Here at Shadow Ridge, there are many different electives students can choose from, ceramics is one of the many. Ceramics is the art of clay forming and shaping ideas into the physical form. Students in ceramics get to use their heart and mind to create something special to them or a loved one. All this happens in the ceramics class, room 318.
There are 3 different levels of ceramics. Ceramics I, which is beginning. Ceramics II is intermediate, and Ceramics III is advanced.
Mrs. Brackney states, ¨There are no prerequisites to taking ceramics, but attendance is pretty much mandatory. If you are a student that misses a lot of school then this class might not be the best choice. You can only use clay at school and there is no taking projects home to work on. I offer open studio time after school twice a week for students that miss occasionally or want more time for their projects, but if you are absent a lot, you will struggle to pass this class.¨
Students who join ceramics get the chance to connect with other students and the teacher and share each other’s interests. Students also develop leadership skills, improve social skills, and boost college applications, if students are interested in going to college after high school, but they also get the opportunity to improve their creativity, patience, problem solving skills and are ultimately provided a place for them to be themselves and have fun.
At the end of each project, students will be able to take home any ceramic piece they make unless it is needed for the class. They will take all of their projects home at the end of the school year.
Students will need to sketch out their designs and will be able to use Pinterest to find ideas. Students will be required to be mentally and physically prepared if they need to restart their project. Dealing with ceramics can be tricky if students are not careful. Sometimes students will have to start over several times. However, students do not have to be creative or artistic to make amazing ceramic pieces. If students like on-hand and fun activities, ceramics is one of the best classes for that.
Asides from the trickiness that can come along with ceramics, Mrs. Brackney, the ceramics teacher, is a very straightforward, respectful and fun teacher.
Mrs. Brackney states, ¨I am very direct, but I love my job. I love helping kids create the best art that they can and with that comes honesty. Students have to be willing to take direction and listen because there are a lot of ways you can make mistakes with your projects.¨
