Phwriter11

Very informative topic about Teaching Ceramics to Adults. Soon I will be 50, and I think it is time to learn a new hobby. Ceramic Arts Daily community has a great forum of learning from experienced artists, art  educators and enthusiasts. I'm looking forward to learn more.

Very informative topic about Teaching Ceramics to Adults. Soon I will be 50, and I think it is time to learn a new hobby. Ceramic Arts Daily community has a great forum of learning from experienced artists, art  educators and enthusiasts. I'm looking forward to learn more.

I'm a little late for the discussion but thought I'd jump in for a moment
 
I think I see something slightly overlooked in this teaching clay thread. It is something that became very apparant when I took my first classes in clay, some 27 years ago.
It takes time for people who have never worked with clay to get the muscle memory to work with clay. Of the few people that I have assisted in learning to turn, it was obovious they had not spent enough time with the wheel or slab or coil to feel comfortable with the clay. It takes time and a few hours a week is not enough to develop these skills in a quick  mannor.
I remember how sore my muscles were at first, how tired my hands and wrist were.
 
I know that even now after turning some larger pieces I have to work with smaller light pieces because my hands and arms are starting to get tired.
I also know that my hands get tired before my brain knows I'm tired and I messup some pieces before I tell myself to stop and take a break or quit for the day.
 
Youtube is one of the great teaching aids we can have. Youtube allows students to see how other potters work, how they center and how they,position themselves, etc.
This allows the students to absorb visually what is hard to transmitt verbally.
 
As much fun and pleasure clay can bring, the fact is, it's hard work. I think some beginning students and not aware of the physical demands of learning pottery and lose motivation to dig deeper.
 
Just my 2 cents and change
Wyndham

Happypots,
 
I, like you, have given "private lessons" to adults, with a different take, however. If the student wants to learn ceramics, they start with handbuilding and work their way up. I remind them that getting work fired by someone else (other than in my studio) isn't all that easy. Most places feel more comfortable knowing the student has at least the fundamental basics under their belt. And I try to convince them that the first piece of equipment they need to buy is a kiln--not a wheel.
 
I have also had students who only wanted to learn wheel throwing techniques. My classes are three hours long (reality check--set up and clean up equal approx. 1/2 hour which is one-third of your alloted class time) plus the student can practice on their own for three hours a week as well. The classes (and the practice time) run for six weeks--no extensions. This is still only 36 hours total (providing they are motivated enough to practice). There are restrictions during class time. They do assigned work--cylinders, bowls, bigger cylinders, shaped cylinders, bigger bowls. If they practice, they can experiment as much as they like, but when they come back to class they do assigned work. Someone who took pottery in high school will advance more rapidly, but tossing a total newbie into wheel throwing without that background is a disservice to your student.
 
They need structure until they master centering, opening and repeated attempts at drawing up the clay into a viable form. Just as an untrained horse doesn't know what to do with that bit in their mouth, the newbie needs gentle, steady reinforcement so trust and confidence can grow. Rethink your method and maybe the time set aside for classes. When that student actually draws up a slightly wobbly cylinder and it doesn't collapse--their smile will light the whole studio. Once they feel they can throw well, I put more stumbling blocks in their way. They are expected to weigh the clay and make three whatevers of the same size and shape. No, I don't expect the outcome will be exact, but it is something that is important to working with pottery. They are also expected to draw what they intend to produce. No fancy drawing, jut a line drawing showing dimension measurements. These are not "rules" for teaching, they're my methods. I think they need goals--even if I have to set them.
 
If you are giving group lessons, invite your student in to see the progress of others (or maybe drop in to the community center to take a peek).

I have taught pottery for almost 5 years now at a local art center. Hand-building and wheel throwingI started teaching when I was 23 so the adult classes were always intimidating. It didn't help that I look(ed) much younger
So when structuring the class and writing up the syllabus I created the class that I would have wanted when first began. Our terms are broken up into 10 week sessions (2 hrs once a week) so like many of the other responses here I asked what the students goals were the first day and always adjust accordingly.
 
 
90% of the time the first 2 weeks I cover basic techniques - wedging, scoring, pinch pots, slabs, coils, etc and do wheel demos.
I (try) to incorporate as many techniques into 2 or 3 loosely structured projects to let students understand what clay allows and what it doesn't - this also helps get the ball rolling
one of my favorite projects is a "monster pot" that starts as a pinch pot and uses coils/slabs/slip trailing.
 
 
After that I have the students bring in drawings or picture cutout of things they are interested in and build from there
- I do the same thing as Pres and when showing a technique let everyone know so if they are interested they can watch.
 
 
I keep a binder of projects (some are actual tutorials/instructions most are pictures of pottery) for students to browse if they are uninspired or want to try something different.
 
Most of my student have had little experience with clay and I encourage the hell out of them.
Some want tangible objects to take home while others are fine with only learning the process. I encourage quality over quantity but allow the student standards to dictate this (this is the hardest to stick with since I am a throw it out person)
 
When I have more experienced potters I like to push them and often give them homework - look this or that artist/technique up and give much more extensive critiques.
 
I encourage all my students to watch me load the kiln and give them a taste the non building aspect of ceramics as well.
My husband recently built me a stovepipe barrel kiln so i am sure my students will be over at my house soon learning with me about that!
 
The classes are never more than 6 students so I have the luxury of adjusting to the students.
 
 

I went "back" to college two years ago at the age of 43. Ceramics had always sounded fun to me, so I took a class and now I am HOOKED! My community college has an outstanding studio with a great teacher. I just finished my degree (which is NOT in Art) and my second Ceramics class and I missed it so much that I bought a wheel and a kiln.
 
My instructor used different teaching styles when dealing with different students. For us "older" folks, he was patient and less strict about our work, allowing us a little more freedom from the parameters of particular assignments if we asked for it. When I asked a question, he would give me as much or as little information on the topic as I wanted. He geared his teaching toward our individual goals. For example, he spent three weeks walking me through creating my own glaze. Now I know for a fact that he knew exactly the right recipe for the color that I wanted, but instead of just giving it to me, he helped me figure it out on my own through trail and error.