Walk Write Like An Egyptian Clay Lesson
- My Cartouche
Cartouche generated by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology website.
Now that school is back in session for my daughter and a routine [of sorts] has once again been established after winter break, I have started teaching another session of my after school clay class. I don’t repeat lessons often, except for a few overwhelming requests that the kids want to make again and again such as cups – they love making cups for some reason. Last week, I substitute taught on Friday and I had an hour of free time while the kids were in PE to think about what kinds of projects I wanted to teach this time around.
As I scanned the teacher’s book shelves, I picked up a book titled, Write Like an Ancient Egyptian by Beth Levine which I found fascinating. My brain started racing and I decided to have a theme this time around for my kid’s clay classes – “Around the World with Clay”. Our projects are going to focus on the ancient cultures of Egypt, the Mayans and Africa for the next 8 weeks. I think a cup will enter the picture for the Mayan period – maybe a stirrup cup.
On Tuesday afternoon we began our first project – and you may have surmised from my photograph at top and the title of this post, we made cartouches out of clay. I found the U of Penn website and typed in each kid’s name in order to give each student a print out of their name in hieroglyphics to use for the project. We are going to make canopic jars next week.
Here are a couple of the kid’s cartouches from Tuesday afternoon, still green and in various stages of drying (as usual, many kids break the template, which I kind of enjoy):
Meanwhile, my daughter auditioned for Denver School of the Arts yesterday afternoon. It was a tough day, and I don’t know about her, but I am glad it is over. Parents were not allowed in the room during auditions and were left to wring our hands, bite our nails in nervousness and otherwise kill time in the hallway. When my daughter exited the audition room, I could see by her face that it didn’t go well and she had all she could do to hold it together until we were safely in the car where the tears flowed freely. What a tough process for a 5th grader to experience, and an even tougher one for me. My girl is growing up and I realized that I can’t protect her from every disappointment in life. A kiss, hug and a band aid just don’t suffice in times like this. I did ask her whether she wishes I had discouraged her from applying to the school, and she replied, “No.” I guess all I can do sometimes is just to be there and to support her no matter the outcome. Sigh….
She has been offered an interview at the Denver Center for International Studies which takes place at the end of the month and there is a third school in the running - so not all is lost – it only feels that way to her right now. Some of you may remember that Denver offers school choice – gone are the days of going to the neighborhood school. Instead, kids apply to schools that they want to attend which has created keen competition for many of the more popular schools. Consequently, the schools make kids apply as if it was a college or a job they were going after (recommendations letters, essays, transcripts, resumes, head-shots, and interviews etc. are often required). Although some schools, like the School of Science and Technology, have instituted a lottery system instead which takes away the competitive aspect of applying and leaves fate up to the “luck of the draw”.
At any rate, I’ll be back sometime this weekend,
~Cynthia
Mary T.
January 15, 2009 at 3:38 pm //
I’m so sorry, but I think it is good to not have everything handed to us on a plate and to experience what seems to have gone badly at an age where we are still pretty bendable like a reed. The clay class looks good though. Also, never listen to what people tell you about your talent (or in this case your daughter’s) as those people are always about the mainstream and making money and satisfying some artificial factoid, and it has little to do with talent and a lot more with luck.
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:23 am //
“I think it is good to not have everything handed to us on a plate” I agree with you, Mary, 100%. My sister in law and I spoke on the phone the night of the audition and she mentioned that everything comes so easily – with little effort for my daughter, and this is probably a good experience for her to know that she can’t just coast sometimes. While she stands out in her current school, she didn’t when faced with a room full of stellar students. It’s good for her to know that she has to work really hard no matter what the situation – you just never know what can happen. To clarify too, she did work hard for her audition, but not as hard as she could have.
tracey
January 15, 2009 at 3:41 pm //
I have done art around the world during summer camp for the last two years. One of the most fun things we did was for Africa- we created an African village. We made little huts by rolling small balls of clay and building up the walls, lots of scoring and slipping.The kids really got into making little beds and fire pits and furnishings. For family sharing day,I put out a cloth on a long table, covered it with sand and we placed all of our houses around like a village. We dedicated the village to the people of Sierra Leone who lost their homes in the civil war. For another group we created a pueblo village, complete with Mexican restaurant, cactus, school, etc. I brought in votive candles for the pueblo houses and the glow through the windows was magical. Also for Africa instead of the masks that were getting too big and out of control, we made little tiny masks that we made into necklaces. I still wear mine. They were so cute! I love your kid’s posts, I’m always looking for new ideas! Keep ‘em comin’! I’ll try to put some shots up on my blog one day soon.
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:18 am //
Great idea, Tracey! I have a couple of kids who love to make little rooms or environments if you will. I’ll see how they feel about it… the only thing I have planned at the moment for Africa is a pan drum.
LB
January 15, 2009 at 9:54 pm //
That is the coolest kid project! Can I take a class with you?
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:17 am //
Come on over, Diana!!
Heather
January 16, 2009 at 3:59 am //
I wanna take this class too! Too bad about your kid, I know it’s tough, I did the same kinda thing when I was young too…and got rejected a lot too…it didn’t kill me, but I thought there were times I would fall over with dissapointment. I know it’s hard to watch our kids grow up and everything, but next year she will be a pro, and if she tries again she will know what to expect and what is expected of her. Oh…hell, just give that girl a hug from me will ya?
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:17 am //
“…it didn’t kill me” – it didn’t kill her either, but it sure sounded like it! I felt better after she told me that she’s glad that I didn’t discourage her from trying out and she doesn’t regret it either. My motto is you never know until you try – and if she hadn’t tried, she would have regrets later. BTW, she’s much better now –
annewebb
January 16, 2009 at 5:33 am //
Sounds like kids in Denver have a lot of opportunity presented to them at an early age. Making kids apply to elementary schools and middle schools as though they were applying to university I am sure is good in some ways (keep “standards” up and all that), but puts an awful lot of pressure on them from an early age. Sometimes I feel in today’s society there’s a lot more pressure on kids to grow up faster. ..more pressure and worries than I remember I ever had as a kid.
(btw the link to the U of Penn Museum doesn’t go there)
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:14 am //
Anne – I think this is true for a lot of kids today. I had a conversation with my in-laws over Christmas while they were visiting about how I didn’t feel like Ron and I had to do so much when we were kids – nor did I feel like I relied so much on my parents for help. Their response, “You’re absolutely right!” I think it’s part of our culture and as a parent, I guess I don’t want my kid to be left out. While my daughter is becoming more independent and definitely has opinions about what she wants to do, she still relies on me a lot to get organized and for motivation. I know a day will arrive when she doesn’t need me as much. Ooh – I’ll fix the link, thanks!
Melody Madden
January 16, 2009 at 6:46 am //
Oh Cynthia I really feel for your daughter and for you. It is so tough to sit on the sidelines and just watch it all happen. But as mothers the best we can do is just “be there” for comfort, for love and for support. Your a great mom.
Cynthia
January 16, 2009 at 7:10 am //
Thanks Melody – it is hard to sit on the side lines, but I know that’s what I have to do. My big push this year has been to help my daughter be more self directed and this was one of those times. She wanted to audition for the school and picked her songs, wrote her essay, etc. although I did have to prod her to practice.
Undaunted
January 16, 2009 at 7:43 am //
Oh, your poor daughter! I’m glad that she is feeling better about it now, and I’m sure that is due in part to your comforting words. I wish I had a shoulder to cry on when I didn’t make it into art college, and I was older! Wow, what pressure for someone so young.
Your new clay classes sound great! Please keep posting about them!
Jean Levert Hood
January 16, 2009 at 8:55 am //
What wonderful creativity you have, Cynthia! I know the kids are going to love this.
As to your little one, I think the important thing is that she has you to get her through these things in life. And, Bravo to her for not wanting you to protect her from possible disappointment. She’ll go far.
Janet
January 16, 2009 at 10:58 am //
Great that your daughter has such neat school choices. Wish we had that way way back when.
Love the cartouche project.
tracey
January 18, 2009 at 9:28 am //
I finally got some of my kid’s projects posted on my blog including the little villages I mentioned- tsbroome.blogspot.com. I got a little teary eyed thinking back to all of those kids last summer. They exhaust me but I love teaching them!