Timakia@AOL.COM on wed 5 feb 03
Here at the beginning of a new year, I have a bunch of questions regarding
classes. I taught pottery for the best part of my pottery carreer(15+years)
in South Africa and just started out here in the US, May of last year. It
went well so far, but I do find that I am uncertain whether I am on the right
path. Could you please help me sort out some things by answering some
questions.
What is the best way of teaching, by ongoing classes or by course?
If you work by course, how long and how do you break up the courses?
Do you include decorating techniques in your clay courses, or do you do that
separately.
How often do you expose your students to different potters/firing techniques?
What is the basics supplies that one need in your class to offer your
students all they need?
How many students per class?
Do you do special projects with students before Christmas and other holidays?
Do you take your students on field trips?
Do you hand out notes?
Do you do lectures?
Do you teach students more than pottery, for instance where clay fit into
history and art?
Do you lead them to be proffesional(neat) in their work, or do you just focus
on the techniques?
How much do you charge for your classes. Is all materials included?
How does holidays and weather conditions affect your classes?
When is the best time to advertise and how do you advertise?
I have much more questions, but will save them for another time.
I would appreciate some in-depth discussion of this subject and would also
appreciate college professors comments on teaching.
Thanks.
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo, MS
38866
Phone/Fax 662 869-1651
Http://Hometown.aol.com/Timakia
Lily Krakowski on wed 5 feb 03
Antoinette:
I am hardly the authority on teaching, having done little. Others know a
great deal more.
I do not know how things are in South Africa, but here it is much of an
anything goes idea.
In other words the personality of the teacher,that person's "philosophy",
orientation, ideas, affect the class a lot. In a formal school environment
you will have more authority. In a recreational setting it varies greatly.
I am extremely serious about clay. I had had students who loved it, who
loved my telling them technical stuff, and others who say they do this for
relaxation and do not wish to be told any hardcore info. As my own work
includes a lot of slip decoration I include that in my classes. Other
teachers I have known focus on altered shapes, or handbuilt pots--whatever
is their subspecialty. Everyone does what s/he is most comfortable with.
As to costs and materials: that is up to the school or teacher. In most
suituations I think the teacher provides clay, or sells each student a 25
lbs bag. The teacher supplies the glazes. The students supply their own
handtools.
I would suggest you go to some centers--night programs, Ys , community
centers, and so on and get their catalogs and find out what is going on. I
expect things vary a lot across the country.
A last important thought. A caveat. Be sure if you teach in your home or
your premise that you have proper liability insurance.
Good luck
Timakia@AOL.COM writes:
> Here at the beginning of a new year, I have a bunch of questions regarding
> classes. I taught pottery for the best part of my pottery carreer(15+years)
> in South Africa and just started out here in the US, May of last year. It
> went well so far, but I do find that I am uncertain whether I am on the right
> path. Could you please help me sort out some things by answering some
> questions.
> What is the best way of teaching, by ongoing classes or by course?
> If you work by course, how long and how do you break up the courses?
> Do you include decorating techniques in your clay courses, or do you do that
> separately.
> How often do you expose your students to different potters/firing techniques?
> What is the basics supplies that one need in your class to offer your
> students all they need?
> How many students per class?
> Do you do special projects with students before Christmas and other holidays?
> Do you take your students on field trips?
> Do you hand out notes?
> Do you do lectures?
> Do you teach students more than pottery, for instance where clay fit into
> history and art?
> Do you lead them to be proffesional(neat) in their work, or do you just focus
> on the techniques?
> How much do you charge for your classes. Is all materials included?
> How does holidays and weather conditions affect your classes?
> When is the best time to advertise and how do you advertise?
> I have much more questions, but will save them for another time.
> I would appreciate some in-depth discussion of this subject and would also
> appreciate college professors comments on teaching.
> Thanks.
> Antoinette Badenhorst
> 105 Westwood Circle
> Saltillo, MS
> 38866
> Phone/Fax 662 869-1651
> Http://Hometown.aol.com/Timakia
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> 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.
Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389
Be of good courage....
Ron Hensen on thu 6 feb 03
I have been teaching pottery in my studio for 20 years (see Clay Times,
Nov/Dec. 1998 "From Studio Potter to Teacher and Back" My feeling is to
set up your classes the way you are the happiest and have fun with it! I
placed my one and only ad in our local newspaper want ads and have never had
to advertise again. Good luck!! Sandy Hensen
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 7:43 AM
Subject: Teaching pottery privately.
> Here at the beginning of a new year, I have a bunch of questions regarding
> classes. I taught pottery for the best part of my pottery
carreer(15+years)
> in South Africa and just started out here in the US, May of last year. It
> went well so far, but I do find that I am uncertain whether I am on the
right
> path. Could you please help me sort out some things by answering some
> questions.
> What is the best way of teaching, by ongoing classes or by course?
> If you work by course, how long and how do you break up the courses?
> Do you include decorating techniques in your clay courses, or do you do
that
> separately.
> How often do you expose your students to different potters/firing
techniques?
> What is the basics supplies that one need in your class to offer your
> students all they need?
> How many students per class?
> Do you do special projects with students before Christmas and other
holidays?
> Do you take your students on field trips?
> Do you hand out notes?
> Do you do lectures?
> Do you teach students more than pottery, for instance where clay fit into
> history and art?
> Do you lead them to be proffesional(neat) in their work, or do you just
focus
> on the techniques?
> How much do you charge for your classes. Is all materials included?
> How does holidays and weather conditions affect your classes?
> When is the best time to advertise and how do you advertise?
> I have much more questions, but will save them for another time.
> I would appreciate some in-depth discussion of this subject and would also
> appreciate college professors comments on teaching.
> Thanks.
> Antoinette Badenhorst
> 105 Westwood Circle
> Saltillo, MS
> 38866
> Phone/Fax 662 869-1651
> Http://Hometown.aol.com/Timakia
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
=?iso-8859-1?q?Lucy=20Ellis?= on thu 6 feb 03
Antoinette~
As I previously mentioned, I am only an 18-year-old
high school senior, but almost nothing surpasses my
love for clay. I don't have my own wheel...not even a
shed to work in. I've only had 5 months of formal
instruction and maybe 3 months of throwing experience,
and I know that I am not even CLOSE in anyway to
creating the things that I see all of the potters on
clayart have created. In fact, I've been very
fustrated lately because of that. But I do love
pottery. I read about it all the time on the
internet, Ceramics Monthly...my chrismas presents
included a nice library about clay. I pracically live
in the clay studio at school...I had 12 absenses in
all my classes last semester because I skip them to
work with clay. My ceramics teacher says I'm
devoted...my friends say I'm obsessed. Either way, I
love it, even if I'm still not that talented.
Anyway, I DO know a lot about learning. So I'll do my
best to answer your questions.
#1) courses: For me, my dream class would be first a
beginning class (maybe a 10 week session or
something) where a lot of new things are introduced.
Not so many that you overwhelm your students, but
things like soft slab/hard slab building, pinch pots,
coiling, a little sculpture, and of course, wheel
throwing, combined with a basic glaze and decorating
instruction. Nothing too complicated...we're easily
confused. But you have to try a ton of new things to
decide what you like and what you don't like. It'd
kinda be like a 'sampler' platter in a restaurant.
From there, maybe offer a few individual specialized
classes so you have more time to go indepth on each
subject. Just offer varity to people, let them
choose. As for class size...I think 10-12 is perfect
(my class had 26....bad idea...)
#2 guest artists: I haven't had the opportunity to
learn from many guest artists, but I would LOVE to!
I'm all for workshops. I'm in the school clay studio
everyday, and it would be fun to have a guest artist
atleast once every two weeks. However, living in a
small town on an island doesn't exactly make that
possible.
#3 supplies: Our studio is made up of a few electric
kilns (although I think having a gas kiln would be
ideal), and 10 wheels. We don't have a pug mill or
extruder (that would be nice, but once again, not
necessary), and we get along just fine. I think that
when creating something, it is important for the
artist to rely as much on possible on themself, and as
little as possible on machinery. It gives the piece a
much more personal feel (but that's just me and my
three months of experience talking). Just don't
hesitate to allow people to experiment with new
techniques they read about or see, and then see them
succeed or fail...it's the whole, "it's not the
destination, it's the journey" thing.
#4 holidays: It's fun to do projects relating to
other cultures. Making calaveras for Dia de los
Muertos was one of my classes' favorite activities.
#5 history: Your students signed up for a POTTERY
class, not a history class. Don't worry about it.
#6 being professional vs. technique: At first, focus
on technique, and let students be happy with
semi-wobly, thick walled bowls. There is something
big in being able to appreciate your own work. After
they are pretty proficiant, then I'd focus on
neatness.
I don't know what else I could say. You probably knew
all this anyway...but I feel so indebted to everyone
on this ClayArt list. I get so much information from
here, and just wish I could contribute something. I
hope I have helped, if only a little bit. By the
way...I looked at your web site, and am in awe of the
things you can create. They are incredible.
Well, let me know if I can do anything for you!
~Lucy
P.S. I don't consider myself a potter...just an
18-year-old with an addiction... =)
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Información de Estados Unidos y América Latina, en Yahoo! Noticias.
Visítanos en http://noticias.espanol.yahoo.com
Linda Rosen on fri 7 feb 03
Dear Lucy,
What a wonderful letter to read as I am on my way out the door to a
classroom very much like the one you described ( too many students, but
mostly great kids). Don't underestimate yourself. You have the major
ingredients that make a potter (or any kind of artist) interest,
determination, and focus. I am making a note of your class's interest in
calaveras for Dia de los Muertos ( PS that could be construed as "history".
The past is a treasure trove of ideas for today.)
Thank you.
Sincerely, Linda Rosen
Toronto, ON
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Lucy Ellis
Sent: February 6, 2003 8:27 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Teaching pottery privately.
Antoinette~
As I previously mentioned, I am only an 18-year-old
high school senior, but almost nothing surpasses my
(clip)
Anyway, I DO know a lot about learning. So I'll do my
best to answer your questions.
(clip)
here, and just wish I could contribute something. I
hope I have helped, if only a little bit. By the
way...I looked at your web site, and am in awe of the
things you can create. They are incredible.
Well, let me know if I can do anything for you!
~Lucy
P.S. I don't consider myself a potter...just an
18-year-old with an addiction... =)
_________________________________________________________
Timakia@AOL.COM on fri 7 feb 03
Wonderful Lucy! With this attitude you will go a long way. I love your
philosophy of staying connected with your clay. You will find it interesting
to know that when I started my first classes I was so poor, that I had to ask
my first 3 students for their classfees(R5 is the SA currency, only worth
about 50c in $$today)so that I can buy clay. Only four months after we
started we could afford to buy an old kiln that we restored. I think if I had
all the equiptment available that one can get today, it would have
overwhelmed me and I would have got nowhere. As it is there are so many
aspects of ceramic that one have to take in consideration. If you have to do
the technique, find the chemistry and find yourself as a craftsmen/artist,
all in one, it is best to bite of one bit at a time.
Thanks for your fresh input.
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo, MS
38866
Phone/Fax 662 869-1651
Http://Hometown.aol.com/Timakia
Jeanie on fri 7 feb 03
Dear Lucy,
I enjoyed your post outlining what you as an up and coming clay person,
would like to see in a class. I think you have nailed it...particularly
the sentance in #6.."I think there is something big in learning to
appreciate your own work.." I think so too, and seeing it expressed has
juiced me up to try to describe something I have been thinking about for
a long time..Here goes..I expect to hear hoots of derision from Mel and
Lilly, but I don't think they live in Pennslyvania, so I'm probebly
safe....Since 1987, I have been teaching clay at a wellknown regional
art center, as well as two smaller ones, and privately. I teach several
classes,ages ranging from 6yrs. old thruough early seventies. For most
of that time, I have made most of my direct income from pottery.
It seems to me that if you call yourself a teacher- one who mediates
and facilitates a student's experience with clay- you better have some
insight about the philisophical stance from which you operate.
Otherwise, you can end up being hamfisted, doltish, and
irresponsible,ruining for somebody the very thing that might have given
them joy.
Some of my students have gone on to major in clay..some have gone on
to make a living at it-some have made their goal of a soup tureen to
serve with at Christmas dinner..some have left with not much but muddy
hands and quiet minds-no matter. In my mind, they are all colleagues.
and I try to teach them out of the belief that, as colleagues, we are
all in this together. I make one rash assumption about everyone who
takes a class- they're in it out of love. and they're prepared to take
their work seriously .
So as a teaher my job is to:
1 Take their work seriously,right from where it is. Not by extolling
an exterior standard of excellance, but by helping each student create a
standard for himself by learning to 'See' his own work for what it is
at that moment, which contains the seeds of what it can become. I know
that this sounds like airy nonsense-I don't care. I've seen it happen
over and over. If you share the students delight in the act of making,
you help them install a bedrock confidence. Its that confidence that
allows them to see their own work more clearly and to take it as far as
they can.
2 Explore the nuts and bolts of the creative process As a Discipline
worth acquiring. A discipline that will stand them in good stead in
any arena they choose. A lot of the people I teach are successful in
other areas. A lot of them-especially the kids-are more intelligent
than I am. One of the most pleasurable things for me as a teacher is to
bring people to the point where they realize that creativity isn't
exterior to them or defined by anythingor anyone exterior to them.
That it is in fact intrinsic to being human and that they already use
the processes of creativity every
.where in their lives.
I guess what I try to do is make a situation where people can create
their own high standards because they learn that the best part of
appreciating their own work lies in the confidence they have that
they're work is strong enough to become better as they learn more about
the discipline of the creative process...Well I'll get out of the way now
..should have founf a less wordy way of saying this.. thanks for hanging
in
Jeanie in Pa.,USA
sunshine and snowy dogs
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