Professional Development courses for art teachers looking for new ideas in their classrooms

On December 7th we hosted a workshop for Mount Vernon art teachers to come to the Clay Art Center and get their hands dirty with clay. This was a group of second to fourth grade teachers looking to incorporate the visual arts as a means of expanding the core knowledge of their students. We worked with them to create their own pots as well as giving them the information to integrate the clay processes into their classroom's every day activities. The teachers worked on creating and glazing several projects and thought about the challenges and benefits of working with clay in the classroom. There was also a group discussion about various pottery techniques, how to design a fun ceramic project that falls within the current NYS curriculum guidelines and just some general troubleshooting.

The teachers also toured Clay Art Center's current exhibition, all learning along the way specific ways to incorporate clay into the classroom. I'd say keep your eyes peeled for more clay to be seen in classrooms near you real soon!