How Awesome is It to Be a High School Teacher | Frank Eagar | Episode 619

Frank Eagar | Episode 619

The knowledge Frank Eagar has gained through not only producing art, but teaching art, and has broadened his knowledge regarding how and why art has been produced through the centuries. As a ceramic artist all of Frank’s pieces from a simple cup to a sculpture are a small representation of both himself and his experiences. Teaching art has given Frank the privilege to increase others knowledge and appreciation of art, by showing and teaching the depth of being that goes into the creation of individual pieces. As a ceramicist, Frank believes in producing both functional as well as sculptural pieces. The beauty and simplicity of functional ware is timeless, and yet still carries the fingerprint of its creator long after he is gone. Frank also enjoys making 3D ceramic sculptures. Though these are a more complex representation of Frank, he enjoys creating these pieces from birdbaths, to fountains, even to a figurative sculpture because of the versatile qualities of the clay. Frank always enjoys experimenting with shape, pattern, color, and form in my pottery. Currently, the distortion of basic shapes and play upon its actual or created lines either in a whimsical or obtuse manner are a recent creative focus of Frank.

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Do you like working with high school students because they are more independent? The younger they are they tend to be more needy but when you are in high school you have more independence, you can drive, you can stay out later. Is that something you enjoy about them?

They do have some independence but they still want to know they are doing things right. So they can be needy that way, Is this right? Am I doing this correctly? Does this look okay?  But I love the independence of the free thought they have and the direction they want to go. They are starting to form their own identity, They think they have one, you know they come in at fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years old but they are still shaping who they are going to be. But I like that aspect of being able to tap in a little bit more on that end of their brain. My wife teaches elementary school and I can’t handle those kids, I make them cry and they just don’t like me. I am a big large man and they freak out. But she comes to my school sometimes and asks, How do you deal with those high school kids? I don’t know, I guess I am where I am supposed to be.

Have you found that their rebellious nature that tends to peak in middle school wears off by the time they are in high school?

Yes! Anyone who teaches Junior High deserves hazard pay. That is a rough, rough…sixth, seventh and eighth grade…rough, rough, time. My oldest who went through that, that was rough. Anybody who teaches junior high, bless them. Anyone who teaches junior high art, bless them. That is just…oh my gosh. It does temper off a little bit. I mean, freshmen are a little squirrelly  and  a little immature and as time goes on they get better. There are kids who are seniors who have had me for two or three years  and the relationship that I build with them-it is just amazing.

between 9th to 12th grade it  feels like they become flexible adults. Do you look at them that way?

Yes, very much so. When they reach their junior and senior year I try to explain to them, You guys are getting close to going to college or getting a job and becoming independent.  I see that happening to them .They are getting more responsible and they get more understanding. They are starting to shape their mind a little bit better. I see that happen with them all the time. There is a difference between having a conversation with a freshman than with a senior in high school. They are much more flexible and accepting things. And they are much more, especially in my class, they re much more acceptable at trying things, which makes me happy.

Do you find that they are starting to get more serious then about life?

Some are. I think, when I went to school Paul, we went to college and try to find ourselves and trying to find direction. Kids now-a-days by the time they get to junior year, the vast majority of them have a plan. Because when I went to school it wasn’t as expensive as it is now. So you have to have direction and I think kids now are much more savvy about the direction. They are a lot more laser focused than I was.

Student Work

One thing I like about high school students is they recognize they still need a little bit of help which is true in life in general. Do you find that to be the case?

Yes, I have had kids who I don’t think need help, still want my help. They still want answers to the questions. Even if I look and them and say, You know the answer. I guess they need that affirmation. Like, I am right, okay. I think it is what kids need. I think kids now a days are much better at asking for help than I was. Some people say it might be a little too much, but I would rather have someone who is a little more needy and want direction because that is why I am here as a teacher. If I am not here to direct you , why am I here?

You have a high school student of your own at your high school and you have other parents’ high school students. Do your students get your jokes better than your own children do?

My son, I won’t lie, is kind of wired like me. What happens is a lot of kids know my son and say, Wow, he’s your kid. And I say, Yes. We have some of the same sense of humor. Some of my kids get my jokes, I have one or two that will laugh. Then when I have a really bad joke or a really bad story and everyone just looks at me. I and I’m like, This is uncomfortable. I guess it didn’t go very well. So I have moments like that. But some of them get it, some of them get my jokes. I hope so. Or they just laugh at me because they like me. That’s probably what it is.

Student Work

Book

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink 

The Positive Dog By Jon Gordon

Here is the PDF that Frank put together as an example curriculum for teachers to use in their classes.  Frank Eagan PDF

Contact

YouTube: frankeagar

Instagram: @claygod

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