When you walk into Mrs. Hanania’s Ceramics classroom, you will immediately sense the difference it has from any other classroom.  A musty, cool smell immediately greets you the moment you set foot into the room.  Students hunched over tables, their hands sunken in clay like feet sinking in wet sand at the beach. The boxes of paint and clay scattered around the classroom give it that organized chaos that fosters inspiration.  The smell and feel of the classroom will never leave you.

Intro to Ceramics is a class for students to use their interests and imagination, and put it into their artwork.  Twelfth grader Meghna Thekepat says, “Introduction to Ceramics is awesome and allows you to creatively express yourself through pottery.”

The class was assigned to come up with one element of nature that they feel could make a compelling design.  Once they had drawn different vase shapes, students used their printouts of nature to inspire shapes, lines, and textures.  Finally, students draw their final copies which will eventually turn into real life vases.

The difference between Mrs.Hanania’s class and a typical lecture style class is that students are more independent and hands-on. Usually, there is not much chatter going on during class; more often than not, the class is diligently working on their assignments.  “It’s so great to see my class focusing on their projects,” says Mrs.Hanania. “It feels like I am in a library.  It really goes to show how devoted and fascinated my students are by this class and the work they do.”