Arts Learning Grant

The primary goal of Clay Club is to facilitate an opportunity for engaged hands on, in person learning. Participants will gain knowledge and skills specific to the ceramic arts. I aim to reach each participant where they are with positive reinforcement and creative challenges in order to enhance their understanding of and participation in the creative process. I envision that this understanding will empower the participants as creative problem solvers as well as gaining an understanding of how creativity and creative work surround us in our lives. Participants will build connections with each other (including helpful adults) in a positive environment focused on the creative process. It is prudent to prepare for a distance learning model as a back up plan. If this becomes the situation, I am prepared to have virtual Clay Club via video chats and have discussed delivering and picking up materials along with school materials; I have received support for that idea. To determine the educational success of Clay Club I will rely primarily on observations of anticipated outcomes and I will also ask questions of the participants related to the outcomes. I will take notes and track individual progress with the intention of best supporting each participant. Using tools like these questions will be helpful to document progress as well as to monitor and adjust: 1) Are they engaged with creating? 2) Did they complete the process' 3) Did they use what they learned from their first piece to grow and create more work? 4) Are they able to connect the ceramic process to other areas of their life? I also anticipate having conversations with Mila (the art teacher) throughout the project in order to reflect, evaluate and measure the ongoing success and areas for improvement for Clay Club. I will also gather ongoing feedback from participants using age appropriate surveys as well as a pre and post Clay Club survey of knowledge and skills.