Pottery Student Stories: Slow & Steady Wins the Race

As a ceramics instructor, I have taught many different types of students. To first timers that need to take their time to develop their skills to natural artists that pick up pottery really quickly. For this blog post, this will all be about working with students that take their time to hone in their wheel throwing skills.

As someone who also started off being a slower learner, it really took me time to remember and maintain the steps in order. And mind you, there are A LOT of steps and hand positions to remember while wheel throwing. To the centering, coning, opening, and pulling– all of these require special attention and mind-muscle connection. It really did take me about 5 weeks to fully understand the whole process to wheel throwing, and that is why it’s important for me to nurture my students who need a bit more guidance.

Every person has a different way of learning. Some learn best when I thoroughly go through the steps and others learn better when they are actually doing. And it’s really exciting to see the growth and progress of students who first started off having a hard time but are now able to be independent in their wheel throwing skills.

And as an instructor, my job is to teach them but also to make sure that they are actually enjoying what they are doing. Even if that means not getting right away. Just like with anything, things take time to build. Rome wasn’t built in a day.