Header To A Good Start – Modelling Using Ceramic Material

WHAT
Brief introduction and getting to know one another to create a relaxed atmosphere on commencing the two-day or week-long modeling course. Modification of the familiar activity, where a drawing of a face goes around the participants and a different person draws each step. In this variant, heads are rapidly modeled from ceramic material and, when the head is passed on for the next step, each participant introduces him/herself to the next person. The participants enjoy themselves and relax.

WHERE
In the workshop of the Ceramics Studio in Kohoutov, equipped with benches for each participant. The activity can be performed anywhere, even without benches, but water is required for washing the hands after the activity.

WHEN
10:00 to 10:30, Saturday, March 19, 2011

WHO
FACILITATORS:
Jarmila Tyrnerová and Lenka Stodůlková - instructors at The Ceramics Studio of Jarmila Tyrnerová s.r.o., Kohoutov 74, 54401, Czech Republic, (www. keramiko.cz)
LEARNERS:
14 learners – men and women aged between 25 – 55 years without extensive experience in modeling and drawing

WHY
For learners
1. The activity relaxes the strained atmosphere at the beginning of the course
2. It helps the participants to get over their shyness with a new material, speeds up the start and increases self confidence
3. It eliminates a feeling of excessive responsibility for the result and fear of criticism, because the creation is anonymous
4. It helps in informal establishment of contacts in a new group
For facilitators
1. The activity allows the facilitators to observe the dynamics in the group
2. The temperament of the individual learners becomes apparent and the facilitator can prepare for an individual approach towards them
3. The facilitator can provide the first expert instructions in a relaxed atmosphere

HOW
1. Following the introduction to the week-long ceramics course for beginners, the participants moved to the workshop, where each of them had a lump of light-coloured grogged ceramic material weighing 1 kg on his/her bench.
2. The facilitator introduced the activity as a game and explained the simple rules to them
3. She showed them the shape of a skull on a plaster model and asked them to use their colleagues as models.
4. She showed than how a few movements of the hands are sufficient for shaping the form of a skull, neck and base so that the head stands up.
5.  The participants handed the shaped head to their colleagues across the aisle and simultaneously introduced themselves. After pressing hollows and attaching eyes, the head was again passed on.
6. According to the instructions of the facilitator, the participants formed a nose, lips, ears, hair and the last person could adjust the head and inscribe a suitable name. The participants even brought their work to a more distant participant and the atmosphere in the workshop became relaxed.
7. The activity was terminated by collecting all the heads and laughing during the viewing. The entire event with the instructions and completion lasted 30 minutes, but could be shortened to half the time.
8. The participants could state their opinions on the event at the end of the day, mentioning whether it fulfilled its purpose.
9. We formerly tried various modifications. For example, we did not provide any instructions on the technique to be used (engraving, sticking on, pinching), we changed the time allocated for the individual steps, or the participants created one head together. The time required can thus be reduced.
10. For more advanced ceramics artists, a variant can be used where the participants are blindfolded. Then the facilitator must assist in passing on the heads. The activity is improved by the ability to imagine things in three dimensions.

VALUE FOR LEARNERS
1. At the end of the working day, the participants could state their opinion on the activity. All 14 of them stated that they valued the relaxed atmosphere and loss of shyness.
2. Some were taken aback and surprised at the beginning.  However, when they realized that they would not be criticized, these feelings decreased.
3. The slower and more careful participants initially had the feeling that they did not have enough time. Then they realized that it was only a game and liked the fact that an expression can be created on a face with just a few fast strokes.
4. The result led to merriment, they liked it and it gave a feeling of success to all the members of the group without any difference.
5. The participants valued the self-confidence that the game gave them. They then readily tackled the next, rather difficult task.
6. The participants included the instructors of spare-time activities for children and adults and they considered introducing a similar activity into their own work.

VALUE FOR FACILITATORS
1. The facilitators confirmed that the activity can be used for a relatively large group of 14 people.
2. It doesn’t matter that each head does not pass around all the participants and that the order is confused. The final work is then really the work of the group.
3. The facilitator discovered that it is not necessary to provide more time, even though the participants said that they couldn’t manage in the time available. It is sufficient to explain to them that the result is not important, that it is only a game and they understand this.
4. The overall favourable acceptance of the activity encouraged the facilitator to use it to enrich classical teaching methods.