mel jacobson on wed 7 jun 06
there is an addition.
you cannot teach at an advanced level
without the degree. how can one make a difference,
in teaching without the degree?
it almost does not matter how you get there, but
you need the degree.
that is a choice you have to make.
anyone's choice.
but the choice to not get the degree does not lead you to teaching.
i had that choice, twice in my life.
when i decided to go to japan, i could have easily
gone to some college and gotten my mfa.
i did not `need` the mfa, i `needed` to become
a proper potter. learn skill. so that was the path i chose, for me.
as lee has pointed out, it is the hardest thing i have ever done.
when i finished my work at the university in painting, i could
have opted to take the degree...i chose not to. for a variety
of reasons...the most obvious was....i did not `need it`.
i chose to be a high school teacher for a variety of reasons.
the most important was:
the pay was much better, and i wanted to coach. the retirement
package was better, and i could retire at 55 with full benefits.
i did all of those things, and was paid a much better salary than
anyone in the art department at the university. yes, i had to
work harder, see more kids a day...like what a university teacher
would see in 5 years i influenced in a day.. but, it was a great life...
and i was never bored.
many other teachers were bored all the time. i was captain of my
own ship.
teaching high school also gave me a job that was stable. we built
a house, lived close to school, and we have lived here for 42 years.
i am not a roamer. i love to travel, but i hate moving my family.
roots.
and, as we have seen with this thread. `it all depends`.
each person has a goal. how you get there is up to you.
how you work, is up to you. how you pay for it, is up to you.
what you do with it...is up to chance. if you want skill, it is up to you.
if you want `veil of ideas` it is up to you. if you want your pots
to be a `metaphor of your menstrual cycle` you can do that too.
but, for me, the bottom line is:
the world is going to get one more great woman to teach ceramic
ideas..someplace. you will get it done in spades, just like those
that you know...lori leary, dannon, diana, linda arbuckle and many
more. `you will make a difference`....and that is why you are on
the journey. if not, stay home.
mel
`sometimes i make a pot just to be pretty.` not me, the pot.
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/ (new website)
http://my.pclink.com/~melpots3 old
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
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