Student Success Stories
The ELICOS Department of the Southbank Institute.
Southbank Institute is fortunate in that it has a large pottery where many Australian and some Asian students can complete a Diploma of Visual Arts, specialising in Ceramics. We in the ELICOS department can utilise this pottery in the teaching of English as an extra activity, as we have a qualified pottery teacher who is also one of our experienced team of English as a Second Language teachers.
Tomo, Nariomi, and Kazu with the results of their five-week pottery class.
This activity has become extremely popular with those of our students who are artistically inclined, and is always booked out as soon as it is offered. One of the great benefits of this activity is that it gives our students the opportunity to communicate with English speaking students in a relaxed, artistic environment. Another benefit has been the amount of creative writing, which has flowed from the students as a result of creating artistic pieces, which they can take home or give as presents to their friends and homestays.
Pots created by Won, Gye Im (Erica).
Here are a few samples of these pieces of writing:
“At first sight I have been interested in Pottery because I have never tried it before. Firstly, Ann gave us the lecture about the process and how we make it. When I was taking her class, it was getting more attractive to me. Not knowing about pottery much, I learned new knowledge of it, and as well, the deepness of it. As soon as we moved to the work place, I started making up clay with my imagination. I think pottery is a sort of mental training. It is a good way to relax and change my mind. Anyway I really enjoyed her class.”
“My pot was quite simple, but I really like it. On the other hand, my friend’s was challenging; a complicated design and shape. Some of us were making a splendid pot as if she/he was a professional potter. It seemed his/her eyes, including Ann’s eyes, were different from normal students; I mean they had sparkling eyes. There is no doubt that I could make up a wonderful pot. I strongly hope so.”
“While I was making the pot, Ann played some music which prompted me to do more. I’m planning to make some special pot for my close friend (in the next class), which will be for his birthday present. I’ll be pleased if he loves it. Therefore next week I have to do my best with my whole energy and know-how.”
“Even though I modelled the clay with my imagination in mind, it didn’t look anything like this in the end. It seemed to be more or less the same as life. Sometimes it happens that even if I have intended to make a choice, this causes an unexpected result. We call it “hard luck”, but on the other hand, we also enjoy unexpected things in our life. So there are similarities between pottery and life. Therefore I’d like to enjoy their difficulty without complaining about them as much as possible.”
“Today is really a fun day, because I went to pottery. I really had fun in this class. It was delightful to me. Really like to make some art crafts. Ann expounded the materials of pots, our course of every week. After explanation, we went to another building, and Ann displayed some pots for us, then we started to make them. Not knowing about pottery much, I learned new knowledge of it, as well as the deepness of it. I made up clay with my imagination. When I was working I came up with many ideas. Also I thought pottery is a sort of mental training. It is a good way to relax and change my mind.”
Salhah Al Shahri, from the Kingdom of Saudi.
“After taking the elective classes, I joined the fifth pottery class. Today’s work was painting my own pots some colour that I wanted. It made me impressed, because these paints are strange colour at first sight. However, they will change from the original colour to vivid colour by combining with Oxygen. When I was a student in Japan I studied about Chemistry, that’s why I could understand why the colour will change from one to another. I am really impressed with Pottery since I usually use pots without thinking some special things, but as it is, this pottery class has taught me how deep pottery is. By the way I had good success in today’s work. I can’t wait for the completed works. As soon as I take these pots to my home, I want to use them in my daily life.”
Last updated 9 February, 2006