Table Manners: Functional Pottery Syllabus

ARDI 2311 Table Manners: Functional Pottery         

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• FINAL : Thursday from 11am-1:30

Course Objectives:

• Create a preliminary and final pair (for a total of 4) sets of plates, cups, and bowls for functional use.
• Reflect on the various contexts in which food serving and eating vessels are used, from the everyday table to special occasions.
• Consider the design and form of table vessels for ceremonial, communal and intimate occasions.
• Appreciate the hand-made, hand-held container or vessel.
• Understand the potential for customizing food presentation for special traditions or occasions.
• Design and make specific food containers and serving vessels in individual styles, for individual needs, for interest, elegance, or special purpose to be used in a final critique.
• Create a basic frame of reference for ceramic materials and processes used to create a functional vessel.
• Discuss the basic elements of design and how they pertain to the functional vessel.
• Create, document, and share a written and visual studio practice in an open online setting.

Course Description

This is a hands-on ceramic art class in which you will explore several approaches to creating handmade functional tableware by making 2 sets of handmade pottery. Each set, a preliminary and final set, will have 2 cups, 2 plates, and 2 bowls. Explorations will include considerations of context, function, style, and expressive potential within the framework of the utilitarian sensibility. Traditions, rituals, and customs for food preparation and presentation are compared with contemporary and innovative ideas for creating vessels and containers for food to be offered at the table. The result of this course will be the development and creation of original and individualized sets of tableware and creating a frame of reference for the history and techniques of tableware.

This is a General Education Course

This course is a Creative Thought Direction (CTDI) in the General Education program. People need to be creative in order to thrive in our complex and changing world. People also need to understand the creative processes that lead to the generation of ideas and to engage in new interpretations of existing ideas. CTDI courses encourage students to recognize beauty in its many manifestations and to become aware of formal elements of creative expression. CTDI courses also encourage students to view themselves as creative beings, to appreciate creativity in others and to regard creativity as an essential component in all areas of human endeavor. In these courses, students develop and value perseverance and a tolerance for ambiguity. Students are challenged to appreciate aesthetic forms, to use their imaginations and to develop the skills and attitudes that allow creativity to flourish: independence and non-conformity, the ability to organize and reorganize information and the confidence to think in new ways. Creative Thought courses emphasize the skills of critical thinking, reading, writing, listening and speaking, and working with information technology.

General Education Habits of Mind

Problem solving Comprised of the following: ·  Problem Framing ·  Challenge Identification ·  Plan Development ·  Decision-making and Revision ·  Evaluation of Progress	PURPOSEFUL COMMUNICATION Comprised of the following: ·  Awareness of Context ·  Comprehension ·  Purposeful Expression ·  Effective Application of Strategies for Communication
Self-regulated learning Comprised of the following: · Responsibility for One’s Own Learning · Engagement in the Learning Process · Metacognitive Awareness	Integrated perspective Comprised of the following: ·  Self-Awareness ·  Perspective Seeking · Interconnectedness · Collaboration

Required Materials

Clay, glaze, and other materials for the course will be covered by the course lab fee. You will be supplied other safety materials as well. You will need to purchase or create:

• Dedicated sketchbook/ Idea log using unlined paper

Ceramics Studio Policies:

• Health and Hazard:
  • DO NOT EAT OR DRINK IN THE STUDIO -TOXICS CAN BE TRANSMITTED INTO YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Art Department Policy on Unclaimed Artwork

Any student participating in a studio course in the Art Department at PSU is responsible for removing from the premises the artwork he/she creates in that class at the end of the course. Any artwork left behind by a student from a course at the end of the semester will be saved or disposed of at the discretion of the instructor or Program Coordinator. The Art Department cannot ensure safety, conservation, or appropriate storage of work. If the artwork is saved, it will be used as a teaching resource for future classes.

Any artwork that is in a departmentally endorsed or sponsored exhibit and which is unclaimed by the artist at the end of that exhibit will be retained by the department for a period of 6 months. However, during this time, the Art Department cannot ensure safety, conservation, or appropriate storage of work. At the end of 30 days, the work will be reviewed by a departmental vetting committee to determine if the artwork will be retained or discarded. If the artwork is retained, it will be used as a teaching resource and Images of that artwork will be used for any public relations purposes as the Department and University see fit.

University Assistance

• Getting Help
  • I want you to learn and thrive in this class and at Plymouth State University generally. I’ll do whatever I’m able to in support of your success, however you choose to define it. If/when something (academic, personal, financial) interferes with your ability to do the work you want to do, please ask for help! Sometimes it can be difficult or scary to ask for help, but it’s a smart thing to do, and to do sooner rather than let things get worse, as they sometimes do. Sometimes you might not know exactly what to ask for, or if the help you want or need even exists; sometimes you may have multiple and intersecting needs. If I can’t help you directly, I’ll do my best to help you find the person or office that can. Here are some places to seek different kinds of help:
• Help with basic needs:
  • General/Emergency Financial Assistance: If you find yourself having difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or if you lack a safe and stable place to live, and you believe this is affecting your performance in this class, please let me know. Please also get in touch with the Student Support Foundation
  • Food: If you are experiencing food struggles, the PSU Student Support Foundation runs a Food Pantry: In addition to the food pantry, PSU’s Student Support Foundation has numerous resources, including emergency financial assistance. (If you find yourself in possession of unwanted/extra non-perishable food and/or unopened toiletries or other personal supplies, consider making a donation to help support your fellow students.) Food pantry locations: the HUB, Boyd Hall, HHP (Allwell), and in the CoLab.
  • Housing: Residential Life is available to work with students experiencing homelessness for temporary/emergency housing if/when space is available, as well as longer term housing options. On-campus housing during break periods is available for students residing on campus during the semester. Options and fees vary so please contact Residential Life directly for details reslife@plymouth.edu or 603-535-2260.
  • Physical health: No matter what health challenges you are facing, it’s important to take care of them as best you are able. Plymouth State University Health Services is located at 12 Merrill Street (Mary Taylor House), across from Hyde Hall and next to Centre Lodge. (603) 535-2350
  • Mental and emotional health: Plymouth State University Counseling Center (603) 535-2461 — Among the many things you can get help with at the Counseling Center are grief/loss, depression, stress and anxiety, sexuality, loneliness, family issues, addiction/recovery issues, and adjustment to college life.  
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  • As Responsible Employees, faculty such as myself are required to report disclosures of sexual misconduct to the PSU Title IX Coordinator Janette Wiggett, to ensure students are provided accurate and comprehensive information about resources, rights, reporting options, as well as the supportive & protective measures available. This means that if you disclose to me that you have been a victim of sexual misconduct, I am required to report it to Janette Wiggett. My mandated reporting does NOT automatically initiate a formal complaint on your behalf (or indeed any requirement to do anything); rather, it is meant to ensure your access to support and consistent and correct information about your rights, resources and options.
• Chosen/Correct Name: We all have a right to be addressed in a manner that feels consistent with our identity. PSU supports students in adopting your preferred names.
  • Go to Student Services in the PSU portal – you might need to search for it if you don’t already have it in your dashboard tools. Choose the “personal information” tab at the top. You will then get to a page where you can edit your information, including your preferred name.
  • I want to pronounce your preferred name correctly – thanks in advance for correcting me when I fumble, and for your patience. My own last name is a challenge for people so I understand. 
• Help addressing specialized needs of veterans, active duty or reserve military personnel, or their dependents – Many of the needs described in this document can be shaped in particular ways by a student’s active duty military status and/or experiences in the military. The Office of Military Services provides academic support, promotes community campus-wide, and works to increase access to academic, financial, and personal resources for all active-duty, veteran, and military dependent students.
• Help with academic needs/supports:
  • Help accommodating a disability: Plymouth State University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring accommodations, you should contact Campus Accessibility Services (CAS), located in Speare (535-3300) to determine whether you are eligible for such accommodations. [Formal] academic accommodations will only be considered for students who have registered with CAS. If you have authorized CAS to electronically deliver a Letter of Accommodations for this course, please communicate with your instructor to review your accommodations.
  • Additionally: I want this class to be as accommodating and flexible as possible for everybody, no matter their official “status”/”diagnosis”/”eligibility.” If there are policies, language, assignments, or other course materials which are in any way difficult for you to access/use, or which are interfering with your learning, please let me know as soon as you can so that we can (if possible) re-design for a more accessible and accommodating course for all. I apologize in advance for any missteps here and appreciate the opportunity to do better when I learn better.
  • Study Skills & Academic Tutoring:Tutoring is available in the PASS Office in Speare 209 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Thursday and Friday 10 AM to noon; or by appointment. During this time, peer tutors will be available for study skills and open lab tutoring. If you are in need of a tutor, please fill out our Application for Service and our Tutoring Agreement. In an effort to continue connecting with you, the professional staff will be available for meetings weekdays from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Please email the professional staff to schedule an appointment.
  • Writing Center: Open seven days a week, with experienced tutors who can help you at any stage of the writing process, for class work, or for work outside of class, the Writing Center is located on the bottom level of Lamson Learning Commons. They can also help you make sure your work isn’t violating PSU’s Academic Integrity Policy due to plagiarism, inadequate citation, etc. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Jane Weber: jlweber@plymouth.edu or 535-2831.
  • Reference Librarians: Need help with some research? Looking for some key information? “Ask a Librarian!” They love getting asked stuff. Librarians appreciate your questions. It’s a big part of why they got into the library biz.
  • Technology Assistance: Need help with your laptop, Canvas, printing, or other technologies involved in your learning? Contact the help desk in any number of ways – chat, phone, email, face to face – by following this link.
• Help with bigger-picture/longer-term academic and personal issues:
  • Sometimes, folks need to get some help figuring out whether/how they should or can take a leave of absence from school, working through grade disputes or other academic issues. Academic Student Advocate and Policy Advisor Dr. David Zehr at the Frost House can be of tremendous help in these kinds of situations. He can be contacted at zehr@plymouth.edu or 535-3294.
    • The CARE Form (Concern, Awareness, Referral, Engagement) is a helpful resource if you have concerns regarding a friend on campus. Faculty and staff use CARE forms if there are academic or behavioral concerns with students as the form goes directly to the Frost house team. Keep in mind confidentiality will be maintained by the university’s FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) policy.
• Plymouth State University Policies and Procedures: The Catalog
  • Here is a LINK to academic policies and procedures, including the Fair Grading Policy, the Attendance/Excused Absence Policy, and the (mentioned earlier) Academic Integrity Policy.
• What did I miss?
  • If there’s help you need that doesn’t seem to fit any of these categories, or if anything is confusing, let me know and we’ll figure it out. Sometimes what we need doesn’t fall neatly into a category or subheading.

Grading:

This course is a Creative Thought Direction (CTDI). We will emphasize the skills of critical thinking, reading, writing, listening, speaking, and working with information technology. The ceramic projects you create in this course concentrate on the four C’s of:

CREATIVITY: your projects should be visually interesting using the principles of design and a creative solution to the assignment while following guidelines. There can be no use of contemporary design iconography (no team logos, cartoon characters, etc.) in the designs created.

CRAFT: you should correct problems you run into. Projects should be well refined, defined and functional. The key is don’t be sloppy, quick, or rushed.

COMPLETION:  meet the deadline or deadlines for projects. Project must meet all of the assignment requirements.

CONSISTANCY : the ability to maintain a particular standard or repeat a particular task with minimal variation or a reasonable or logical harmony between parts. Your projects need to be challenging to your abilities. The easy or quick way out (with clay as a material) usually means an average grade at best. I keep in mind everybody isn’t on the same ability level but require that you apply yourself. Be aware that there will be working critiques as well as the final crit. The working crit looks at the work before it has been fired. You will need to keep in mind the firing schedules that will be set up in order to have your work fired in time for final crits of work. If your work does not get fired it does not get a final grade.

Each project will have a specific grading rubric to follow so please make sure to review them. Over the semester you will be graded on the following criteria:

You will receive a mid-semester progress report as well as a final grade. Here is a very generalized breakdown for grades.

• A, A-   = Exceptional and creative work. Projects are always challenging, well crafted and executed. Evidence of working outside of class time noted. Participates and interacts with class during crits and group activities.
• B+, B, B-= Above average work. Projects are challenging and well executed.
• C+, C, C-= Work is on time and fills the requirements.
• D+,D,D-= Below average work, constant tardiness and poor attendance.
• F= BELOW acceptable work, missed deadlines, constant tardiness, poor attendance.
• IC/Incomplete will not be given unless I discuss it with you.

UCW and Idea log

You will be documenting your Idea Log as a class on a regular basis relating to assignments in class that you will also post on your UCW. You will receive a mid and end of semester grade on your UCW. The grade will correlate to the following rubric.

Grade	60-68	69-76	77-84	85-92	93-100
Eport & Idea log contains	insignificant or totally lacking: organization project idea sketches, images, reflective assignments	minimal: organization project idea sketches, images, reflective assignments	required: organization project idea sketches, images, reflective assignments	Above required: organization project idea sketches, images reflective assignments	Well above required: organization project idea sketches, images,reflective assignments

PARTICIPATION & APPROACH

Participation is counted as asking questions, critique input, helping others, and general group interactions. There will be readings that we will discuss in class and your input will be documented. As the instructor I want the group to work well together and everybody needs to do their part to keep the studio maintained, clean, and safe. I will demonstrate each one of these activities and am always glad to give pointers afterwards. The best way to learn is by doing. Due to the materials we use and the fact that we’re making work from dry and dust materials the studio needs to be KEPT CLEAN. “I’m just messy when I work.” is not acceptable. Cleaning up after yourself has nothing to do with how you work. These group responsibilities will be noted on an individual basis and count towards the participation portion of your grade.

Approach regards how you approach this course. I’m a practicing visual artist and educator helping students investigate what they have a passion or interest in and help them convey their ideas visually. In your time in this course I would ask you to be as thoughtful about the subject matter as you would a course in your intended major. Attendance is also a factor as noted in the Attendance policy below.

Grade	59-68	69-76	77-84	85-92	93-100
Student	Minimal or does not: Participate in reviews. Asks questions and is familiar with studio practices. Reads assignments & participates in discussions. Clean work area. Approach to classroom dynamic poor or nonexistent	Below average: Participation in reviews. Asks questions and is familiar with studio practices. Reads assignments & participates in discussions. Clean work area. Approach to classroom dynamic is periodic.	Meets average: Participation in reviews. Asks questions and is familiar with studio practices. Reads assignments & participates in discussions. Clean work are. Approach to classroom dynamic occasionally constructive.	Above required: Participation in reviews. Asks questions and is familiar with studio practices. Reads assignments & participates in discussions. Clean work area. Approach to classroom dynamic regularly constructive.	Well above required: Active participation in reviews. Asks questions and is familiar with studio practices. Reads assignments & participates in discussions. Clean work area. Approach to classroom dynamic highly Constructive.

Attendance & Tardiness (part of Participation & Approach)

             Attendance will be taken at the start of each class. If you’re late tell me or it will count as an absence. Be on time and stay for the entirety of class time or get marked down. 2 unexcused absences will be allowed considering much of what we do in class such as demonstrations and classroom discussions cannot be recreated. After thes absences your final grade will drop 2 points per unexcused absence. There will be academic consequences for every absence deemed unexcused after 1.

The PSU college catalog states:

“Student absences are defined as excused or unexcused. Unexcused absences are those that occur without adequate reason. Unexcused absences may be used in the computation of grades.

Excused absences are defined as absences stemming from (a) participation in University sponsored activities and (b) compelling and extenuating circumstances beyond a student’s control…. Instructors have the right to determine when the number of excused absences exceeds a reasonable limit to the extent that it significantly interferes with a student’s satisfactory mastery of course content/skills.”

 An excused absence means you contact me prior to make arrangements. Constant tardiness or leaving class early is noted and will negatively impact your final grade.

Optimize class time and make sure to have all required materials or you won’t be able to work (i.e., clay, tools or other required materials).

Outside Studio time:  

There is an expectation that students work a minimum of 2 hours outside of class per week. The studios are open from 8am-11pm and are available to you whenever class is not in session. 

CANVAS

Grades for quizzes, projects, and other assignments will be handled through Canvas. As the instructor I will regularly post Announcements on Canvas that will be sent to your PSU email address so please check your email.