My students are encouraged to feed the soul of our community with a service learning project called "Empty Bowls" and by displaying their artistic achievements at our Annual Art Walk.
Even given the smallest of seeds, they do their part to nurture, grow and inspire the greatest creations in our community.
Every year my students work together to create works of art for various fundraisers and community efforts, which they host.
The challenge that my students face is not in their lack of creativity, it is their lack of resources. Budget cuts have to be made and the effects they have on the arts is unfortunate, but their implication resounds in the students. Limited resources results in limited opportunities. I want my students to have to opportunity to continue to grow and inspire positive change through the arts and through projects that build a sense of community.
My Project
Funding of this project would allow me to learn the basics of throwing on a wheel and provide another tool for learning in my art room. Up to this point, I have taught many students the basics of hand building and creating artwork through slab-rolling, but my students and I have never had the chance to learn throwing on a wheel. The great Vincent Van Gogh once said, "I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it." This philosophy is inherently woven into every class that I teach, and it ties into the idea of the power of yet statements we speak in class, "I cannot do this...yet, but after I learn (blank), or approach it this way...I can!"
I learn with my students, and in doing this, it makes me a better teacher; one that is relatable, human, and along for the myriad of challenges that the artistic process has to offer.
My students have been challenged with creating hand-built bowls for 5 years now for the Empty Bowl Project. Although I was able to budget for pottery wheels this year for my students, I did not have enough to order one for teacher demo purposes. I would love to be able to teach my students how to create bowls on a wheel, and for them to get to experience a new way of creating with clay. Not only will we be able to create bowls faster and with more precision, we will be able to make more bowls for our fundraiser!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Thompson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
