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Pottery Projects - Learning Through Clay Play |
What is Clay Play? Pottery classes for children to consolidate learning and stimulate development.
Working with clay as a satisfying 3-dimensional medium encourages developmental progress in many areas. Besides learning a new skill, the young potter becomes part of a process involving listening skills, concentration and planning. Further benefits include:
- Improved fine and gross motor control as the child learns to measure and control his/her sense of touch in moulding and shaping the clay
- Emotional satisfaction as feelings of success builds self-esteem.
- Cognitive stimulation as the child measures, estimates and predicts the final outcome.
- Numeric concepts ie constancy of mass, even when shape changes, are fostered
- Learning a life skill which offers balance and pleasure.
Class time and fees:
On Tuesdays classes take place in the technology room and cater for grade 1’s and 2 from 1:15 – 2pm, and grade 3’s and up from 2:30 – 3:15 pm. Everything the children make get fired and handed back at a later date . The costs for the term include all clay, firing, pottery paints and glazing.
Every year new exciting projects are explored and in the second term of 2011 the theme for the senior group is ancient Egypt for which upcoming projects will include: beaded mirrors for mother day gifts, bronze cats, hieroglyphically designed mugs for father’s day, colorful mosaic eagles, metallic decorated bowls, board games, hippos and more.
The theme for the junior group (fledglings and grade R’s) is Story telling for which the upcoming projects will explore some of the classic fairy tale stories and will include Henny penny egg cups, golden goose candle holders, Marshmallow cups, sugar and spice snowmen shakers, Hansel and Gretel note pads and pencil holders, beaded picture frames, bronze luster shoes and more.
About the teacher:
My name is Daryl Newton. I am a qualified teacher and Potter who has taught for 30 years and run a pottery studio for children. My interest lies in introducing children to the medium of clay, teaching new skills, encouraging creativity and building a positive self image. I am assisted by my three pottery assistants Delicia, Samantha and Catherine. Together we form the team which works at nine schools in the Northern suburbs.
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