The Angry Potter: Craig Seath

12/21/08 - Cone 6 Glazing

2008-12-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Pottery Class Projects-11/2008

2008-11-27T19:15:00.000-08:00

My students created some wonder projects. I used Duncan Concepts underglazes and Duncan's clear dipping glaze.

NEMEN: Sat - 11.22.08

2008-11-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

Northeast Metro Educators' Network - Technology Leaders Conference: listed below are my reflections, links, and information learned from this technology conference.

Can embed pictures/slides using animoto
Online Portfolio

Social Networking - Look Into
Classroom 2.o
Ning in Education

Online Learning - Stillwater, MN

Technology Change:

Business Organizations ➙ New Business Opportunities ➙ Fulfill Customer Needs
Education Organizations ➙ New Learning Opportunities ➙ Charter Schools/Online Learning

Extending the Classroom - Mathematics

http://www.mathplayground.com/
http://illuminations.nctm.org/
http://nlvm.usu.edu/
http://www.mathwire.com/

Cone 06 Glaze Firing - 11/21/08

2008-11-21T20:07:00.000-08:00

Clay: Low Fire White
Shelves: 3
Load: Student work - hand building, bowls, extruded round, tile
Complete Time: 8:09

Firing Schedule:

75/185/1.00
250/500/0
400/1703/0
108/1853/5

Special Note: 1) Used new under and over glazes - very good, 2) back down temps

NEMEN: Fri - 11.21.08

2008-11-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

Northeast Metro Educators' Network - Technology Leaders Conference: listed below are my reflections, links, and information learned from this technology conference.

Digital Storytelling
Learned how to embed VoiceThread into the Stillwater/St. Paul Classroom Partnership joint websites

Google

Will use Google Docs with my partnership teachers
Goggle Maps will help with my travels to the different elementary schools in St. Paul and Stillwater
Would like to connect Google calendar with my iCal calendar - will help my team know my schedule
Created an iGoogle page

24 Pottery Students: Session #3

2008-11-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

Tuesday - Applying Clear Glaze

This took us 3 hours to glaze, clean up, and load 75 pottery pieces! I don't think we realized how long it would take to complete the task.

Saturday Pottery Class: Session #3

Relationship Building: Yoga - a parent led us in many yoga poses while we waited for students to arrive.

Kiln Viewing - we walked down to a science room to see the kiln - I explained how it worked and answered questions

Pottery Wheel Demonstration - I threw a large vase, closed the top, and cut it off the wheel and cut it in half. I originally thought I would bring one whell for demonstration purposes. Later, I change my mind and brought in two of my wheels.

4 - Pottery Rotations

1) Add picture to frame and add string for hanging
2) Paint self hardening class from last time
3) Create with self hardening clay
4) Pottery wheel experience - I centered the clay - the students put a hole in the center and pulled the clay out. Everyone ended up having 2 turns at doing this

Final Reactions - I'm so glad I brought in an extra wheel. For some of these students, this was the first time they had ever been on a wheel. Their faces told the whole story. I talked to the principal about offering another wheel/hand building class - 2 sessions - smaller class size!

24 Excited Potters - Session #2

2008-11-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Tuesday - Bisque Firing
It took 2 hours to load and learn how to fire the kiln for the first time at Harambee - I had to go to Continental Clay to get the correct firing cones. I had to take some of the pottery home so my industrial strength fan could blow on the pieces overnight. I'm very surprised none of the pieces cracked in the bisque firing because some of them were very thick in spots. I put them in the kiln at my house and put them on a soak for 2 hours at 125 and then for 3 hours at 185. All of the pieces fired on Tuesday. All of the pottery pieces were close to - cone 04. They were cool enough to take out for the Sat morning class.

Saturday Pottery Class #2

Relationship Building Activities: Thumb Grab, Get to Know You Cards, Do This-Do That
Pottery Centers:

Paint Picture Frame (the principal took photos of the students at work)
Glaze Pottery
Create with Self Hardening Clay

Closing Activities: Group "Teddy Bear" Juggle

The students were very engaged the whole time. I was happy to see the principal helping out with relationship activities and helping the students with their projects - I didn't know she was the principal until the end of class.

Cone 04 Bisque Firing - 11/13/08

2008-11-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Clay: Low Fire
Shelves: 2
Load: Student work - hand/bowls
Complete Time: 10:15

Firing Schedule:

75/185/3.00
400/900/0
250/1200/0
400/1800/0
108/1950/0

Special Note:

Top-Good, Bottom-Too hot

Cone 04 Bisque Firing - 11/6/08

2008-11-06T19:47:00.000-08:00

Clay: Low Fire

Shelves: 2
Load: 60 pinch pot bowls

Firing Schedule:

60/150/2.00
400/1800/0
250/1400/0
400/1830/0
108/1970/0

Special Note:

Back Firing temp down 20

24 Excited Potters: Session #1

2008-11-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

Today I taught 24 excited potters at Harambee Elementary in St. Paul. The students, grade 2-5, were super excited to work with clay. I was so thankful to have parents, teachers and my twin sons in the room to help out. Everyone in the room was totally engaged in the projects and were so willing to help each other. It was awesome to stand back for a moment and watch.

As we were extruding clay cylinders for the "face jars" one of the students said, "This is the best class I have ever had". Another student said, "I can't believe this class is already over". Educators love to overhear comments like this from students.

This is what I did in the 3 hour session:

Relationship Building Activities - Take a hike... and Raccoon Circles
View past projects via my website www.kidsclayshop.com
Show pottery tools: slab roller, extruder, misc tools
Projects: Model how to, then students create
1) Pinch pot
2) Pinch Pot with Feet and Name Plate
3) Cylinder with Name Plate
4) Cylinder Face Jar
5) Picture Frames

My first posting

2008-10-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm going to give this a try. Since I am a technology coordinator by day and a potter by night, I'm going to use this space to share my passion for pottery with others and as a way to record pottery information for myself.