Craig Clark on sat 21 sep 02
interested in the subject
Britt, there are folks on the list who have much more experience at
teaching. Many of them have taught far more students (I primarily teach
privately.) I'll offer up a few suggestions that have worked for me in
private lessons and the few classroom settings that I have taught.
To begin with don't go overboard with theoretical and the philosophical.
It is easy, with a captured group of adults, to spend an inordinant amount
of time explaining and waxing philosophical while boring a goodly number of
them to tears (unless you are truly gifted at that type of thing.) Hitting a
stride with an adequate sprinkling of humour and the occassional jab at
oneself helps with the lecture.
I've changed the way that I go about the introductory phase. Rather than
just talking I give each person a piece of mud with which to fiddle. The
idea is to get them to develop a feel for the clay from the start. This may
be a bit of a distraction for some when a particular technique is being
shown but I think that it helps to get them literally in touch with the
medium from square one.
I continually stress the physicality of clay. I tell them about it's
tactile nature and that it works best when a person is able to get in touch
with their fingers and pay attention to the information that is coming from
them as they handle the clay. Basically using the sense of touch to see. The
more they are able to feel the mud the more they seem to loosen up and
actually start to have fun. For a lot of folks I think the enjoyment aspect
has to kick in early in the process if they are going to stick with it. This
is pretty much along the same lines as the project with the modeling of the
peppers without looking at what is being done.
If you are in a classroom with say 15 to 20 adult students I think it is
best to have a syllabus and a series of projects and/or projected goals.
This is a structured approach that from my perspective is neccessary if the
basics are to be dealt with. Incorparated into course are basic handbuilding
techniques, throwing, glaze theory 101, firing theory 101, basic kiln
building techniques and studio maintenace/safety.I also like to get everyone
to experience what I used to jokingly refer to as the "essence of clay" by
mixing up atleast one batch of their own clay.
Everyone loads kilns, learns to bisque, begins to learn high fire
reduction firing, mixes a glaze and takes part in maintenance. That is
understood from the beginning. Raku firing, which is my area, is always a
great dog and pony act for the beginners.
As far as "projects" go I like to start everyone off with basic pinch
pots. To some, this sounds really boring and traditional but I think that it
is a great place to begin. It helps to develop that sense of touch,
especially in those folks who don't work with their hands. It also gives
them a piece relatively quickly, that they haven't invested much energy in,
and they are then able to use them as the sacrificial lambs as they plunge
into the world of glazing. If they want to do the drip-drip-dab technique of
glaze applicae that many seem want to do there isn't much lost.
I enjoy the activity of methodically pinching a pot and don't usually do
it unless there is someone that is just starting with clay. Have them focus
in on the pressure of the fingers as they form the pot. Talk about rhythm
and touch. There's a nice kinda Zen thing to it all when you get going
(whatever that means.) I call it getting into a zone. All the extaneous
crappola form the day starts to fall away.
While I'm thinking about it, get everyone to get themselves a little
sketch book. They can keep notes of demos and sketches of pots or pieces
they may want to make. Get them to sketch each of the pots that they are
glazing in the book and keep a record of the type of glaze, application
method and type of firing used. Get them to look at the pieces after the
firing and note the results of their efforts in the books.
While on glazes do not forget to stress the importance of durable,
stable, non-leeching glazes for any pottery that could concievably be used
as a containment or serving vessel for any type of food or beverage. For a
definitive text on this consult Ron and Jon's book "Mastering Cone 6
Glazes."
For those that want to throw, this is also contingent upon the length of
the course and the amount of time that they will be albe to practice outside
of class time, get them started quickly. Stress practice, practice and more
practice. Talk to them about the importance of muscle memory. Make sure that
they realize that if they are only able to sit on the wheel for an hour or
so once a week chances are they will not be able to develop much throwing
skill. It is best to upfront from the beginning. Most adults have very busy
lives and are unable to dedicate the amount of time that is required to
learn to throw. I've been at this for better than fifteen years now and look
at what I consider to be master works of clay and know that I have a long
way to go in the throwing catagory. Don't discourage, just give folks a
realistic interpretation based on the old...."you get out of this what you
are able to put into it" speech.
Having said this, let them enjoy the wheel. It is fun to chase a ball of
clay around the wheel head for an evening and get all muddy in the process
as long as there is no pressure or expectation. Lots of folks like to run
their hands all over the clay. It feels great. Let em have at it. Many of
them are just there to relax anyway.
Projects: Slab Work, hump and slump type. Get them to find their own
molds for the slabs. Intorduce them to incising and impressions. Get them to
find their own pattern makers (leaves, grass, bark, etc., find them don't
buy them. No roll on patterns yet, unless they make their own dies) Those
that are interested, have them first draw what they want to incise and then
have at it. Blank slabs as "paper" work great for this.
Ask David Hendley about extruder projects. He is the resisdent expert.
His work is dynamite and he gives workshops.
Have them start with an irregularly shaped slabs and create two types of
boxes. One being the basic rectilinear design and the other being irregular.
Talk about the concept of what a box may mean to some people. See if they
are able to express the concept in a three demensional context given the
parameters of a box. This will teach them the fundamentals of layout and
design and thinking about what they may wish to visually express.
Life Masks, and other parts of the anatomy, can be a lot of fun to cast.
Start with the face and go from there. They will learn about plaster, mold
making, slip casting, and press molding.
These are a few suggestions
Contact me off list if you wish. I've rambled on long enough and my audience
probably doesn't have a hunk of clay in their hands to keep themselves busy.
Craig Dunn Clark
619 East 11 1/2 st
Houston, Texas 77008
(713)861-2083
mudman@hal-pc.org
I have a request. I've primarily taught adults and occassionaly have a child
come for lessons. Have gotten some great suggestions off the list before. Do
you have any? I'll use the pepper project next, it sounds great.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Britt Boden"
To:
Sent: Saturday, September 21, 2002 7:42 AM
Subject: Teaching Adults
> Hello Claypeople:
> Its great to be on the list again, its an even flow of inspiration and
fun.
>
> I want to bring up the object of having adult clay classes. I been
teaching
> kids for some time and never have any problem to get them into the spirit
of
> clay. Kids don't ask they dive.
> The last STUDIO POTTER had several potters talking about
> their kids classes and what they do in the class. One potter talked
about
> one technique she used, were the one of having the students making "blind
> pots." Something I tried in one of my kids classes this summer, I gave
them
> each a clayball and had them keeping their hands under the table while
> pinching it after I had placed some peppers at the tables for them to
look
> at while pinching their own versions for 3-5 min. And guess what THEY
LOVED
> IT! The claypeppers were so free in its forms. After that we did it again
but
> now by using the eyes. And the result? Not that good, the kids talked
about
> this experience for a long time.
> I am going to try this on my next adult class, but I also would like to
> hear from you how you get those energies going. My experience is that
> they can't even think about what to do them self, they think the teacher
is
> there to give them all the projects. I do give suggestions and show
different
> handbuilding techniques. But I want them to fly by them selfs. What can I
do?
> I am tankful for any suggestion. I really want my classes to be the best
they
> can be, how can I be a better teacher?
>
> Best, Britt
>
>
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