“A good teacher must not only know what she teaches, but also be able to set afire her students’ interest and dedication. Such a spark does not generate itself alone; no, the teacher has to be aflame herself. She must not only know but must love her profession passionately.”
– Marguerite Wildenhain
“The Invisible Core”
Thanks to Kit Cornell, I recently had the opportunity to teach an afternoon, hands-on workshop at Kit's studio in Exeter, NH. I apprenticed with Kit back in 1997-2000 and felt right at home in her studio. It was a great opportunity to try teaching a short workshop, rather than the usual 2 or 3 hour class that meets one a week.
Eight women gathered around as I threw and altered a rectangular casserole on the wheel, and then onto two hand-building projects. After a quick demonstration of my hand-built trays and soap dishes - the students then tried some new techniques using paper templates and texture to work on a small tray themselves.
I really enjoy teaching and look forward to making my way back to a classroom someday. I used to teach at the Amherst community arts center, but unfortunately they closed last year. For now, my home studio can accommodate one or two students for more of a private lesson. Students do make a lot of progress with one-on-one attention - but the energy of having a full class of 6 or 8 students is really fun.
After a weekend glazing marathon I loaded the kiln yesterday morning before work, came home after work and lit the pilots at 9pm - woke up today and fired til 6:25pm. I usually haven't candled the kiln overnight - simply because I don't sleep well when I'm worrying a pilot might blow out. But I wanted to move the kiln along today so my new apprentice Amy could experience much of the firing.
