I’ve been doing a clay class one day a week after school at Francis’ school for the last few months. I have 17 Kindergarten through 2nd graders, all hyped up from a full day of school and not always ready to settle into that quiet, zone-y, art space. Oh well. We all live.
The thing is that Francis’ school doesn’t have an art teacher. I was pretty sad about this when we first chose to stay with our neighborhood school, but I also was well-aware of the benefits for staying with that school: 6 blocks from our house, full-day kindergarten, free preschool when Zephyr is 4, bi-lingual education, multicultural student population. The “Fluent by 6th Grade” promise for her school was the strongest motivator for me. But no art.
Thinking that I could help with this need, I signed up to teach this after school club. I purposely offered it for the age group that I felt didn’t have much in the way of other opportunities. I thought, “I have a kindergartner and she is very receptive to art instruction. It shouldn’t be too hard!”. Was I in for a surprise! The issue is not receptivity; these kids are all excited about doing art. The issues are much more subtle, making me think that teaching art is about 5% knowing about the subject matter and 60% communicating intelligently (as well as 25% planning and 5% re-evaluating). Oh yes and 15% patience has got to get in there. And 10% a strong back. Wow, I am out of percents.
The kids want to work, but not listen. They whine for “free choice” on projects and then don’t know what to do. They make things that will inevitably fall apart. They make things that waste clay (like “marbles”, e.i. balls of clay). If you introduce models at the wrong moment, everyone tries to copy it exactly and the uniqueness of their projects goes out the window. They want the same tools at the same time. I made the mistake of showing them how you could use a round block to make eyes on a mask and many of the kids made their eyes the same. I had a bunch of clay zombies go through my kiln that day and I knew that it was only my own fault.
Okay, so those are kind of cute zombies, but you see what I mean. Who wants 17 faces almost exactly alike?
My mom has taught art to children of all ages for years. She is deeply committed to helping children find expression in art, and she walks the talk. She has retired from her years of teaching art and now she runs a summer camp to bring art to her community, and she teaches at the camp too! She knows that while teaching she isn’t able to make her own work, and yet she offers that time to kids because it is what she believes in. And she is GOOD at it too.
This experience makes me admire people who work with kids on art, but also makes me wonder if that is me. I love art. I believe in the importance of art for children, but I am not sure that I enjoy making art with kids. I think I love making it myself too much to selflessly give that time to kids. I can’t help but admit that when working with them, there is this voice in the back of my head that says, “Man kid. Can’t you leave me alone so that I can work?”.
Next year Beach has new staff allocations and parents almost unanimously asked for more art. They will have a full time art teacher next year and she will be able to deliver instruction in Spanish! I have another couple weeks of hauling our wagon packed with clay and glaze over to Francis’ school, another couple weeks of running my tiny kiln round the clock for a few days each week. Then I am done for the year. I need to reevaluate if I will do the class again next year.
The thing is that despite my complaining, the kids are learning. And despite my stress and inconvenience, (did I even start telling you about the hoops I have to jump through with getting my own children watched while I volunteer?!), this part of me feels like what they are experiencing is worth it. If the art teacher has a kiln in class and a shelf for me to leave projects to dry, I just might be tempted.
The kids made some pretty sweet things this year. Here are some other project photos:
This was really my favorite face of the bunch. The kid put in really nice hair details... and that smile!
I love the braid on the one on the left and the crazy blue glaze on the one on the right.
The red and blue mask in the middle really looks like the kid who made it! He isn't that color though...
A shelf of finished projects waiting to be loaded into the wagon!
My over-worked tiny kiln, gasping for breath between firings.
One Comment, Comment or Ping
I think it’s really cool that you’re doing this, and I totally agree with you about the required selflessness. I am in a major period of non-selflessness (I will not say selfish, I just don’t need to be selfless very often) in my life right now, having no job and no kids and only 1.4 husbands (John’s here three nights per week, I have to cook for him so I’m counting him). I know the tides will change but right now I can’t imagine having clay in my hands and doing anything other than whatever the heck I want with it! And your favorite face is also mine, of the ones shown.
May 16th, 2009
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