How do I convince the High School Principal that getting a kiln for our clay unit in Art Class is important ?

[Julie S]

 I have a principal that is  convinced that getting a ceramic kiln for our art class is NOT a priority. Money is not an issue. Space is a small issue but can be resolved with creative thinking. She seems to be against getting a kiln for our Sculpture class students to use for working with clay. She doesn't see the value for students working with clay. She seems to be focused on the practical applications into the workplace. Please send me tips and links to resources so that I can bring clay into my school! 

[Babs]

Hard one, could bring it in as Design and Tech component of the curriculum. 

Depending on where you are, you may find you have to fire over the weekend...

Such a sad outlook, local schools don't even have a qualified art teacher atm because of that attitude. The pottery room and contents sold off after decades of a highly  diverse art program.

I taught a class of recalcitrant students, mostly boys. They were coming in at lunchtimes to wprk on their projects, ironically one was making fish head....bookends! All drawn out in the design books prior to start.

Have you colleagues in area where you can take images of students engagememt in the processes involved?

Could compare with other areas of curr...English without novel reading, etc

Not very helpful, keep plugging at it.

The need for folk to leave school with healthy life time leisure pursuits, during lockdown, thousands took up ceramics .Introduction at school important for giving confidence required to approach these pursuits....

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I’m going to tag @Pres, because he’s a retired art teacher and can speak to the technicalities better than I can.

I’m not an educator myself, but I can personally speak to the fact that working in clay taught me chemistry and physics. Glazes are high temperature redox reactions, and the practical application of that made the need stoichiometry calculations make some sense.

Clay and material knowledge are a cheap and cheerful introduction to structural engineering. It teaches observation and perseverance. It teaches planning. All of which are highly useful skills for most people.

 

[Denice]

Dig up some research on how art and working with three dimension art can expand a student math capabilities.  There are probably articles about the benefits of tactile arts for students.  One benefit is that it is very calming and improves their concentration.   I started my son with clay when he was 2 years old and he was playing the organ when he was 5.   He was at the top of his class in math in every grade.   High school isn't to late to improve a students mind,  it might improve their self confidence.   A student that doesn't think he or she has any special talents make a beautiful piece of art and it suddenly occurs to them that their may be something special about them.   That is what happened to me in Junior high school,  I don't know what would of happened to me if that art teacher hadn't put that ball of clay in my hand.   Denice

[Roberta12]

And focus!!  It improves ones focus.  Yes, math, yes, chemistry (practical application)  yes physics.  For me it requires focus!  In these times of recognition of increasing depression among teens, clay, (functional or non functional) can be a valuable tool!  

I worked for the school district for 23 years.  If staff recognized a need or problem that should be addressed, we did not get very far.  (depended on the administrator at the time) but....if PARENTS brought up the topic and went to the administrator and possibly even the school board,  often that need was addressed.  Do you have some parents/guardians who would be willing to talk to your principal/superintendent/school board??

Roberta

[Rae Reich]

Focus and Follow-through!!

Planning ahead and dealing with the unexpected.

Learning to criticize constructively.

Learning to accept criticism constructively.  

Asking “Why” and “How did this happen?”

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Rae Reich

[Babs]

Great, you guys.

It's about development of the whole person, the brain is overloaded with info from screens and the neg. side of this is evident.

Good luck.

Run a clay session for the Staff!!

[Babs]

And is there a community studio which could fire your students work? Linking school with a community resource , the results displayed in school foyer???

Softly softly catch the monkey!!

One comment re my boys group was how quiet the room was from the corridor  not me the dragon, but absorption of students in what they were trying to acheive. ..

@Benzine can you help

[Callie Beller Diesel]

If you can’t convince the principal to get a kiln, there are lots of hypertufa or Cobb projects that could fit the bill too. Let them see that in action, and a kiln might be an easier sell.

[Bill Kielb]

On 10/30/2023 at 4:49 PM, Julie S said:

. She doesn't see the value for students working with clay. She seems to be focused on the practical applications into the workplace.

Hmm, this may be tough as many forms of art have latent workplace benefits as well as the social benefits listed above. I guess it  concerns me when an educator believes they know everything and no need to teach certain things or allow others to explore because they have little perceived value. Obviously ceramics in general can broaden knowledge in chemistry, geology, fire science, engineering, thermodynamics, etc….. Nothing like a finished product to help folks close the circle on knowledge.

It would be a shame to never let an architect build a model, or engineer to test a finished design, or perhaps an author only arranges words grammatically never to develop a plot or finish a story. I see this as similar to allowing one to sculpture but never fire their sculpture. (Very weird IMO)

It used to be you don’t know what you don’t know had meaning and making sure personal perception was not overly influenced by that. For educators it used to be a primary concern.  Tough argument for you though, I think I would list the simple impact of increased knowledge in traditional sciences as a starter for practical reasons.

Donald Rumsfeld mentioned a basic engineering understanding. He was lambasted in the press for it, yet it was a fundamental tenant in much of science and engineering when I was taught. If your principal thinks the quote below is nonsense, then sadly you may not be able to convince her with any argument. She already knows…….

…there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”

– Donald Rumsfeld

 

[Pres]

Over the years as a teacher, I have noticed several benefits to a wide range of students. There are those that take ceramics to fill a schedule, yet find that they are seduced by the feel of the clay in their hands, or the ability to visualize and create in 3 dimensions with a material that is lasting and quite durable. There are students with poor health or debilitating diseases that are unable to write for long or do other things, but the simple manipulation of the clay, and the drive to create something with such a malleable material strengthens the muscles in the hands and the arms allowing the student to write longer without tiring, and to do other things never done before. Then there are students that fill the schedule with something they underestimate, and end up finding connections to architecture and engineering, chemistry and physics, or even sculpture and fine arts or even the study of history and civilization  as influenced by ceramics. Long gone are the days of the ugly ash tray, or the misshapen mug as new art teachers have backgrounds that cover the years of the revivals in the 60's through the nineties.

However, getting an administrator to spring money for a kiln is difficult. I started with an old box shaped kiln and ended up in the end with two large L& L's with setters. Start small, work out a proposal, write up the unit for ceramics or even a proposal for a whole class. Check with NCECA for resources on classes and curriculum ideas. Peruse the internet for examples of exemplary practices in grade school ceramics. Don't give up, keep diligent. Over time you can win them over, but it takes constant harping to do it, Not every day , but at least once or twice a year.

 

best,

Pres

[elaine clapper]

As a retired art teacher I totally agree with Pres and the others about applying chemistry and physics. I always thought the critical thinking involved in ceramics, was one of the key educational advantages. There are so many "MacGyver"  moments in working with clay.  Although high school kids would not remember the original tv character Macgyver.  He could figure out a way to invent just about anything with chewing gum, a paper clip and lots of imagination.  What is your goal with the clay?  What do you have to work with? What are the properties of clay? What are the properties of physics? .... ok figure out a solution to create a three dimensional ceramic object, that will support itself, survive drying and firing, and be aesthetically pleasing.

I was very fortunate to have an administration that was supportive of the arts.  If you do not have that, learn to speak "educator language".  Pay attention to the key phrases in your english, math and science curriculums. I know critical thinking was always a term that helped me promote the value of ceramics to non art educators. 

 

 

that was very supportive of the arts

[Denice]

Art  is a big influence on my interest in history,   I hated history in high school.   Working my way through my art degree I fell in love with history and how it was meshed together with art  especially pottery.   If I had taken one more history class I would have had a degree in history and art history.   I still have a bookcase full of history books I haven't been able to part with them.  Denice

[Hulk]

This thread has been resonating!

I went to post-secondary school with Engineering candidates who had: never (or hardly ever) used a caliper, dial indicator, or micrometer; never read a vernier; to stop to think which way to turn threaded fasteners; little or no layout experience; little knowledge of lubricants, bearing maintenance, belt tensioning; little or no experience with any cutting tools; had little or no soldering, brazing and welding experience ...looked to me that "it's harder" without practical experience.

Hands on! "Learn By Doing" see also Cal Poly

How nice for students to have at least One Class they like and look forward to.
How often is "that one class" Music, Theater, Art of some kind, Shop of some type, Sport?
What are those type of experiences without the crucial performance, work/wares/product/piece, material and finishing, contest/activity?
...like pottery without a kiln.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Hulk

[Pres]

Another thought here of help is to become friends with the folks in the Federal Programs offices. I had several of these taking the adult ceramics classes over the years including the director. Also  had an assistant principal take the class, along with secretaries of upper administrators. When someone experiences ceramics on a learning level, and learns how to work with the potters wheel, glazes, helps to load a kiln and unload it. .. things become real and relevant.

 

best,

Pres