By Dorie Spangler | Council on Culture & Arts
With the start of the new school year, art teachers have been busy planning lessons that will both engage and inspire their students. Though their schedules already require a great deal of work outside of the classroom, from gathering materials to outlining projects and curriculums, teachers often find it extremely valuable to set aside time for professional development.
A professional development workshop not only offers teachers opportunities to train in a more specialized subject area, but it also allows them to connect with each other, share tips, and pool resources.
“For art teachers, all working independently at different schools, professional development sessions are essential for fostering ongoing collaboration and shared learning,” says Emily Westfall-Crouch, Art Teacher at Kate Sullivan Elementary.
She recently participated in a workshop facilitated by a partnership between the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) and Tallahassee Clay Arts, a ceramics studio owned and operated by artist and educator Sue Stelzmann.
On August 6 and 7, Sue Stelzmann opened her studio for a series of workshops for elementary and secondary art teachers to enhance their skills in the clay arts. The teachers represented a wide variety of experience levels with ceramics: some had been teaching units on pottery for decades, while others were entirely new to the craft. Many of the teachers have kilns in their classrooms, though some are non-operational or in need of repairs.
“Not all of them are experts at this particular craft, which is a complex craft,” says Stelzmann, “It takes a lot of knowledge and understanding of equipment.”
To cover as many fundamentals as possible, Stelzmann offered a 40-minute presentation, a kiln tour/demonstration, and a hand-building clay workshop. The presentation gave a thorough introduction to the nature of clay as a building material and to the logistical operations of a kiln. For the workshop portion, Stelzmann taught the secondary teachers how to make underglaze decals for a 6” tumbler, and the elementary teachers how to form and decorate a tripod mug.
Westfall-Crouch called the studio an “ideal venue,” and praised Sue’s expertise. “Participants at varying skill levels benefited from the hands-on instruction and peer engagement.”
During the workshops, teachers took notes and asked questions specific to their schools.
“They have so many different things that they’re dealing with,” says Stelzmann, “they each have different challenges inside their own schools.”
Stelzmann walked them through solutions to different problems, from how to save money on clay costs, to how to prevent a piece from cracking in the kiln. She offered visualizations of proper technique, and online resources for lesson plans and tutorials.
The art teachers also connected and consulted with each other. They gathered insight from those who had dealt with similar challenges or accomplished similar visions. They listened and laughed, sharing a variety of anecdotes and classroom tips and tricks.
For Sue Stelzmann, witnessing the teachers come together and learn collaboratively was a moving experience: “It was really touching to connect with these wonderful people. They have so much talent and giving, and they are doing so much with so little.”
Stelzmann herself is a strong advocate of arts education at all ages. Her studio focuses on teaching pottery to adults of every skill level, ranging from hobbyists to professional ceramicists. Having initially started Tallahassee Clay Arts out of her garage, and moving to its current studio location in 2019, Stelzmann dedicates herself fully to her craft.
“I just love clay. So I share my passion.”
In Stelzmann’s view, connecting with your own creativity is an essential part of the human experience.
“It’s just a connection to your soul. You have an itch and you want to be creative–I think that’s being human. The balance between working and making things that nourish you is a part of the process of balancing your life.”
Ceramics can be a difficult yet rewarding art form. Stelzmann says that throughout all her years working with clay, it continues to pique her interest. “It’s just something that hasn’t been boring to me since I’ve started. There’s always something to challenge yourself with.”
In leading these workshops, Sue Stelzmann was able to share her knowledge and passion with teachers who will pass those lessons down to future generations.
Her hope is that the workshops “empower them to have resources that they may not have been aware of before.”
In any creative or educational profession, inspiration and support are fundamental to success and sustained enrichment. Stelzmann found herself uplifted by the thoughtfulness, determination, and ingenuity of the art teachers. “I learned a ton by doing it,” she says.
“My favorite part was just discovering all these wonderful people and seeing their love and passion. They are devoted people.”
Whether their students are six years old or sixty years old, arts educators play a vital role in our communities by making the arts enriching and accessible. By gathering together to connect with peers, teachers can deepen their educational skills, while also making some of their own art in the process.
To learn more about Tallahassee Clay Arts, including the classes and courses they offer, visit: https://www.tallyclayarts.com/
To learn more about COCA’s Arts Education Grant, and how it supports K-12 arts teachers in Leon County, visit: https://tallahasseearts.org/arts-education/arts-ed-grant/
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