-Snail
Rod, Marian, and Holly Morris on fri 2 mar 01
(You caught me at the time I am proposing all my summer kid's workshops at
the local community college).
Philosophically, in general I find these age kids are much more into their
fantasies than into skill development. They will innately struggle to gain
skill, but always in service of the fantasy they are creating (unlike
adults, who will struggle to gain skill in service of fantasies like being
"the best potter," or strive for perfection as an end it itself.) So your
job is to set up the fantasy, and then encourage them through the inevitable
frustrations along the way.
Several suggestions besides the ever popular "The Great Clay Adventure."
"Mudworks" is a book with umpty million "Play-Doh" type recipes. The kids
couldn't care less about firing and glazing. They are into the process, and
they like to have a product, but it doesn't have to meet the standards we
have. There is plenty of good handbuilding to be done with Play-Doh. Save
the real stuff for dishes, vessels, where waterproof is the issue.
"Make something Ugly for a Change" is a great book about paper and cloth
mache, and you can add touches of clay (like fired teeth), or cast plaster
hands in latex gloves, etc. to make an ugly creature- kids love this!
"Adobe," made of mud and grass or straw and cast into 8 oz square milk
cartons (available by the hundreds in the cafeteria), then used as building
blocks is another very educational activity and there is lots on the web to
study about adobe and it's uses. The fantasy? "Let's build an adobe city."
Making clay marbles (and then playing marbles) is a good unit to build
around the idea of pioneer kids toys. Low clay usage, yet requires some
skill development to do it right.
Here's a recipe for edible clay- another thing kids love:
Edible "Clay"
Ingredients:
18 oz. peanut butter
6 tbsps. honey
Non-fat dry milk
Cocoa for flavor
Method:
Mix all ingredients, adding enough dry milk to give make dough workable.
Have fun, and they will have fun with you! Marian in Michigan
Marcia Selsor on fri 2 mar 01
Dear Snail,
I am envious. I taught college level for 25 years but I did a clay for
kids class one summer and it was the most fun I ever had in the
classroom. Make whistles for one thing. They will think up much more.
Enjoy it! Wow!
Marcia in Montana
Snail Scott wrote:
>
> Yikes! I have just become an elementary school teacher
> on less than 24 hours notice. (They were desperate.)
> I have taught college-age and up, and a few high-school
> age, but no little kids. I have first-graders and
> fifth-graders in the same class. I have no background
> in elementary education, nor any experience with kids.
> (I was one, once, but I'm vague on the details now.)
SNIP
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Tuscany2001.html
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/Gallery.html
Wayne S Bien on fri 2 mar 01
Snail,
How often does the class meet? That has a lot to do with what projects you
might consider.
I my years of teaching elementary school kids you have to set limits on how
much clay they can use for each class. When I first started I didn't and ran
into the same problem you are having with the one boy who squishes the clay
around.
The underglaze idea is a good one if your budget allows. The little kids do
have a hard time with the concept of the glaze changing color once it is
fired.
I used to work on craftsmanship with all the kids. For example, with coils I
would show them how to score and slip. If they didn't do it right and it
fell apart I could show then the results. They seemed to learn better that
way than if I fixed it for them.
Hope this helps,
Wayne
----- Original Message -----
From: Snail Scott
To:
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 9:56 PM
Subject: Little kids
> Yikes! I have just become an elementary school teacher
> on less than 24 hours notice. (They were desperate.)
> I have taught college-age and up, and a few high-school
> age, but no little kids. I have first-graders and
> fifth-graders in the same class. I have no background
> in elementary education, nor any experience with kids.
> (I was one, once, but I'm vague on the details now.)
>
> The first session today went OK - I copped out and had
> them use clay. We made imaginary animals. I suggested
> other possibilities for future class sessions - drawing,
> etc - but they unanimously wanted to continue with clay.
>
> Any suggestions? One of the litle ones is utterly
> focused, and knows exactly what she wants to make,
> regardless of any suggestions from me. OK. Another
> likes to squish the clay around, but won't work on
> anything for more than five minutes. As a result, he
> uses more clay than the rest of the class put together,
> and he wants all of his things fired, too.
>
> I'd considered having them just paint their work, but
> some want to make functional ware, so that means glaze.
> Underglazes under clear seem like a good way, since they
> are approximately color-true when applied, but the budget
> would go further with colored glazes than with underglaze.
> I suspect they'll want to paint designs, though, and that's
> tough in glaze alone. And, will the little ones cope with
> the concept of "This grey stuff will turn blue; that grey
> stuff will turn green", etc? (It's the little ones that
> are most devoted to the functional-pottery notion, too.)
>
> How much should I try to work on craftsmanship? The older
> ones are ready for it, I think. The little ones will be
> more disappointed if their stuff breaks/explodes, but I
> don't want to tell them they're doing it wrong, either,
> and I'm reluctant to 'make it right' for them. I doubt
> they'd want me tinkering with their work, either.
>
> I recall someone mentioned a website with teacher ideas,
> but at the time, I didn't think I'd ever use it. I think
> I need it now, though. (And a lot more experience! Can I
> get that from a website, too?)
>
> -Snail
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
Cl Litman on sat 3 mar 01
After the first firing, most kids will understand that the glaze color
isn't the same after firing. I pull a table into the center of the room
and place the glazes down both sides with a few brushes in each glaze and
a fired sample by the bucket. The brushes stay with the glaze and they
move around with the piece. Worked well down to age 4. With age 6 and
up I show them layering and have a few fired samples to demonstrate.
They love telling their parents what's going on and how the glaze looks
grey but really is blue....
ps, always fire kids work on clay cookies. Learned that after the first
melt down due to layers and layers and layers of glaze.
Cheryl Litman
On Sat, 3 Mar 2001 06:34:50 -0400 Carrie or Peter Jacobson
writes:
> Hi Snail - My, what a task you have taken on! I surely admire you. At
> a
> community studio I ran, I took on the ClayPlay class, just once.
> One
> afternoon. It was a terrible experience for me and for the kids...
> One ended
> up jumping on a kickwheel and nearly killing himself, and that
> scared the
> bejasus out of the others and they all started screaming and
> migrating for
> the door, wailing for their mothers. I tell you, I felt like wailing
> for my
> mother.
>
> I was usually in there throwing while the kids' class was happening,
> though,
> and I did pick up some ideas. And I was responsible for firing their
> stuff,
> too.
>
> Go in every day with one really big idea - make a clay jungle - or
> about
> eight related ideas... make monkey ears, trees, birds, etc. There
> have been
> a couple good threads on the list about teaching kids, and I believe
> the
> archives will give you tons of these ideas. One thing that sort of
> amazed me
> was that they loved to make food. You know, pizzas, hamburgers,
> carrots, all
> in clay.
>
> Glazing. Oddly, they get it that the glaze will come out a different
> color
> than it goes on. Give them one glaze at a time only, and just tell
> them -
> this will make blue, this will make green, paint it on everywhere
> you want
> that color. Then take that glaze away (give them the glaze in a
> little bowl)
> and put another one out on the table.
>
> They will want everything fired, absolutely everything. They will
> generate
> 10 times as much stuff as any adult you've ever seen, and the stuff
> that
> looks like little shreds and blobs to you is surely pieces to them,
> identifiable and distinct. What's more, each of them will know whose
> little
> blob of clay that is, and, moreover, what it is. Oh, that's Betsy's
> giraffe,
> they'll say, as you pick up a twisted little fired thing that looks
> more
> like a spoon than anything.
>
> And they do not forget. If they made it, they remember it. It's art,
> and
> it's theirs.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Carrie Jacobson
> Bolster's Mills, Maine
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> 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.
>
Carrie or Peter Jacobson on sat 3 mar 01
Hi Snail - My, what a task you have taken on! I surely admire you. At a
community studio I ran, I took on the ClayPlay class, just once. One
afternoon. It was a terrible experience for me and for the kids... One ended
up jumping on a kickwheel and nearly killing himself, and that scared the
bejasus out of the others and they all started screaming and migrating for
the door, wailing for their mothers. I tell you, I felt like wailing for my
mother.
I was usually in there throwing while the kids' class was happening, though,
and I did pick up some ideas. And I was responsible for firing their stuff,
too.
Go in every day with one really big idea - make a clay jungle - or about
eight related ideas... make monkey ears, trees, birds, etc. There have been
a couple good threads on the list about teaching kids, and I believe the
archives will give you tons of these ideas. One thing that sort of amazed me
was that they loved to make food. You know, pizzas, hamburgers, carrots, all
in clay.
Glazing. Oddly, they get it that the glaze will come out a different color
than it goes on. Give them one glaze at a time only, and just tell them -
this will make blue, this will make green, paint it on everywhere you want
that color. Then take that glaze away (give them the glaze in a little bowl)
and put another one out on the table.
They will want everything fired, absolutely everything. They will generate
10 times as much stuff as any adult you've ever seen, and the stuff that
looks like little shreds and blobs to you is surely pieces to them,
identifiable and distinct. What's more, each of them will know whose little
blob of clay that is, and, moreover, what it is. Oh, that's Betsy's giraffe,
they'll say, as you pick up a twisted little fired thing that looks more
like a spoon than anything.
And they do not forget. If they made it, they remember it. It's art, and
it's theirs.
Good luck!
Carrie Jacobson
Bolster's Mills, Maine
Parri Gignac on sat 3 mar 01
Snail:
I have helped out with a few of the children's clay classes at the local
art center. Here are a few things that may work for you.
Rather than having the kids using glaze to color their creations, use
colored slips. Then if their piece survives the bisque firing, have them
paint on an all purpose clear glaze. Clean-up is easier, and less chance
of having pots stuck to kiln shelves.
Classes seem to run smoother and the kids are more productive when they
actually have a specific project to work on. For you this may mean having
seperate projects for the younger and older kids (i.e. the 1st graders
make leaf trivits and the 5th graders make whistles or castle facades.)
My daughter has had a lot of fun using those chunky foam rubber stamps and
they would be perfect for younger kids. Just roll or pat out some clay,
impress it with the stamp, and cut out around the shape or whatever. One
of my treasured possessions is a name plate made by my daughter made with
a simple rolled out slab of clay. She took the slab, wrote my name out
nice and large, then used a small plastic stencil cut out some stars,
comets, and sun shapes (don't forget a couple holes at the top for
hanging.) After it was bisqued, she used underglazes and a final coating
of clear glaze to finish. It now hangs proudly outside my cubicle at work.
Think about making some texture boards that kids could use to roll out
their clay on. Check with the other teachers to see if you can tie in some
projects with subjects that are being studied in other classes. An
upcoming holiday can be a source of inspiration - tiles to decorate,
ornaments, decorated plates, etc. Maybe you could supply a basic clay
piece and let the kids focus on embellishing it if time is a constraint.
Hopefully a few ideas that help...plenty more if you need them!
Parri Gignac
parri@parri.com
Battle Creek, Michigan
Maggie Nagle on sun 4 mar 01
>From Maggie Nagle
I just did a 15 week class with a homeschool group. We worked in stages,
beginning with slab work. I ended with the pinch pot, which is probably
unusual. We put two pinch pots together, formed a sphere, and then cut
holes and a lid . This makes a charming lantern and is safe with tea
lights. It was their favorite project.
----- Original Message -----
From: debkaplan3
To:
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: Little kids
> Dear Snail & All,
> Clayarters have been so very generous with suggestions, it was a
pleasure
> reading this thread. One project that I have done with both adults &
second
> graders is a group windchime or mobile. Since my "class" was a school
> enrichment program I really had to get everthing done in 1 hour since the
> regular art teacher would finish the project with them. Therefore I had
pre
> slabbed several sheets of stoneware which I had stacked on wall board so
it
> would firm up a bit. I brought lot's of cookie cutters for them to use
but
> they also had the option to cut out a shape with a needle tool. Their
> imagination & augmentations to the "chimes" were endless. We used straws
to
> cut out the holes. The idea of working together & building a piece of art
> as a group was stressed. After the teacher fired the chimes, they used
> acrylic paint to decorate & the class tied them to several branches that
> they had collected with different colors of yarn. It was hung in the
> classroom for all to admire.
> Have fun!
> Debbie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
> Behalf Of Snail Scott
> Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 9:56 PM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Little kids
>
>
> Yikes! I have just become an elementary school teacher
> on less than 24 hours notice. (They were desperate.)
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> __
> 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.
>
debkaplan3 on sun 4 mar 01
Dear Snail & All,
Clayarters have been so very generous with suggestions, it was a pleasure
reading this thread. One project that I have done with both adults & second
graders is a group windchime or mobile. Since my "class" was a school
enrichment program I really had to get everthing done in 1 hour since the
regular art teacher would finish the project with them. Therefore I had pre
slabbed several sheets of stoneware which I had stacked on wall board so it
would firm up a bit. I brought lot's of cookie cutters for them to use but
they also had the option to cut out a shape with a needle tool. Their
imagination & augmentations to the "chimes" were endless. We used straws to
cut out the holes. The idea of working together & building a piece of art
as a group was stressed. After the teacher fired the chimes, they used
acrylic paint to decorate & the class tied them to several branches that
they had collected with different colors of yarn. It was hung in the
classroom for all to admire.
Have fun!
Debbie
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Snail Scott
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 9:56 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Little kids
Yikes! I have just become an elementary school teacher
on less than 24 hours notice. (They were desperate.)
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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.
Chris Griffin on mon 5 mar 01
Hi Snail,
I have been a elementary art teacher for several years (K-5) and can mail
you a copy of my curriculum to you. The curriculum was developed by
hundreds of art teachers and is used in our county, 140 elementary schools.
It lists what each grade level needs to know (introduced and mastered)
before going to the next grade level.
One thing I was wondering is can you break up your classes where only one
grade comes to you at a time? That would help you tremendously. Each grade
level has very specific things they need to learn and some are too abstract
for the younger children. I work with clay a lot with my students.
However, because of budget reasons, I give them only a certain amount of
clay to work with. I do glaze with my students (not underglaze) and explain
why the colors do not look like the color they really are. I glaze small
test tiles of each color on each clay body we use and epoxy them to the top
of the lid of that glaze. I also write the glaze name on the lid, so that
they won't get mixed up. This way the students will be able to see what the
color will look like whether it's on a red clay body or white clay body.
I stress keeping a very clean work environment and explain why. Also, I
stress craftsmanship with not only with my fifth graders but with my first
graders too. You will be amazed with how much they pick up and learn! I
would say the majority of my students pay close attention to details when I
review this with them. Remember to demonstrate, demonstrate, and
demonstrate. I don't tinker with their work, but I do tell them if
something won't work and why. They usually understand and go on to fix it
or remake it. I always find one positive thing to say about their work. I
am in Atlanta, GA and am willing to share any lessons, tricks of the trade,
etc. with you.
Good luck!
Carisa Griffin
Cl Litman on tue 6 mar 01
Hi,
Can I send you $$ for postage and copying and also obtain a copy of your
curriculum? I have a friend who has just begun teaching in Trenton NJ
and needs all the help she can get. Not much in the way of resources
there.
Cheryl Litman
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001 23:37:00 -0800 Chris Griffin
writes:
> Hi Snail,
>
> I have been a elementary art teacher for several years (K-5) and can
> mail
> you a copy of my curriculum to you. The curriculum was developed
> by
> hundreds of art teachers and is used in our county, 140 elementary
> schools.
> It lists what each grade level needs to know (introduced and
> mastered)
> before going to the next grade level.
> One thing I was wondering is can you break up your classes where
> only one
> grade comes to you at a time? That would help you tremendously.
> Each grade
> level has very specific things they need to learn and some are too
> abstract
> for the younger children. I work with clay a lot with my students.
> However, because of budget reasons, I give them only a certain
> amount of
> clay to work with. I do glaze with my students (not underglaze) and
> explain
> why the colors do not look like the color they really are. I glaze
> small
> test tiles of each color on each clay body we use and epoxy them to
> the top
> of the lid of that glaze. I also write the glaze name on the lid,
> so that
> they won't get mixed up. This way the students will be able to see
> what the
> color will look like whether it's on a red clay body or white clay
> body.
>
> I stress keeping a very clean work environment and explain why.
> Also, I
> stress craftsmanship with not only with my fifth graders but with my
> first
> graders too. You will be amazed with how much they pick up and
> learn! I
> would say the majority of my students pay close attention to details
> when I
> review this with them. Remember to demonstrate, demonstrate, and
> demonstrate. I don't tinker with their work, but I do tell them if
> something won't work and why. They usually understand and go on to
> fix it
> or remake it. I always find one positive thing to say about their
> work. I
> am in Atlanta, GA and am willing to share any lessons, tricks of the
> trade,
> etc. with you.
>
> Good luck!
>
> isa Griffin
>
>
_________________________________________________________________________
_____
> 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.
>
jcullen on wed 7 mar 01
Chris,
I very interested in your curriculum. How can I get a copy? Is it available
as an e-mail? I can pay for whatever the cost may be. Just let me know.
"Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
but beautiful old people are works of art."
KEEP CENTERED
Jim Cullen
845 Edgewater Drive
Naperville, Illinois 60540
630-357-3320
mail to: jcullen845@ameritech.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Griffin"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 1:37 AM
Subject: little kids
> Hi Snail,
>
> I have been a elementary art teacher for several years (K-5) and can mail
> you a copy of my curriculum to you. The curriculum was developed by
> hundreds of art teachers and is used in our county, 140 elementary
schools.
> It lists what each grade level needs to know (introduced and mastered)
> before going to the next grade level.
> One thing I was wondering is can you break up your classes where only one
> grade comes to you at a time? That would help you tremendously. Each
grade
> level has very specific things they need to learn and some are too
abstract
> for the younger children. I work with clay a lot with my students.
> However, because of budget reasons, I give them only a certain amount of
> clay to work with. I do glaze with my students (not underglaze) and
explain
> why the colors do not look like the color they really are. I glaze small
> test tiles of each color on each clay body we use and epoxy them to the
top
> of the lid of that glaze. I also write the glaze name on the lid, so that
> they won't get mixed up. This way the students will be able to see what
the
> color will look like whether it's on a red clay body or white clay body.
>
> I stress keeping a very clean work environment and explain why. Also, I
> stress craftsmanship with not only with my fifth graders but with my first
> graders too. You will be amazed with how much they pick up and learn! I
> would say the majority of my students pay close attention to details when
I
> review this with them. Remember to demonstrate, demonstrate, and
> demonstrate. I don't tinker with their work, but I do tell them if
> something won't work and why. They usually understand and go on to fix it
> or remake it. I always find one positive thing to say about their work.
I
> am in Atlanta, GA and am willing to share any lessons, tricks of the
trade,
> etc. with you.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Carisa Griffin
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
| |
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