As soon as you enters room UA20, the resounding rumble of the potter’s wheel and the earthy aroma of moist clay immediately ignite an atmosphere of free expression. The ceramics studio and its deeply fixated students are alive and bustling.
Approximately 200 students every spring request to join the class for the next school year. To meet this demand, there are now five blocks of the class per semester, according to visual arts teacher Greg Steinsieck.
For many, it is the unique emphasis on ownership of one’s own learning, creative environment and outlet for creative expression that intrigues and engages students for years.
Beyond the basic activity of forming clay into plates, bowls and other figures and then firing the clay to fuse it, students in ceramics class explore new materials, construction processes and artistic ideas. Steinsieck’s aim is to accomplish this through active and experimental learning, according to his course overview. But another goal of Steinsieck’s is for students to utilize what he refers to as a “beginner’s mind” – one that is bold, watchful and willing to practice and persevere without a fear of failure and often take the lead over their learning.
Junior Eliana von Krusenstiern, a third year ceramics student, has found that the opportunity to direct her own learning is an extremely alluring quality of the class.
“There’s a lot of freedom with what you get to make,” said von Krusenstiern. “You’re the one shaping the clay and manipulating it. No one is saying ‘Do this, do that.’ ”
This self-directed classroom continues to draw in student after student. Experienced and long-returning artists like von Krusenstiern meet with enthusiastic newcomers in the classroom.
Sophomore Daniella Cruz is newly “hooked” on ceramics for its freedoms of choice and expression.
“I can express myself through clay, not like I can in drawing or painting,” said Cruz. “3-D objects say more.”
The ceramics classroom lined with neat arrays of workstations, potters wheels and racks housing students’ own pieces emanates creative freedom. Visual Arts Curriculum Coordinator Alicia Mitchell noted that it is not only the innovative environment that makes the class popular, but also that the students have a say in what they can do.
“The space is also well designed, so that you get a taste of everything ceramics has to offer,” said Mitchell. “The class is at your own pace and overlapping assignments give you a lot of choice. Choice is very attractive to students.”
Two of the most freedom-based aspects of the class are the students’ opportunity to grade themselves through reflections and self-evaluations, along with extremely flexible deadlines. In Steinsieck’s view, this system is not only effective, but also appealing to the students.
“One of the questions that can be asked is ‘Why do the students get to determine their own grades?’ Because I ask the question, when are young people ready to judge the quality of their own learning?” said Steinsieck. “And in what better circumstances can you do this than in art, where you take something with very little form in and of itself and give all of yourself to it.
It’s empowering for them to work on their own ideas with no deadlines.”
Senior Griffin van Horne began taking ceramics at the start of this year and was hard at work on a clay calculator to give to his mathematics teacher. In his view, van Horne can assert his voice in what he creates, and this is what keeps fueling his passion.
“I had taken other art classes, but I fell in love with ceramics. It’s my voice and I can express myself through it,” said van Horne. “It’s amazing that even when you can’t speak out vocally, you can still speak with your hands.”
Miriam El-Baz can be contacted at [email protected].
