Frederich, Tim on wed 24 oct 01
Carolyn,
I have been teaching people to throw for almost 30 years. I always help the
person directly by touching the pot or guiding their hands if they ask.
Sometimes I will ask them if I can do this if they seem shy or frightened.
In the majority of cases, this hands on approach seems to help and shorten
the initial learning curve. There are those people who do not want any help
and I will let them struggle on their own. i have never encountered any
problem with this approach to teaching throwing or handbuilding.
Best regards,
Tim Frederich
Paul Taylor on thu 25 oct 01
Dear Tim , Carolyn and all
I do the same . I literary throw a pot using their hands in contact with
the clay . There is always 100% realization of what I meant in my
explanation of throwing and the student now knows what centered feels like
and the feelings that get to it.
What always astonishes me is the contradiction in this, that I seem to
be throwing with no feelings of my own. Its as if throwing has something to
do with the clay succumbing to the process and the feelings the potter has
are just to check that the pot is evolving correctly . It is as if the
throwing process is devoid of feeling and rather autonomous in caricature -
something that the earth mother image of pottery contradicts.
Do any other throwers share this observation?
As far as touching being an invasion of personal space its sad that our
world has come to that. Our morality is set by a 'fear' that even the
fundamentalists religions never managed. The media tells parables of
molestation and sexual harassment and our reaction is to stop adult child
communication and touching . We ban any thing we can not get control of or
insurance for. The bad stories we constantly tell each other --------- The
only thing left is to steal a car and drive.
--
Regards Paul Taylor
http://www.anu.ie/westportpottery
"How can I improve my ratings" said the Media Mogul.
"Tell them that blame is the cure for anger, and that money is the cure for
greed" said Satan.
"But you don't exist" said the Media Mogul.
"So what " said Satan.
> From: "Frederich, Tim"
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 08:24:52 -0400
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Teaching methods
>
> Carolyn,
> I have been teaching people to throw for almost 30 years. I always help the
> person directly by touching the pot or guiding their hands if they ask.
> Sometimes I will ask them if I can do this if they seem shy or frightened.
> In the majority of cases, this hands on approach seems to help and shorten
> the initial learning curve. There are those people who do not want any help
> and I will let them struggle on their own. i have never encountered any
> problem with this approach to teaching throwing or handbuilding.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Tim Frederich
>
Fay & Ralph Loewenthal on sun 28 oct 01
Clayarters, there is another aspect from an observant jew's
rules and observances. The only women an obsevant=20
jewish man can touch are those in his immediate family,
like wife and daughters, and vice versa for his wife.=20
Anyway we gave classes in Port Elizabeth. One of the
attendees was an observant woman. We had not become
observant then, so we did not know. She was making a
hash of wedging up some clay. Yes we did pug all the clay,
but wanted all students to wedge so that they could get
the feel of the clay. I got frustrated after watching and=20
explaining for about ten minutes, and grabbed her hands=20
to show her how. Did I get in the neck!! I learnt very=20
quickly to ask first if I may touch the students. I guess in
the States it can be bit more problematical with people
running to lawyers for any silly thing. I certainly preferred
my teacher to show me how by guiding my hands. It=20
makes learning so much easier. By the way how does one
teach a visually challenged person to throw without=20
guiding their hands? All the best Ralph in Cape Town.
Steven Branfman on mon 29 oct 01
Friends,
The basis of my teaching philosophy is to encourage effort, practice,
dedication, and to win the constant battle against frustration. A "hands on"
demonstration goes a long way to this effort. I routinely place my hands on
those of my students to help them learn the nuances of throwing technique. In
fact, I will often correct, re-center, re-shape, or finish a students pot as
a demonstration either using their hands or not. Those pots are not saved
which further encourages the idea of practice and discrimination in what a
student keeps as well as the idea that they are not learning "how to make a
pot" but rather a technique with which they can make anything they want.
Now, some students are more receptive to touching their hands than others and
I am always sensitive to personal learning styles. Some are simply resistive
to this approach while others are very uncomfortable. I never force my
teaching style on a student but I do encourage them to give it a try. A good
teacher adjusts their method to the particular learning styles of their
students.
Incidentally, while I do teach adults, most of my teaching is to high school
students!
Steven Branfman
The Potters Shop
31 Thorpe Rd.
Needham MA 02494, USA
<>
781 449 7687
fax: 781 449 9098
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