Cate Loveland on sat 10 jan 04
Hi, Lucy...
Audeo is on the right track--glazing tiles would be a good project. You can
build up handles with tape or foam to make the brushes easier to hold. Short
projects, instant gratification, and at least at first, a selection of
patterns to work from, until they build up some skill and confidence to get more
creative, which they may not ever choose to do.
Arthritic fingers do not necessarily benefit from working with clay.
Rheumatoid arthritis particularly does not do well with movements that pull the
fingers down/away from thumb. Some of the most arthritic fingers I have ever seen
have been those of old time potters.
Lots of seniors enjoy working with slip cast greenware, cleaning and painting
it. Not my choice, but they have fun with it. Focus on the fun, and if they
want more, they will let you know.
Wishing you the best of luck with my favorite group of people
Cate in AZ, where I could work outside all day
Lucy Reuther on sat 10 jan 04
Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens. I have tried to get the
people I work with interested in clay, both handbuilding and wheel and
the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel. I know if they would
keep at it it would increase their strength and help arthritic fingers
but they give up too soon. Do you know of any exercises or easy
projects I could try?
Thanks for helping.
LucyLee
Snail Scott on sat 10 jan 04
At 12:13 PM 1/10/04 -0500, you wrote:
>...senior citizens...
>the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
>clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel...
When I have students of any age with limited strength
(little kids, old people, muscular diseases), they
often like to use tools like paddles or mallets,
texture stamps, big ribs and rolling pins - tools
that augment the strength of the user.
One of my students brought a cut-crystal Waterford
bowl to class, used it to whack her clay flat, then
manipulated the textured slabs in a variety of ways.
Everyone admired the raised texture left by the
negative relief patterns in the glass. The bowl was
a perfect shape to grip two-handed and smack with,
and plenty sturdy. A few students voiced their
reservations about using such a valuable item that
way, but she said she liked her clay better than
she liked that old bowl, regardless of price!
The pattern did well when combined with glazes that
break over texture, as well as with oxide washes.
All sorts of objects make good drape molds, and
scraps of foam can be tied together with tape to
make forms for slabs, too.
And with many clays, expecially gritty ones, wedging
can be optional if you're not throwing.
-Snail
william schran on sat 10 jan 04
LucyLee wrote:>Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens.
....the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel.
Do you know of any exercises or easy projects I could try?
Be sure the clay they're using is soft enough.
I have several seniors, oldest is 80, doing handbuilding & wheelthrowing.
Perhaps starting with small coiled forms, then using stiff cardboard
template forms to scrape & shape the forms.
Bill
logan johnson on sat 10 jan 04
Hi Lucy,
Try comercialy glazed tiles( I use the cheap 4" x 4") and Mayco Stroke & Coats to do
"Painting". For some seniors just holding a paint brush is ALL they can do & even that's
not all that easy. the stroke & coats can be thinned with water to get a "watercolor'
effect or used full strength. The glazes can also be layered to get beautiful effects. Shaped sponges might work better than brushes for some people. Inexpensive plastic
stencils can be used for those that can't draw. It may not be CLAY but it's still ceramics.
Some seniors just don't have enough hand strength for wet clay. LOL
Lucy Reuther wrote:
Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens. I have tried to get the
people I work with interested in clay, both handbuilding and wheel and
the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel. I know if they would
keep at it it would increase their strength and help arthritic fingers
but they give up too soon. Do you know of any exercises or easy
projects I could try?
Thanks for helping.
LucyLee
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Logan Johnson
Audeo Studios
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Susan Giddings on sat 10 jan 04
>Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens.
Some strategies that have worked for me:
The first suggrestion is to use fresh new bags of clay. Straight from a
de-airing pugmill. Make sure it's soft. Slice slices about 1" thick. (Not
more than 2"). Slap them together firmly. Pat it into a ball and throw about
2 pounds onto the wheel. Slap this into center and then sytart throwing. 1
1/2 -2 # is usually manageable. Less is not at all better - sometimes they
have more strength than you would think and will overpower a smaller amount.
If that strategy doesn't work then teach them to throw off the hump.
Seriously - this works really well as long as they have the restraint to
keep from trying to center the whole mass. Help them to not pay attention to
it. Sometimes I'll make a collar aroud it so you can't even see it or let
it distract you. The point of this approach is to only let them work with
what fits well in their hands - will be no more than 1 pound. I know most of
beginner classes for adults don't plan to even cover throwing off the hump
but it is easy for most adults (especially seniors) to be successful and
doesn't let people fall into the trap of thinking that it takes a lot of
strength to center. And if you can, teach this with a 6 or 7 step approach.
I find that this approach allows for impatient people to get quick
gratification. Small bowls are usually all it takes. Little bowls for
dipping sauces are always a hit. You may have to take them off the hump
once they are done throwing. At first just do it for them, talking your way
through the process. They need POSITIVE feedback - I think at least as much
or even more than kids. Go easy wuth them. Have patience. And keep up the
encouragement. They want to get it and will, just pride is a little in the
way at first. It'll pass. Encourage them to team up with their neighbor and
help each other. The beginning stages can be a challenge, As soon as one
starts to get it, let them teach others. Make them verbalize it. It'll all
fall right into place. And teach wedging later once they have some success
under their belt.
Hope this helps.
Let me know if you need more.
And let me know how it goes, please.
Susan
_____________________________________________________________________________
------------------
Susan Giddings
Daytime phone: 860-687-4550
Cell phone: 860-930-8813
_________________________________________________________________
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John K Dellow on sun 11 jan 04
Lucy ,
either you are trying to wedge too larger amount of clay or its too
stiff .
5 lb can be easily spiral ( japanese stile) wedged by most people . This is
also a good excursus to give muscle tone . If you can do it left handed
and right
all the best.
John
Lucy Reuther wrote:
>Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens. I have tried to get the
>people I work with interested in clay, both handbuilding and wheel and
>the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
>clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel. I know if they would
>keep at it it would increase their strength and help arthritic fingers
>but they give up too soon. Do you know of any exercises or easy
>projects I could try?
>Thanks for helping.
>LucyLee
>
>
>
John Dellow "the flower pot man"
From the land down under
Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/
Lesley Alexander on sun 11 jan 04
To help seniors with arthritic hands ... help them see where their handicap
lies and how to work around it. It's not a one solution fits all process. As
a senior trying not to stress my hands, I do a few exercises before
working (stomache flutters, shoulders, arm circles, forearm circles, hand
circles, hand stretches and gentle finger wiggles which work different
muscles still). It helps! Also, I go for softer clay than most people and
wedge small amounts. I might have to set it aside to stiffen before final
forming. If doing 5 pounds, I'd probably center half on the wheel and
then add another half.
Helping people learn how to think out and help themselves thru a new process
is valuable in itself. Maybe most of the wedging needs to be done with one
hand. Maybe a wood block held steady against the lump on the wheel helps
center. Maybe a ball helps open... there was discussion of that earlier.
Smaller and simpler forms are worth aiming for; a sense of success is a
great motivator!
Good luck to your students! Lesley
Kasia Bock-Leja on sun 11 jan 04
LucyLee,
I haven't taught seniors, but I do teach children as young as 6 to use
the wheel as well as hand building and they have been quite successful.
As you already pointed out, it helps if they don't have to do the heavy
work like rolling and wedging. Unless they are using less than 1 1/2
pounds of clay or less, I do that for them before class. A slab roller
is tremendously helpful in that regard. Generally, using small amounts
of clay is better for people with less hand strength. I like starting
the little ones out with about a pound on the wheel. A good soft clay
is also advantageous. The one I'm using is so soft and creamy that it
is easy to center. Of course, that also means it is a bit too tender
for untrained hands, as it is quite sensitive, but I think the benefits
out weigh the disadvantages. I also do not have my young students waste
their energy on wedging, which I think would be appropriate for seniors
until they feel ready. It can be so hard on the wrists and is a skill
not quickly learned by everyone, which can be discouraging. I think
coiling and pinching are great ways to introduce people to hand
building, and they do not require a lot of hand strength. We graduate
to slab building after those are mastered.
Good luck with your students! I can't think of any thing more
therapeutic than working with clay! How wonderful that you are offering
this opportunity.
Kasia
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Lucy
Reuther
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 11:14 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: throwing on the wheel with older students
Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens. I have tried to get the
people I work with interested in clay, both handbuilding and wheel and
the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel. I know if they would
keep at it it would increase their strength and help arthritic fingers
but they give up too soon. Do you know of any exercises or easy
projects I could try? Thanks for helping. LucyLee
________________________________________________________________________
______
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.
Snail Scott on mon 12 jan 04
At 10:38 AM 1/12/04 -0500, you wrote:
>...Many older people just do
>not need one more bowl, vase or ash tray. What will they be doing with
>their "learner pieces"?...
How 'bout making tiles for Janet's path?
-Snail
Elaine Ray on mon 12 jan 04
When working with any age of people with limited abilities of any type
(physical or mental) I use a technique often described as "backward
chaining". The student first watches you complete the task start to finish
as you explain step by step what you are doing. The next time - they
complete the last step after you have completed the task up to that step.
Each time, they do one more part of the step. (or how ever much you feel
they can complete successfully) This can be especially successful while
working with clay as it can be fascinating to watch another person throw or
hand build.
The idea behind this is to help the student reach that feeling of "completed
success" of a task often.
This is just an example - you can speed up the process - without knowing the
level of your students I just took a shot in the dark:
Session one: Show finished items that may be expected in the end and give
possible ideas for the pieces final destination. Many older people just do
not need one more bowl, vase or ash tray. What will they be doing with
their "learner pieces"? Will they look nice at a nurses station, the
check-in reception area or the local whatever place. Could they consider
making grandchildren personalized bowls, would their neighbor like a
toadhouse as a piece of lawn art, how about a vase that is shaped like a
book for their favorite librarian.
Now you wedge, center, throw and complete several pots of different shapes.
Do a couple "fancy" shapes and a couple of simpler bowl shapes. You hand
build of few items - again, include easy and more advanced. Remember -
tell them what you are doing as you do it.
Everyone gets homework of beginning to think of what they'd like to complete
at a beginners level. How about a brightly colored, easy to find index card
for them to take, jot ideas down on and bring back to the next session.
Session two: Pots at leather hard - you trim on wheel for them to see. Be
realistic, beginners depend on trimming. Maybe carve into a pot. You
scribe or carve into the leather hard, hand built items. Put on slip and
scribe through etc. Now its their turn: have sturdy leather hard tiles,
bowls or boxes they can use slip and scribe / carve on. Think ahead of what
will be done with the broken pieces. Do they go directly to the reclaim
bucket, can they be trimmed down to make a coaster, a toad house (any broken
upside down pot will do), a funky Christmas ornament with a hole drilled in
the top or are they saved for glaze testing?
Session Three: "Who would like to try and feel the difference between clay
spinning on a wheel that is centered and that which is not centered?" This
way, those that are dying to get their hands on the wheel can and at the
same time, those that are intimidated can get the feel of the clay without
having to succeed or fail. Their only job is to "feel the difference".
After that, again, everyone gets to watch you throw a couple of simple
shapes. Now, the students can try to "open and pull" a lump you have
centered.
Those interested in hand building can pinch a shape from a lump of clay you
already wedged, build from slabs you have prepared or coil a pot.
Session Four: You take it from there!
I hope these ideas are helpful. If it is possible, tailor your instruction
the individual's wants / goals. There may be a few students in your class
that want to eventually go the whole way of wedging to removing final
projects from kiln. And there may be others that really only want to
participate in parts of that process.
By laying out your "lesson plans" like this in advance it will help you to
know how many sessions may be needed and how to set your teaching fees. If
you are bringing in partially done items for the students to work on, the
fees may need to be higher. Having the plans outlined and the reasoning why
you are doing it this way with help you negotiate the price with whoever is
hiring you or what you are charging your students.
Also, please keep in mind that cold, damp clay generally is not good for
arthritic hands and wrists. Therefore, it may be better for some students
to keep to other steps. If your students have rheumatoid arthritis or
osteoarthritis, briefly read up on it on the web. Let them know you are
trying to learn about their limitations and safety precautions and get
feedback from them as to what kind of pressure they should or shouldn't be
putting on their joints. Feel free to e-mail me with questions. I am
approaching this from my point of view which is of an Occupational Therapist
and therefore may be waaaayyyyy more detailed than you wanted.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lucy Reuther"
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 12:13 PM
Subject: throwing on the wheel with older students
> Do any of you teach classes to senior citizens. I have tried to get the
> people I work with interested in clay, both handbuilding and wheel and
> the biggest problem seems to be in the strength needed to knead the
> clay, roll it or compress and pull on the wheel. I know if they would
> keep at it it would increase their strength and help arthritic fingers
> but they give up too soon. Do you know of any exercises or easy
> projects I could try?
> Thanks for helping.
> LucyLee
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> 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.
>
Mildred Herot on tue 13 jan 04
I feel that I have to take exception to your remarks about older people.
First of all, I must take you down for sounding so smug and secondly, how do
you know that an "older person" would not get great pleasure out of
additional knowledge and the thrill of creation (whatever the result would
be). Being an "older person", I find that one of the most annoying things
is the patronization that some "younger people" express.....Mildred Herot
----- Original Message -----
From: "Snail Scott"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 1:35 AM
Subject: Re: throwing on the wheel with older students
> At 10:38 AM 1/12/04 -0500, you wrote:
> >...Many older people just do
> >not need one more bowl, vase or ash tray. What will they be doing with
> >their "learner pieces"?...
>
>
> How 'bout making tiles for Janet's path?
>
> -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.
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