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Phil Lyons | Episode 514
Phil Lyons is an artist, musician, and teacher in Madison, Wisconsin. Phil has been teaching ceramics & sculpture for the last 17 years at his alma mater, Madison West High where he replaced the legendary Don Hunt. Phil says, “I run one of the biggest and best high school ceramics studios anywhere!” Phil has an amazing wife (Judy) and three grown, creative sons.
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How important is listening to being a good teacher?
I think that when you give students a voice and give them some control in terms of what they are making and expressing themselves, that’s what it is all about. For me I am trying to give them the techniques and the strategy to being their ideas to fruition. Inevitably that involves listening. These kids have so much to share in terms of what is going on in their lives, they have a lot of rich experiences that they want to try to bring out in their works of art. So that involves listening.
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How long do you teach them, This is the way to do it?
That is interesting. After I graduated from high school I went to Madison and then I went to Alfred and I learned by watching my mentors that everybody has their own way of doing it, so I understand. I don’t require them to do it a specific way. I mean their are certain parameters with forms, like we do a mug test and the mug has to be 5 inches tall and cleanly tooled with a nice foot. I mean there are certain parameters that we go for but their are some kids, I teach them three different ways to center they clay. For some people this pulling technique might work better, for some people the heel of your left hand and put your elbow in your rib, lean in and that works better for other people. You have to be flexible.
You mentioned show up, try, and clean up. How important is consistency in teaching?
I think it is important for kids, once they have had me for a few weeks they know my system and they can flourish in that system because they know the expectations, they know the rhythm of the class. But as I get kids for a second and third year they know my system and my process and that just gives them a freedom and a comfort level in the room and it allows them to flourish I think.
Is there any room for friendly competition in a classroom setting?
There is absolutely room for friendly competition. We have our pottery Olympics during our fine arts week in May every year. Kids definitly sort of challenge each other in terms of trying to out do each other with the speed,with the height, and the weight of their pots. That is healthy I think.
How important is the power of praise in a student’s life?
Oh man, with teaching praise can really inspire a kid to stick with something and work hard. It has to be genuine. You have to give them a little taste of honest constructive criticism too. But it is always balanced with praise. When we do critiques and we ask kids to say something that they like about a piece and then maybe how they would do it differently or something that the person could have improved upon. So honest, genuine praise is definitely a great thing and a powerful tool for any teacher, but you have to have the constructive criticism to go along with it.
How do you after thirty years stay excited to teach students year after year?
I am fifty-nine years old and I am actually retiring in June, Paul, from teaching in the public school but I do not feel fifty-nine at all. I am still in pretty good shape health wise and I hang out with teenagers all day, every day, and I think it has really kept me young. Clay is a very engaging material and I have had nothing but fun working with clay my whole life, so the idea that I get to go work with kids who are excited about coming to my class, I have had the best job in the world for the past 17 years for sure. It has been a good ride for me.
Book
Marguertie Wildenhain and the Bauhaus
Contact
Instagram: @lyonsclayart