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Lesson Plans


Re: 60 kids down my throat!

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
dwwebb
Sat, 21 Nov 1998 19:21:06 -0000

I have been teaching pottery to high school students for 12 years and one
year with "the little ones" who I adored.. The main thing you need to convey
and realize yourself is PATIENCE. The clay pieces need to be REALLY dry. The
reason for "explosions" in the kiln are not usually due to air pockets but
due to moisture in the clay. I use work lights on the pottery for a couple
of days before firing. The kids need to know patience and the importance
of the process.Of course they want their work fired imediately and we do
too! This would facilite the learning process that much quicker! Alas the
time of drying time leaves a hole in the continuime of the lesson. I have no
solution but to proceed with more assignments and now at the end of the
semester we are ,or I should say, I am scrambling to have everything fired
by the end of the semester!
-----Original Message-----
From: Rosa Juliusdottir <rojul>
To: Michelle H. Harrell <mmhar>
Cc: artsednet.edu <artsednet.edu>
Date: Thursday, November 12, 1998 7:43 PM
Subject: Re: 60 kids down my throat!

>Hi, it is probably that the clay was not dry enough. I used to have similar
>problems, and I have a similar kind of kiln. But since I started drying the
>clay really long, like at least 10 says to two weeks I have had no problems
>with cracking.
>Best regards from the far north, Rosa
>
>>Help! I've just ruined 60 twelve year olds day!
>>
>>After firing 60 pinch pots yesterday, I opened the kiln to find small
>>pieces of shattered clay. Only 2-3 pieces survived without a crack. I
>>had been careful to explain to them to wedge the clay for air bubbles.
>>We let it get bone dry and I loaded it into the kiln. This is the 2nd
>>time I've fired greenware but I following the same directions I did the
>>first time which were left by the previous art teacher. I left the lid
>>cracked open the first hour set on 1 (cone 5). Then I raised the temp.
>>3, 6, 8, hi, every hour.
>>
>>This is an old kiln and no manual was left for it. I know I could call
>>the company and get another manual. I'll work on that.
>>
>>Can any of you help me? I probably sound like an idiot to any of you
>>who know what you are doing. I know its probably the temp. that I'm
>>firing it at.
>>
>>Back to breaking hearts of babes,
>>Michelle H. Harrell
>>mmhar
>>North Garner Middle School
>>Garner, North Carolina
>>
>> * ~ "The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul."
>> ^
>> \_/ -Wassily Kandinsky
>>
>>
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>

>